Bones in the Ocean - The Longest Johns (Cover) by Seth Staton Watkins

Bones in the Ocean - The Longest Johns (Cover) by Seth Staton Watkins

This is one of my favorite modern sea shanties written by the very talented member of The Longest Johns, Dave Robinson.

It is a melancholy song about death and a survivor's guilt, and the eponymous track of the Longest Johns' first EP of the same name.

Lyrics:
Oh, I bid farewell to the port and the land
And I paddle away from brave England's white sands
To search for my long ago forgotten friends
To search for the place I hear all sailors end
As the souls of the dead fill the space of my mind
I'll search without sleeping 'til peace I can find
I fear not the weather, I fear not the sea
I remember the fallen, do they think of me?
When their bones in the ocean forever will be
Plot a course to the night to a place I once knew
To a place where my hope died along with my crew
So I swallow my grief and face life's final test
To find promise of peace and the solace of rest
As the songs of the dead fill the space of my ears
Their laughter like children, their beckoning cheers
My heart longs to join them, sing songs of the sea
I remember the fallen, do they think of me?
When their bones in the ocean forever will be
When at last before my ghostly shipmates I stand
I shed a small tear for my home upon land
Though their eyes speak of depths filled with struggle and strife
Their smiles below say I don't owe them my life
As the souls of the dead fill the space of my eyes
And my boat listed over and tried to capsize
I'm this far from drowning, this far from the sea
I remember the living, do they think of me?
When my bones in the ocean forever will be
Now that I'm staring down at the darkest abyss
I'm not sure what I want, but I don't think it's this
As my comrades call to stand fast and forge on
I make sail for the dawn 'til the darkness has gone
As the souls of the dead live for'er in my mind
As I live all the years that they left me behind
I'll stay on the shore but still gaze at the sea
I remember the fallen and they think of me
For our souls in the ocean together will be
I remember the fallen and they think of me
For our souls in the ocean together will be

[gateway]

I spent 30 years as a U.S. Marine, 13 years on Sea Duty. This song reminds me of my Comrades and Shipments. Thank you Seth, another superb song.

[commanderhindsight]

"Though their eyes speak of doubts, filled with struggle and strife, their smiles below say I don't owe them my life"

Every person struggling with Survivor's Guilt needs to hear this line.

[OrdoBarabas]

"As i live all the years that they left me behind" Still hurts to hear, because i'm still here and my younger brother isn't. He took his last ride in 2013, with great love for his platoon mates, enough that i was told that even with wounds that should have killed him minutes earlier, he pulled as many of his friends out their vehicle as he could after it was rocked by the blast from a roadside bomb. I'll always love you Tommy and i hope i did you proud as an older brother.

[northernthunder]

For someone who Fished in the Straits of the Arctic Circle and whom has lost crewmates who have fallen overboard. Lars Stalgilllson 1983-2018 Thank you for the memories Brother

[grimreminder]

This just brings to mind the folks that I lost at sea in my short time in the Navy, "I remember the fallen, do they think of me?" just resonates the most for someone who's heard the song, the stories from others accounts and thought nothing more would come from it

[jackierama]

I heard this a few days before hearing that my godfather had passed away. He was a lighthouse keeper with a unique sense of humour, and it still doesn't feel quite real that he's no longer with us. This song was going through my head through his funeral and after.

[admiral-zori]

This song hurts in all the right places. His cover is raw, emotional and haunting, even without accompaniment. This will forever be a favorite.

[terry]

I am a Veteran, and I love this song! You have done well!

[jamesholtz]

This has me in a chokehold I have listened at least 25 times

[flibbernodgets]

This song always makes me cry. I've had way too many near-death experiences, once even at the mercy of the tide as a small child. It reminds me of that terrible feeling of helplessness and regret you feel when there's nothing more you can do but so much you've left undone.

[menyou]

Yes!!! We need a crew of Seths!!! So important(:
I suffer from survivor’s guilt so this resonates with me on a very personal level. You do it such justice… Thank you for giving me so much of your spare time and extra mile in a three minute piece. I really need your [prayers but really your] music lately. Late September starts the lowest month of my life and you are really helping me. I need a hug, but listening to you feels much the same…

[menyou]

I have a bad migraine today, and I’m curled up on the couch in agony. I can’t speak or move. But your comforting, comforting voice full of love is soothing me through this, and making some of the pain disappear (if only for a moment). Thank you my guy.

[gregkral]

You certainly do the song justice, good sir. Thank you for your gift.

[mykaelboykin]

[Slow clap] As a fan of both you and the longest johns, you did damn good. or as TLJ would say "adequate".

[icekoldgamer]

God its so beautiful, my favorite TLJ song sung by my favorite cover artist. *chefs kiss*

[NoctecPaladin]

Well I didn't have bawling my eyes out on my itinerary today but YouTube decided I gotta. Can't wait to listen

[justinswinehart]

Just got back from a deployment and was feeling kinda lonely, songs like this kinda help.

[houdiniairsoft]

This haunting beauty that just sits like fog in the music... beautiful song and well sung. I resonate with that struggle to go on and finding renewed purpose.

[zacharyharwell]

For some reason I feel like a cover of this with Seth and Colm Mcguinness would be AWESOME; even so, this version is currently my favorite version of this song

[dotto]

Let's goo! Bones in the ocean is the best longest John's song and it been beautifully renditioned here. Thanks so much!