Sandy Denny is so underrated as a songwriter. Even those few music lovers who know her name tend to remark only on her voice, while totally ignoring her way with a melody and lyric. "The Sea Captain" is not one of her more well-known compositions, but I think it exemplifies her vision as an artist... escaping reality to the point where even the vessel becomes an encumbrance, embracing the limitless expanse of imagination without terror. It involves a risk that she admits herself too fearful to take... as the ending of the song reveals, she is not the captain himself but a motionless bystander, observing his flight across the sea with astonishment and envy. I prefer the demo version of this song to full-band version... the simpler the better, as her voice and the lyrics do all the requisite work. Brilliant.
Sandy Denny is so underrated as a songwriter. Even those few music lovers who know her name tend to remark only on her voice, while totally ignoring her way with a melody and lyric. "The Sea Captain" is not one of her more well-known compositions, but I think it exemplifies her vision as an artist... escaping reality to the point where even the vessel becomes an encumbrance, embracing the limitless expanse of imagination without terror. It involves a risk that she admits herself too fearful to take... as the ending of the song reveals, she is not the captain himself but a motionless bystander, observing his flight across the sea with astonishment and envy. I prefer the demo version of this song to full-band version... the simpler the better, as her voice and the lyrics do all the requisite work. Brilliant.