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If I Had A Boat Lyrics

If I had a boat
I'd go out on the ocean
And if I had a pony
I'd ride him on my boat
And we could all together
Go out on the ocean
Me upon my pony on my boat

If I were Roy Rogers
I'd sure enough be single
I couldn't bring myself to marrying old Dale
It'd just be me and trigger
We'd go riding through them movies
Then we'd buy a boat and on the sea we'd sail

And if I had a boat
I'd go out on the ocean
And if I had a pony
I'd ride him on my boat
And we could all together
Go out on the ocean
Me upon my pony on my boat

The mystery masked man was smart
He got himself a Tonto
'Cause Tonto did the dirty work for free
But Tonto he was smarter
And one day said kemo sabe
Kiss my ass I bought a boat
I'm going out to sea

And if I had a boat
I'd go out on the ocean
And if I had a pony
I'd ride him on my boat
And we could all together
Go out on the ocean
Me upon my pony on my boat

And if I were like lightning
I wouldn't need no sneakers
I'd come and go wherever I would please
And I'd scare 'em by the shade tree
And I'd scare 'em by the light pole
But I would not scare my pony on my boat out on the sea

And if I had a boat
I'd go out on the ocean
And if I had a pony
I'd ride him on my boat
And we could all together
Go out on the ocean
Me upon my pony on my boat
Song Info
Submitted by
sevenfooter50 On Feb 09, 2002
11 Meanings

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Cover art for If I Had A Boat lyrics by Lyle Lovett

you have to be 5 to truely see the beauty in this song. I sing it to my son almost everynight before bed. I think LL wrote it from the perspective of a grown up looking back and remeber what he as a child wanted to be.

Growing up in Texas, LL undoubtedly wanted to have a pony and be a cowboy hero.

It's nostalgic like most of his songs. He's a great song writer and excellent to see live even if you don't like texas-inspired music.

Cover art for If I Had A Boat lyrics by Lyle Lovett

I have always wondered about how this song is similar to Townes Van Zandt's song "Buckskin Stallion Blues". Both have horses riding on boats. They were recorded about a year apart. Seems kinda interesting.

Cover art for If I Had A Boat lyrics by Lyle Lovett

I always saw this song having contradictory desires and being fine with it.

My Interpretation
Cover art for If I Had A Boat lyrics by Lyle Lovett

I just noticed something in verse 3: "if I were like lightening...I would not harm my pony on my boat out on the sea". So maybe this is the key; someone on top of a pony on top of a boat on an ocean in a lightening storm is putting themself out there, making themself completely vulnerable. "I'd scare em by the shade tree, I'd scare em by the light pole" these are conventional reactions to lightening—hide near something taller. It sounds like he's suggesting that fate will spare you if you put yourself out there, act unconventionally, take chances.

My Interpretation

@Steve8612 I like your interpretation of verse 3. I'll add he's going to take care of himself emotionally no matter what comes as a result of being vulnerable. I love verse 4 Tonto is taking responsibility for his own destiny in the "I am the captain of my ship " spirit instead of living the Lone Ranger's dream.

@Steve8612 You got it... nice one. This interpretation makes it real fit for me.

Cover art for If I Had A Boat lyrics by Lyle Lovett

This is what I think I'm gonna do soon, pack up and leave...not really knowing where i'm going til i get there...lovely song

Cover art for If I Had A Boat lyrics by Lyle Lovett

This is my dad's favorite song, not mine, but it's a good song.(I heard this song in concert)

Cover art for If I Had A Boat lyrics by Lyle Lovett

I think this song is totally great. It gives me this image of a man standing on the bow of a ship at sunset, looking out towards the vast sea; a true traveler. Also, the pony is a cool metaphor in a lot of ways. I think the pony is like the silent comrade, always by your side, no matter what. You never need to tell the pony what to do, but you trust that he's always there to do it. It also helps the sense of silence. On the boat, Lyle may be lonely, but he his not alone.

Cover art for If I Had A Boat lyrics by Lyle Lovett

This song has been ripped off by everyone from Pat Green to The Cowboy Junkies.

@fareasttroubadour - Ripped off??! I think you mean "covered."

If only the people who wrote the song were the only people allowed to sing it, we'd run out of music pretty damn fast! Heck, even YOU couldn't sing it then, troubadour!

Cover art for If I Had A Boat lyrics by Lyle Lovett

Nonsense. Pure, utter, unadulterated nonsense. And beautiful nonsense at that.

Cover art for If I Had A Boat lyrics by Lyle Lovett

ok, Mark Van, so you tell your son to "kiss your ass" every night before bed? hmmmmm.

This song makes me laugh, heard it on XM the other day.

 
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