The Ocean

It's easy to understand the meaning of this song but difficult to grasp its scope. In my opinion, the singer left a love not for reasons such as a breakup, but merely for a career or opportunity. He lives overseas and travels frequently ("Sixes and sevens, we live on jet planes" is a reference to the Boeing 767) and is surrounded by many friendly people, but none that he feels connected to (like businesspeople, or fans.) Now he wonders whether he would have been happier leading a simple life with the girl he loved. The last chorus shows while he can wonder all he wants, too much time has passed; there is no redemption (I lose your hand through the waves.)

It is very possible to love someone and for no reason other than distance for things not to work out. Think of people who were your friends at college or a job who you don't see anymore. Most of the time you don't keep in touch and even if you do you haven't much to say. It's the shared, everyday experiences that fuel love or friendship; without them even strong feelings gradually fade away. That is what this song is about.

To be "at sixes and sevens" is an English phrase and idiom, common in the United Kingdom. It is used to describe a state of confusion or disarray. We live on Jet planes is an obvious reference to his high pace life style and not particularly traveling persay but rather the speed at which he's traveling through life. Which complements the next stanza transition into his hollow view of people he meets, too busy raceing through life to relate to thouse supposed "Friends"

yeah. this is one of my favorits on the album.

ok i admit this song was terrible when i first heard it. sounds like tragedy bound! but its grown on me though i am still dissapointed at the chorus. this is about lovers seperated by distance and though their feelings are genuine the love is slowly becoming stale. awesome part is when he asks why did i leave? awesome i would have never guessed it was the bravery

I love this song, one of my favorites! To me it's about a man sentimentally thinking about a past love, remembering her face in his head. But they drifted apart, and it seems it was mostly his fault. In the next verse he feels alone in the world, because a lot of people and friendships are superficial, and they've drifted away too. Last verse he is haunted by the fact that he left his love.

I think you guys are pretty much on the head of the nail.

He is wondering "what if" while he strugles to keep the image of his former love in his mind as time (the ocean rows/rolls us away) passes and the years go by.

Of all the people (voices) places, and moments he's experienced, the one that pains him the most is when he left her.

maybe i'm just taking things too literally, but i think he's dead, looking back on his life (on a mountain). it would kind of fit with the rest of the album, which mostly seems to be about death. the entire ocean thing seems to represent the division between life and death.

Yeah, that does kinda make sense if you use row instead of the real lyric which is roll. But on the mountain thing...that makes sense. Maybe he's not dead, but either he or someone else is dying. That's pretty interesting Bah!, I didn't think of it that way.

I like how it picks up at the end, makes it seem like a struggle.

this song just..gives me chills

except im pretty sure it's "at all of the lives that i never have led there's one where i stayed with you across the sea"

also i dont think "but to hurt but to mend me that i wonder why" is right

yeah "but to hurt but to mend me that i wonder why" is definitely wrong. and straitjacketfun's right about "at all of the lives..."

i really hear death in this song the life he's looking at is accross the sea. (the ocean, barrier between life and death) he loses her hand through the waves the ocean rolls the two of them apart (death tears them apart)

of course, i may be wrong, but thats what it means to me.

i love the end so much, with the last verse and that last line is just so awesome. i can just visualize that. this is a very visual song