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The Boats Lyrics by Erin McKeown

Hundreds of Lions

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The boats, the boats, my wooden boats
Were never meant to dry
What is a boat that cannot float
And rots from air and sky?

I nailed a sheet, I named it twice
I waited on the spit
For wind, for wind, some kind of wind
To come and sail with it

This is my boat, my favorite boat
I built it with my hands
And on its shell, my earthly hull
I have become a man

Some are washed and ground ashore
And some get thrown by tide
But this new world of mold and smell
It simply drowns my pride

And in the wake, I am awake
With no one to take the helm
And what I built with labor hard
Grows still and soft and calm

We turn the cheek, we try to hope
For boats from other shores
And in the end we are alone
Who are we to hope for more

Some are washed and ground ashore
And some get thrown by tide
But this new world of mold and smell
It simply drowns my pride

The boats, the boats, my wooden boats
Were never meant to dry
What is a boat that cannot float
And rots from air and sky?

About “The Boats” by Erin McKeown

Read the complete lyrics to "The Boats" by Erin McKeown from the album "Hundreds of Lions". On Lyrks you can follow along with the full text, explore the artist's discography, and discover related songs. The track is often categorized under Pop.

"The Boats" is performed by Erin McKeown. from the album "Hundreds of Lions" This page provides the full lyric text for fans who want to sing along, study the songwriting, or compare versions across releases. Lyrks organizes lyrics by artist and song slug so you can bookmark and share a stable URL. Music lyrics help listeners connect with emotion, narrative, and rhythm in a track. Whether you are learning English, researching a favorite chorus, or preparing for karaoke, having accurate line breaks and section labels (verse, chorus, bridge) makes the experience easier. We link to the official artist profile on Lyrks where available, including biography snippets, top songs, and chart placements when we have that data. If you enjoy "The Boats", explore more songs by Erin McKeown using the links below. Chart and trending pages on Lyrks highlight what listeners are searching for this week. For copyright or correction requests, see our DMCA and contact pages.

View all songs and biography for Erin McKeown · Trending lyrics · Billboard Hot 100

Frequently asked questions

"The Boats" is credited to Erin McKeown. Songwriting credits may include additional writers listed on the release; check the credits section on this page for linked collaborators.

"The Boats" appears on "Hundreds of Lions".

Visit the Erin McKeown artist page at /artist/erin-mckeown for biography, popular tracks, and links to more lyric pages.


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