In regards to the meaning of this song:
Before a live performance on the EP Five Stories Falling, Geoff states “It’s about the last time I went to visit my grandmother in Columbus, and I saw that she was dying and it was the last time I was going to see her. It is about realizing how young you are, but how quickly you can go.”
That’s the thing about Geoff and his sublime poetry, you think it’s about one thing, but really it’s about something entirely different. But the lyrics are still universal and omnipresent, ubiquitous, even. So relatable. That’s one thing I love about this band. I also love their live performances, raw energy and Geoff’s beautiful, imperfectly perfect vocals. His voice soothes my aching soul.
Come sail your ships around me
And burn your bridges down
We make a little history baby
Every time you come around
Come loose your dogs upon me
And let your hair hang down
You are a little mystery to me
Every time you call around
We talk about it all night long
We define our moral ground
But when I crawl into your arms
Everything, it comes tumbling down
Come sail your ships around me
And burn your bridges down
We make a little history baby
Every time you come around
Your face has fallen sad now
For you know the time is nigh
When I must remove your wings
And you, you must try to fly
Come sail your ships around me
And burn your bridges down
We make a little history baby
Every time you come around
Come loose your dogs upon me
And let your hair hang down
You are a little mystery to me
Every time you call around
Come sail your ships around me
And burn your bridges down
We make a little history baby
Every time you come around
And burn your bridges down
We make a little history baby
Every time you come around
Come loose your dogs upon me
And let your hair hang down
You are a little mystery to me
Every time you call around
We talk about it all night long
We define our moral ground
But when I crawl into your arms
Everything, it comes tumbling down
Come sail your ships around me
And burn your bridges down
We make a little history baby
Every time you come around
Your face has fallen sad now
For you know the time is nigh
When I must remove your wings
And you, you must try to fly
Come sail your ships around me
And burn your bridges down
We make a little history baby
Every time you come around
Come loose your dogs upon me
And let your hair hang down
You are a little mystery to me
Every time you call around
Come sail your ships around me
And burn your bridges down
We make a little history baby
Every time you come around
Lyrics submitted by typo, edited by trillium8, sara102081
Ship Song Lyrics as written by Roland Wolf Blixa Bargeld
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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
Standing On The Edge Of Summer
Thursday
Thursday
Gentle Hour
Yo La Tengo
Yo La Tengo
This song was originally written by a guy called Peter Gutteridge. He was one of the founders of the "Dunedin Sound" a musical scene in the south of New Zealand in the early 80s. From there it was covered by "The Clean" one of the early bands of that scene (he had originally been a member of in it's early days, writing a couple of their best early songs). The Dunedin sound, and the Clean became popular on american college radio in the mid to late 80s. I guess Yo La Tengo heard that version.
Great version of a great song,
I Can't Go To Sleep
Wu-Tang Clan
Wu-Tang Clan
This song is written as the perspective of the boys in the street, as a whole, and what path they are going to choose as they get older and grow into men. (This is why the music video takes place in an orphanage.) The seen, and unseen collective suffering is imbedded in the boys’ mind, consciously or subconsciously, and is haunting them. Which path will the boys choose? Issac Hayes is the voice of reason, maybe God, the angel on his shoulder, or the voice of his forefathers from beyond the grave who can see the big picture and are pleading with the boys not to continue the violence and pattern of killing their brothers, but to rise above. The most beautiful song and has so many levels. Racism towards African Americans in America would not exist if everyone sat down and listened to this song and understood the history behind the words. The power, fear, pleading in RZA and Ghostface voices are genuine and powerful. Issac Hayes’ strong voice makes the perfect strong father figure, who is possibly from beyond the grave.
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.
