Sail on Sailor

Song ratings

Rating	Comments	Author	Date
	A unique Beach Boys song, both in its sound and in its history. "Sail on Sailor" was the only song on Holland fully written by Brian Wilson, but it took a team of helpers (particularly Van Dyke Parks) to wrench the song out of its reclusive, reluctant creator. The lyrics graphically describe Brian's mental state at the time ("uninspired, drenched and tired...") and honestly reflect how he feels forced to 'sail on' against his will. Along with "Til I Die", "Sail on Sailor" is one of the very few times that Brian allows his well-chronicled mental anguish to dominate the lyrics of a song. With Blondie Chaplin's still novel voice effectively delivering the lead vocals, but backed by the very familiar Beach Boys harmonies, the song has an off-kilter Beach Boys sound, and it failed as a single (peaking at #79). But it received a fair amount of airplay, was commonly used to open their concerts (as it did in their Beach Boys in Concert album), and has earned its place as a Beach Boys classic.	Bruce Beatlefan	December 23, 2008

Lyrics

I sailed an ocean, unsettled ocean
Through restful waters and deep commotion
Often frightened, unenlightened
Sail on, sail on sailor

I wrest the waters, fight Neptune's waters
Sail through the sorrows of life's marauders
Unrepenting, often empty
Sail on, sail on sailor

Caught like a sewer rat alone but I sail
Bought like a crust of bread, but oh do I wail

Seldom stumble, never crumble
Try to tumble, life's a rumble
Feel the stinging I've been given
Never ending, unrelenting
Heartbreak searing, always fearing
Never caring, persevering
Sail on, sail on, sailor

I work the seaways, the gale-swept seaways
Past shipwrecked daughters of wicked waters
Uninspired, drenched and tired
Wail on, wail on, sailor

Always needing, even bleeding
Never feeding all my feelings
Damn the thunder, must I blunder
There's no wonder all I'm under
Stop the crying and the lying
And the sighing and my dying

Sail on, sail on sailor
Sail on, sail on sailor
Sail on, sail on sailor
Sail on, sail on sailor
Sail on, sail on sailor
Sail on, sail on sailor
Sail on, sail on sailor

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