So many years, so many hardships
So many laughs, so many tears
So many things to remember
‘Cause they had 50 years
Now the kids, they got their own kids
Their own kids have grown
She told him not to worry
Say he’d be fine when she was gone
He walks down to the ocean
Bends to touch the water, kneels to pray
Writes her name in sand
Waves wash it away
There are seagulls circling shrimp boats
That turn inside the bay
There’s an emptiness inside
That never goes away
He walks down to the ocean
Bends to touch the water, kneels to pray
He writes her name in the sand
Waves wash it away
So many years, so many hardships
So many laughs, so many tears
So many things he cannot remember
‘Cause they had 50 years
He walks down to the ocean
Bends to touch kneels to pray
He writes her name in the sand
Waves wash it away
He writes her name in the sand
Waves wash it away
So many laughs, so many tears
So many things to remember
‘Cause they had 50 years
Now the kids, they got their own kids
Their own kids have grown
She told him not to worry
Say he’d be fine when she was gone
Bends to touch the water, kneels to pray
Writes her name in sand
Waves wash it away
That turn inside the bay
There’s an emptiness inside
That never goes away
Bends to touch the water, kneels to pray
He writes her name in the sand
Waves wash it away
So many laughs, so many tears
So many things he cannot remember
‘Cause they had 50 years
Bends to touch kneels to pray
He writes her name in the sand
Waves wash it away
He writes her name in the sand
Waves wash it away
Add your song meanings, interpretations, facts, memories & more to the community.
I first heard this song on the Bob Harris show on Radio 2. It affected me as deeply as it seems to have done many others from the first hearing. It is a very touching song, and others have pointed out that Sam Baker’s, slightly gruff, almost awkward delivery of the song is actually very apposite and a significant part of the song’s power. The more heavily produced versions of this song lack what the raw unproduced versions have that are exactly what make it so good.
The meaning? Well, of course, this song is about loss. A widower going down to the bay he shared a love of with the woman with whom he spent fifty years. Clearly, she knew she was dying before she died — she told him he’d be fine when she was gone. But she was wrong. Fifty years hardly seems transient when you are living it. But it is transient, and the waves give tangible expression to that by washing away her name in the sand.