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 wrote the song because Anita and i would argue at a constant pace and I would always tell her to unleash the dogs and burn the bridges as a way of saying you can say what you feel but forget the past and let's move forward. in an argument one always has to stand down until the other quits. this cleans off the slate. the first verse contemplates arguing all night long until one gives in and they embrace each other and start over. this was not one of my "dark" songs. I write what I feel and I was not feeling "dark". if you want "dark" then immerse yourself into murder ballads. thank you
Nicholas Edward Cave
@thestaggerlee couldn't have put it better myself, big sox<br />
@thestaggerlee <br /> <br /> It´s a beautiful song the world owes you for it!
@thestaggerlee <br /> Thanks for the song Nick...and for elaborating on it's meaning. <br /> I was with a person that 'unleashed the dogs upon me' way too many times. I stood by hoping she would come around. She couldn't 'burn the bridges down'...it ended after 36 years...so I could keep my sanity. Now she does have to grow her wings after fearing for so long that I would stand my ground.<br /> Today, I stand my ground.
@thestaggerlee Nick - thank you for your commentary- from the horses mouth as such. Beautiful - leash your dogs upon me - yes a character flaw!
I think that is a fair interpretation, however, I think it could also be about forbidden love, an affair, not just old lovers. It's clear that they are old lovers with a history. Burning bridges, makes me guess that she is married. Finding myself in a similare situation in my life, I find the line "We make a little history, baby/Every time you come around" especially beautiful. Inside of a relationship that can have no future, I found myself telling my lover that I will remember him when I am an old woman. Sometimes life is complicated, like a good song.
I love this song. Giving yourself entirely to another person. That's all. Come what may, ships, dogs.
I think "come sail your ships" means a battle is about to begin: he sees courtship as a war, but in a playful sense, it's not a sad song. I suppose "and let your hair hang down" refers to war too: the woman is seen as a warrior goddess. These lyrics are really haunting, it's one of my favourite Nick Cave songs.
I think this song is about two ex-lovers that continually go back to each other.
The two lovers have a history of each time they meet they make love. But this time when they meet again, they don’t want to let this happen because they are both very guarded and hurt during their on and off again relationship. When they talk about their moral ground, I feel that it is they are agreeing to not make love. However, when they are in each other embrace “everything comes tumbling down” and they can no long resist the urge to make love.
it really surprises me that no one has commented on this song before...it's just beautiful. i'm not too sure whether i understand all the lyrics, but i love it. i would b glad if someone could tell me what is meant by Come sail your ships around me
is it referring to his want to have her near him? or could it be interpreted as sexual??
I agree with Lady Evelnhair, this is a beautiful song. I love it. I have only heard the version with Concrete Blonde and it is so good.
My favorite lines are:
Your face has fallen sad now For you know the time is nigh When I must remove your wings And you, you must try to fly
It is about letting someone you love go. It may be sad, but it is the right thing to do. Although, I have always wondered why the songs speaks of "removing wings" when it is hard to fly without them? Perhaps that is the irony in it?
when you love someone you give this person wings (often used expression)<br /> so when you let this person go, you remove their wings...
yes, and to "try to fly" means find someone and move on.
"We talk about it all night long We define our moral ground But when I crawl into your arms Everything comes tumbling down"
Talk about a weird verse...
@Vertigo22 Not really? It opens with the chorus, which uses medieval / early modern l war imagery (sail your ships, burn bridges, loose your dogs). So this more explicitly describing an argument that yields to lovemaking pulls it all together. It's great. And it fits Cave's own description of the song beautifully. "The first verse contemplates arguing all night long until one gives in and they embrace each other and start over."
I think this song is about two ex-lovers that continually go back to each other.
The two lovers have a history of each time they meet they make love. But this time when they meet again, they don’t want to let this happen because they are both very guarded and hurt during their on and off again relationship. When they talk about their moral ground, I feel that it is they are agreeing to not make love. However, when they are in each other embrace “everything comes tumbling down” and they can no long resist the urge to make love.
@edamspector couldn't agree more
very good interpretation. i agree with you. after reading it i realized i was misinterpreting the song myself. btw i like it better now ;)