6 Meanings
Add Yours
Follow
Share
Q&A
Captain Kennedy Lyrics
I am a young mariner headed to war
I'm thinkin' 'bout my family
and what it was for
There's water on the wood
and the sails feel good
And when I get to shore
I hope that I can kill good.
My father was a sailor
named Captain Kennedy
He lost his wooden schooner
to the Germans on the sea
Exploded on the water
for everyone to see
And humiliate that American
Captain Kennedy.
I saw him in Nassau in 1971
His strength was failin'
but he still ran a run
He worked 'til his fingers
wore to the bone
To buy that wooden schooner
and sail on his own.
He was known in the islands
as hundred foot iron
That steel hull freighter
was passin' its time
And time flew by faster
with life on the sea
And the days grew shorter
for Captain Kennedy.
I am a young mariner headed to war
I'm thinkin' 'bout my family
and what it was for
There's water on the wood
and the sails feel good
And when I get to shore
I hope that I can kill good.
I'm thinkin' 'bout my family
and what it was for
There's water on the wood
and the sails feel good
And when I get to shore
I hope that I can kill good.
named Captain Kennedy
He lost his wooden schooner
to the Germans on the sea
Exploded on the water
for everyone to see
And humiliate that American
Captain Kennedy.
His strength was failin'
but he still ran a run
He worked 'til his fingers
wore to the bone
To buy that wooden schooner
and sail on his own.
as hundred foot iron
That steel hull freighter
was passin' its time
And time flew by faster
with life on the sea
And the days grew shorter
for Captain Kennedy.
I'm thinkin' 'bout my family
and what it was for
There's water on the wood
and the sails feel good
And when I get to shore
I hope that I can kill good.
Add your song meanings, interpretations, facts, memories & more to the community.
Neil Young's song, Captain Kennedy, was inspired by the mariner's life of my grandfather Captain Louis Kenedy. Neil Young (along w Jimmy Buffet) met my grandfather in Nassau in the early 70's and loosely chronicles one of his life events, the sinking of his schooner (Wawaloam) by a German U-Boat (U-86) August 6, 1941. In all, Captain Kenedy skippered 10 sailing vessels all while making a living hauling cargo between the Caribbean and the Canadian Maritimes. If interested, please reference Joe Russell's book "The Last Schoonerman" which chronicles his life at sea and the ships he captained.
This is a fantastic tune. Hopefully more people hear it.
a lonesome soldier on his way to war. always kinda reminds me of the opening scene to saving private Ryan. when they were riding the boats to storm on Normandy.
A good question is worth more than a hundred answers.
"Is Captain Kennedy a metaphor for John F. Kennedy?"
"Does the young mariner like to go to war?"
"How is it important for the song that his father was an 'American' Captain Kennedy?"
"What happened (in reality) in Nassau in 1971 that is relevant to this song?"
"What the hell is meant with the penultimate verse with the 'steel hull freighter'?"
"Is this a pessimistic song about America?"
Neil Young's song, Captain Kennedy, was inspired by the mariner's life of my grandfather Captain Louis Kenedy. Neil Young (along w Jimmy Buffet) met my grandfather in Nassau in the early 70's and loosely chronicles one of his life events, the sinking of his schooner (Wawaloam) by a German U-Boat (U-86) August 6, 1941. In all, Captain Kenedy skippered 10 sailing vessels all while making a living hauling cargo between the Caribbean and the Canadian Maritimes. If interested, please reference Joe Russell's book "The Last Schoonerman" which chronicles his life at sea and the ships he captained.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lou_Kenedy