The Heart and "Soul of a Sailor"!

Introduction by William L. Gills aka Bos'n Bill

This song written and sung by Kenny Chesney speaks for itself.  In Kenny's words, "I think anybody who has a boat has an emotional attachment to it. It has a way of healing a person and gives him a sense of freedom. That's where I feel the most freedom -- and it's helped me heal something that needed healing."

This song, the Soul of a Sailor takes a simple moment in a bar to describe what Kenny calls a "brother in arms", a commercial fisherman.  He really captures the spirit of those that love their time on a boat and the reasons why.


(Song lyrics below the music video)

"Soul Of A Sailor"

He walked in with a salty sway

Lookin' like Blackbeard in his day

A brother in arms just like me

I was born a son of the sea

I can't be still, I can't be tied

The only time I feel alive is

When the wind fills my sail

Riding on a lifelong swell

Let my heart take me where it wants to go

That's the soul of a sailor, the soul of a sailor

He slid a stool and a beer to me

Said, you know, we're both a dying breed
Here's to love lost and newfound friends
And living out life in the boat we're in
I can't be still, I can't be tied
The only time I feel alive is

When the wind fills my sail
Riding on a lifelong swell

Let my heart take me where it wants to go
That's the soul of a sailor, the soul of a sailor

Let my heart take me where it wants to go
That's the soul of a sailor, the soul of a sailor

William L. Gills aka Bos'n Bill, webmaster of this site, is the author of the book Lubber's log, published by Llumina Press; a boating journal and adventure story of the author's first time experiences in the preparation, maintenance and piloting of a new, unfamiliar boat. You can visit his website here.