I think much like another song “Anti-Matter” (that's also on the same album as this song), this one is also is inspired by a horrifying van crash the band experienced on Nov 3, 2022. This, much like the other track, sounds like it's an extension what they shared while huddled in the wreckage, as they helped frontman Garrett Russell stem the bleeding from his head wound while he was under the temporary effects of a concussion. The track speaks of where the mind goes at the most desperate & desolate of times, when it just about slips away to all but disconnect itself, and the aftermath.
Water
Walking
Walking on water
Walking
Walking on for years and years and years
Taking it into my head
Living by the right lines
Reading what the very man said
Water
I'm walking
Walking on water
Walking
Walking on
Lying on eleven years
Taking it into my head
Mary, Mary drop me softly
Been reading what your very man said
Lying on eleven years
Taking it into my head
Leave my clothes on the beach
I'm walking down into the sea
Prove it to me
Prove it to me
Prove it to me
Now the water to my ankles
Now the water to my knees
Think of him, all waxy wings
Melted down into the sea
Mary, Mary, what your man said
Washing it all over my head
Mary, Mary, hold on tightly
Over water, under the sea
Wa-wa-wa-water
Wa-wa-wa-water
I'm walking
Walking on wa-wa-wa-water
I'm walking
Walking on wa-wa-wa-water
Walking
Walking on wa-wa-wa-water
Walking
Walking on wa-wa-wa-water
Walking
Walking on water
Walking
Walking on for years and years and years
Taking it into my head
Living by the right lines
Reading what the very man said
Water
I'm walking
Walking on water
Walking
Walking on
Lying on eleven years
Taking it into my head
Mary, Mary drop me softly
Been reading what your very man said
Lying on eleven years
Taking it into my head
Leave my clothes on the beach
I'm walking down into the sea
Prove it to me
Prove it to me
Prove it to me
Now the water to my ankles
Now the water to my knees
Think of him, all waxy wings
Melted down into the sea
Mary, Mary, what your man said
Washing it all over my head
Mary, Mary, hold on tightly
Over water, under the sea
Wa-wa-wa-water
Wa-wa-wa-water
I'm walking
Walking on wa-wa-wa-water
I'm walking
Walking on wa-wa-wa-water
Walking
Walking on wa-wa-wa-water
Walking
Walking on wa-wa-wa-water
Add your thoughts
Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.
Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!
More Featured Meanings
Dreamwalker
Silent Planet
Silent Planet
Mountain Song
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction vocalist Perry Farrell gives Adam Reader some heartfelt insight into Jane’s Addiction's hard rock manifesto "Mountain Song", which was the second single from their revolutionary album Nothing's Shocking. Mountain song was first recorded in 1986 and appeared on the soundtrack to the film Dudes starring Jon Cryer. The version on Nothing's Shocking was re-recorded in 1988.
"'Mountain Song' was actually about... I hate to say it but... drugs. Climbing this mountain and getting as high as you can, and then coming down that mountain," reveals Farrell. "What it feels to descend from the mountain top... not easy at all. The ascension is tough but exhilarating. Getting down is... it's a real bummer. Drugs is not for everybody obviously. For me, I wanted to experience the heights, and the lows come along with it."
"There's a part - 'Cash in now honey, cash in Miss Smith.' Miss Smith is my Mother; our last name was Smith. Cashing in when she cashed in her life. So... she decided that, to her... at that time, she was desperate. Life wasn't worth it for her, that was her opinion. Some people think, never take your life, and some people find that their life isn't worth living. She was in love with my Dad, and my Dad was not faithful to her, and it broke her heart. She was very desperate and she did something that I know she regrets."
When We Were Young
Blink-182
Blink-182
This is a sequel to 2001's "Reckless Abandon", and features the band looking back on their clumsy youth fondly.
Amazing
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran tells a story of unsuccessfully trying to feel “Amazing.” This track is about the being weighed down by emotional stress despite valiant attempts to find some positivity in the situation. This track was written by Ed Sheeran from the perspective of his friend. From the track, we see this person fall deeper into the negative thoughts and slide further down the path of mental torment with every lyric.
American Town
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran shares a short story of reconnecting with an old flame on “American Town.” The track is about a holiday Ed Sheeran spends with his countrywoman who resides in America. The two are back together after a long period apart, and get around to enjoying a bunch of fun activities while rekindling the flames of their romance.
I'm amazed no one got the religious references. I'm not trying to be snooty - it's just painfully obvious, not to mention that so much of PJ's early work is fraught with biblical references. The lyrics imho come from the perspective of someone who has been taught religion for years and years but not entirely believed it ("Mary, what your man said" (ie. Jesus), and the defiant repetition of "prove it to me!") and in the end has a divine experience of her own. There is also a blatant reference to the legend of Icarus and Daedalus ("waxy wings melted down into the sea"). I think this is thrown in there because, as she is walking into the water to see what happens, she is remembering other stories she has been told and how miracles failed those characters.
There was a story in the bible of some guy's daughter walking on a frozen pond, falling in, and getting decapitated. I'm agreeing with you and adding that in there as a theme. I can't remember her name though.
@scrimshaw Agree but it sounds more like she is let down by the experience, she is in her ankles, knees over her head in actuality even if ending chorus goes back to walk on water. Makes more sense with the references mentioned to prior “failures” In the sea. At least this is the mood I felt. (You guys wrote on same date and me on night of Oct 13 but it’s after midnight )
Spot on chogg.
And there's the notion of testing faith - 'Leave my clothes on the beach, I'm walking down into the sea' - with echoes of suicide. She's walking into the sea, and leaving it to / testing God's will.
lyrics seem to be about using the ocean to clean onesself of bad memories of a past love. Still, the ending is really fantastic. I would sing along if I knew that no one was around to hear me.
I fucking love this song :-) I think it's talking about a women who was invincible(Walking on For years and years and years) then she falls in love (Now the water to my ankles Now the water to my knees Think of him all waxy wings) and she listen and does what ever the man says(Mary Mary what your man said ) This is definitely one of my favortie songs of all time
I fucking love this song :-) I think it's talking about a women who was invincible(Walking on For years and years and years) then she falls in love (Now the water to my ankles Now the water to my knees Think of him all waxy wings) and she listen and does what ever the man says(Mary Mary what your man said ) This is definitely one of my favortie songs of all time
PJ is like the female version of Frank Black. But still with her own style.