Oceans

I think it's about death, and how all your troubles, burdens and such can be let go. Or how there comes a time in life where you can finally leave all that behind. This is my first time posting, be gentle with your rebuttals haha.

Thinking about the many water references and references to rivers throughout this album (Verde in particular), could the weary traveler be the river finally reaching the end of it's journey - the ocean?

I love this song, since it can easily be interpreted in so many ways, yet still carry so much meaning.

I like to think that this song is about two people who have discovered a new found love between them. One of these lovers is opening up to the other, who has had a very troubled past when it comes to any sort of relationship. The one person tells them that the "Spoils and troubles and burdens you've bore/Pay them no mind, they matter no more/Leave them behind and show me/All about the ocean." The "ocean" in this sense is the immense amount of love this person has to offer to the new relationship, even though he/she has had nothing but bad experiences. The rest of the lyrics fit in accordingly.

That's just my take on it. When I think about the song like this, it immediately provides me with as much comfort as any song has ever given.

I think the album tells a based around a story of an individual's life, starting before birth, and ending after death. Green Valley and Oceans are key to this interpretation. Essentially Green Valley is the moment before birth - discussing that the traveler is about to enter the river and test their worth - the river symbolizing life. I posted my interpretation of Green Valley on the page for that song, so there is more info there.

At the end of the river (the traveler's death, and exit from the river of life), the river pours out into an Ocean. The symbolism is that death is a widening of perspective, not a narrowing. The turbulent, small river merges with the calm waters of a ocean.

The traveler is greeted on the other side:

"Weary traveler, calloused and sore Time and gravity followed you here Rest, my sister and tell me All about the ocean I’ve never seen the ocean Not like this one"

The journey was hard, the traveler is calloused and sore. After death, he exists outside of time and gravity, but the remnants and memories of them have followed the traveler for now, even into the afterlife. But it's time to finally rest.

Tell me all about the ocean - I think the ocean represents the traveler's soul, so they are saying "tell me the story of your life, at the deepest level of your soul". "I've never seen the ocean, not like this one" - it means every soul and every story is unique...the greeter has never seen this particular soul, and finds it infinitely beautiful.

"Spoils and troubles and burdens you've bore Pay them no mind, they matter no more Leave them behind and show me All about the ocean"

Your accomplishments, pains, victories, and losses in life - they don't matter any more. That experience is over. Material things aren't important here. You are home, and safe. Rest now, and show me the depths of your soul.

"Look in your eyes I’ve never seen the ocean Not like this one

Deep in your eyes I’ve never seen the ocean Not like this one"

The eyes are the window to the soul. They are saying "Let me look deep into your eyes and see your soul, just to see the beauty it holds"

Anyway, that's what it means to me. This is my favorite song on the album. I hope someone gets as much joy out of this song as I do.

Whenever I listen to Puscifer, I keep a very open mind. And by that I mean I think every which way possible the song can go. And for this one, I agree with rachanel's comment, it could be about a returned loved one from the Navy because Maynard also served our country. My other interpretation is he's talking about a loved one. Just gazing deep into that person's eyes and just wanting to hear and care about everything they have to say.

profound simplicity! "Pay them no mind, they matter no more Leave them behind and show me All about the ocean" this is shedding grief, becoming spirit? At face value it's just a touching song that brings a sea of emotion. like all of Maynard's songs, there is a central theme and there's always a few lines that don't line up.fragments that fit the imagery or mood of the main theme to create something that can be felt on many levels even if you're unsure of the meaning. I saw Puscifer in Lakewood Ohio last week(11/17/11). During Maynard's monologue he spoke of coming together around a central fire and being human together. It could also be about the seeing the depths of ones soul through an others eyes. "Time and gravity followed you here" could refer to the feeling of being ahead and your body slows down before your mind(biologically speaking). I've also heard of a desert being referred to as an ocean.... Too many possibilities to go through. Great track!!! One thing is for sure, Maynard has ascended from petty thoughts!

this song gets to me every time. so beautiful and peaceful. My mind wanders while listening to this. I agree with Boneman's interpretation as well.

This song, especially its tone reminds me of suicide/death. -Show me your eyes -Look at your eyes -time and gravity, subjective to our interpretations defining reality as humans followed us in the afterlife (our interpretations)

• rest my brother/sister
• "Spoils and troubles and burdens you've bore. Pay them no mind, they matter no more" cause you're dying/dead

This song makes me feel like i'm drowning, you'll never see an ocean like this one unless you breathe it in..........sssssffffffffffffff..........ahhhhhhhhhhh.........

I agree with mystic1 that this song is about:

being greeted in the afterlife.

"Time and gravity have followed you here."

Your burdens were heavy and age had held you but....it doesn't matter now!

Look at this ocean, this amazing, beautiful shimmering celestial ocean. And let go of your past life.

This song/album is such an existential goldmine for me.

How I've come to interpret this song is the traveler is simply a person. I don't think there's necessarily a boundary on this. Time and gravity are metaphors for experience and facticity. Time which implies movement through space is everything that said traveler has gone through and experienced. Facticity being conditions in your life that you had no choice of having i.e. gravity. I think the use of gravity in this song envelops the weight of living in general, which again we didn't have the choice to do. He then requests to hear about the ocean. The ocean being the sum of the uncontrollable conditions and what was done with them (time and gravity). He's obviously never seen an ocean like that one because we all have an "ocean" of knowledge and wisdom that is completely and utterly different from anyone else.

I think this might just be Maynards way of expressing his gratitude for people or existence rather. Like the simple fact that my perceptions color my reality a different color than you gives me and you the opportunity of learning something we may have never known, Sharing yourself is one of the most important things you can do in this life I feel and this song thoroughly exemplifies that in my opinion.

And just as a little side note, Maynard also mentions gravity in a similar way in the APC song gravity. After listening to both of these songs I feel that their very similar in depth and meaning.