"We've done four already but now we're steady
And then they went: One, two, three, four"

Singing in the sunshine, laughing in the rain
Hitting on the moonshine, rocking in the grain
Got no time to pack my bags, my foots outside the door
I got a date, I can't be late, for the high hopes hailla ball, uh uh, uh uh, yeah

Singing to an ocean, I can hear the ocean's roar
Play for free, I play for me and play a whole lot more, more!
Singing about the good things and the sun that lights the day
I used to sing on the mountains, has the ocean lost its way

I don't know, oh oh, yeah'

Ooh, yeah

Sitting round singing songs 'til the night turns into day
Used to sing about the mountains but the mountains washed away
Now I'm singing all my songs to the girl who won my heart
She is only three years old and it's a real fine way to start

Oh yeah!

It sure is fine!
Ah blow my mind!
When the tears are goin' down!
Yeah! Yeah, yeah

Oh so, oh so, oh so good!
Oh so good!


Lyrics submitted by kevin

The Ocean Lyrics as written by John Paul Jones John Bonham

Lyrics © WARNER/CHAPPELL MUSIC INTERNATIONAL LTD.,

Lyrics powered by LyricFind

The Ocean song meanings
Add Your Thoughts

98 Comments

sort form View by:
  • +2
    General Comment

    The song isn't just about the crowds or his daughter, it's about both.

    Plant narrates this exultant image of the crowds he sings to. He sang for the oceans and mountains of people, but now he sings for his daughter. This doesn't mean that he doesn't sing to oceans or mountains of people any longer, it just means that the emotion he is putting into his music is now for his daughter.

    The song basically compares his daughter to the ocean, showing that he loves her more than any ocean or mountain (real or metaphorical) you could conceive of. Even if the mountains and oceans were or are great.

    nephoson January 30, 2005   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    Has anyone ever put on their head phones, and cranked up this song extremely loud. Did you ever notice the squeek in John Bonhams bass drum pedal. Just an interesting little fault in a great album. This can also be heard in the song "Since I've Been Lovin You"

    Phishhead420on May 13, 2002   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    this is a song about Robert Plants 3 year old daughter.

    "Now I'm singing all my songs to the girl who won my heart She is only three years old and it's a real fine way to start."

    read that and then the lyrics again and it will all fall into place, hes just telling us all the fun hes had with her.

    Ben2k9on April 29, 2004   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    actually in response to "hometown_boys" it is about his daughter because in the later years during concerts he would add years for each one of her birthdays, some of the bootlegs he even elaborated on this topic...

    srvhendrixon December 07, 2004   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    What's with your name?

    JosephWolfon February 13, 2005   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    I can't believe none of you Zep fans out there have said yet how the line, "Singing to an ocean..." is a metaphor for the huge crowds (oceans of people) at their shows(Plant said so himself). So what do they mean by "Has the ocean lost it's way?" Does anyone know what the hell, "high hopes hailla ball" means? It doesn't even sound like what he actually says.

    Bite Meon May 09, 2002   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    alright i got it. "we've done 4 already" they've done 4 albums. "singing in the sunshine, laughing in the rain" have a good time rockin on stage. "i got a date for the high hopes hailla ball" means i got a date with millions of fans."has the ocean lost its way" means after 4 albums are u still my fans? and it ends up with them having their consert.

    metallica buffon May 13, 2002   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    this song is SO underrated, why don't more people talk about it?? i LOVE it!

    starla33on June 02, 2002   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    This song rocks, I love when it comes on the radio at work. Such a catchy riff, great happy song that can put you in a good mood.

    Awesome solo, as always.

    Muzzyon March 27, 2003   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    Pantera - I'm broken's riff was taken from this song and elaborated.

    Ar3son April 20, 2003   Link

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

Album art
Mental Istid
Ebba Grön
This is one of my favorite songs. https://fnfgo.io
Album art
Cajun Girl
Little Feat
Overall about difficult moments of disappointment and vulnerability. Having hope and longing, while remaining optimistic for the future. Encourages the belief that with each new morning there is a chance for things to improve. The chorus offers a glimmer of optimism and a chance at a resolution and redemption in the future. Captures the rollercoaster of emotions of feeling lost while loving someone who is not there for you, feeling let down and abandoned while waiting for a lover. Lost with no direction, "Now I'm up in the air with the rain in my hair, Nowhere to go, I can go anywhere" The bridge shows signs of longing and a plea for companionship. The Lyrics express a desire for authentic connection and the importance of Loving someone just as they are. "Just in passing, I'm not asking. That you be anyone but you”
Album art
Mountain Song
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."
Album art
Magical
Ed Sheeran
How would you describe the feeling of being in love? For Ed Sheeran, the word is “Magical.” in HIS three-minute album opener, he makes an attempt to capture the beauty and delicacy of true love with words. He describes the magic of it all over a bright Pop song produced by Aaron Dessner.
Album art
American Town
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.