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O' Sailor Lyrics

I'm undecided about you again
Mightn't be right that you're not here
It's double-sided, because I ruined it all
But also saved myself, by never believing you, dear

Everything good, I deem too good to be true
Everything else is just a bore
Everything I have to look forward to
Has a pretty painful and very imposing before

Oh sailor, why'd you do it
What'd you do that for
Saying there's nothing to it
And then letting it go by the boards

Oh sailor, why'd you do it
What'd you do that for
Saying there's nothing to it
And then letting it go by the boards

I have too been playing with fifty-two cards
Just because I play so far from my vest
Whatever I've got, I've got no reason to guard
What could I do, but spend my best

Oh sailor, why'd you do it
What'd you do that for
Saying there's nothing to it
And then letting it go by the boards

Oh sailor, why'd you do it
What'd you do that for
Saying there's nothing to it
And then letting it go by the boards

And after waiting, fighting patiently on my knees
All the other stuff tired itself out first, not me
And in its wake, appeared the touch and call
Of a different breed
One who set to get me wise, and got me there
And then, got me

And what a thing, to know what could be instead
Oh, what a blessed curse; to see
It took the agenda from its place in my bed
Made a merry paramour of me

Oh sailor, why'd you do it
What'd you do that for
Saying there's nothing to it
And then letting it go by the boards
Oh sailor, why'd you do it
What'd you do that for
Giving me eyes to view it
As it goes by the boards
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26 Meanings

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Cover art for O' Sailor lyrics by Fiona Apple

I dont think she is necessarily the "other woman", and waiting for him to leave anyone for her. In factm one of the most important point is that sailors tend to never settle down with one woman, and she KNEW this. Basically he was making her empty promises. She won't let herself believe him, cuz its simply "too good to be true" and she was trying to protect herself from being hurt. Obviously she was correct in doing so, because she does say that it ultimately saved her in the end. However, I think you're meant to assume she DID believe him, and thats why it hurts. She feels that he was bound to hurt her, and wise her up to these harsh realities. The card reference is saying she is taking a gamble on the love a sailor, but she's basically "going all in" as they say and spending her best...setting herself up for heartache and dissapointment. A paramour is actually ANY type of ellicit lover, not nesessarily of a married person. Something "going by the boards" is a reference to jetsam, which is something lost at sea.I liken it to when you're with a guy that you know you should be wary of, but you eventually let yourself become vulnerable and trust him, and then of course you get hurt. You knew better, but you took that gamble. The song is much easier to understand if you replace every "by the boards" with "lost".

@Violetthoughts Great interpretation. I totally agree.

Cover art for O' Sailor lyrics by Fiona Apple

This song obviously has a lot to do with a painful relationship, but it is still ambiguous. Does anyone have ideas about the "by the boards" stuff? What does that allude to? Btw, her new album is a lot less bitter piano-pounding, more mature reflection. I love both so much. Thank you Sony for finally freeing Fiona!

@sarcasticSmith From google: The phrase "by the boards" or "go by the board" has been used since around 1630 to mean something has been lost, neglected, or fallen overboard and been carried away. For example, "With all the crime around here, the practice of leaving the house unlocked has gone by the board". The "board" in the expression refers to the board of a ship.

I'm guessing that's how everyone else had an idea that it was about "something that'd been lost" and thus assumed it was a relationship. Unless she's really bummed...

@sarcasticSmith PS, Oddly, my favorite version was from Tower Records on Sunset (performed live in LA) in which her voice cracks during the chorus. For some reason I just find it so damned endearing.

Cover art for O' Sailor lyrics by Fiona Apple

they 'freed' her own their own terms

i just think this album doesn't sound much like fiona - the unreleased E.M is so much better...

Cover art for O' Sailor lyrics by Fiona Apple

She's the "other woman" in this song. She waited patiently for him, probably assuring her that he was leaving his wife, all the while dragging her deeper into love with him. Eventually he's had enough of his paramour (his adulterous lover) and let's her go by the boards (discards her, like something fallen overboard and carried away, thus the sailor reference.)

Cover art for O' Sailor lyrics by Fiona Apple

fantastic song. I think the abandon with which she sings it alludes to the theme of habit. that this is some kind of habitual behavior or situation that she's used to--because of everything having a painful "before" she ends up in these relationships where she is the one inflicting the pain instead (being the other woman, as opposed to the woman being cheated on). The repetition of her asking the sailor why he did it seems as though she is both resentful that he hurt her in the end instead of the woman that he was supposed to be hurting, and also that she sort of expected it (at least her tone suggests that she's not really surprised in the end and instead is just going through the protocol of asking why, even though she expected it all along). i think the thing i like most about this song is that ambivalence between being really hurt and it being expected; really wondering why, and asking why in a sort of sarcastic/cliche way that everyone asks even when they already know the answer.

Cover art for O' Sailor lyrics by Fiona Apple

This song is as good as anything off her first album, ths needs to be released

Cover art for O' Sailor lyrics by Fiona Apple

AND IT IS!!! FINALLY!!!!

Cover art for O' Sailor lyrics by Fiona Apple

she sings with a lot less passion in comparison to her other songs..... how sad but i still have much love for fiona

i think the reason is explanatory in her lyrics :) it's more 'jaded' than lack of passion, i like it though, adds depth to the lyrics - yes the monotony adds depth if you count the meaning.

Not Valid
Cover art for O' Sailor lyrics by Fiona Apple

I can't wait..! Ah.

Cover art for O' Sailor lyrics by Fiona Apple

i think the abandon with which she sings this song is intentional.