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Eight Days on the Water Lyrics by William Shatner

So Fragile, So Blue

2024

[Verse 1:]
On the verge of manhood
Just sixteen years old
Signed onto adventure
That seemed brave and bold
A perilous journey
Few others might do
To travel eight days
In an eight-man canoe
The plan seemed mythic
Manly and gritty
To paddle from Canada
To New York City
Champlain we cast off
Clearer than glass
Then no one in sight
Once a few days had passed
Surrounded by nature
Feeling wild and free
The hint of real danger
Appealing to me
Through ice crystal lakes
Raging rivers and streams
Level five rapids
And dense evergreens
[Chorus:]
Eight days on the water
Alive in my mind
Eight days on the water
Frozen in time
[Verse 2:]
We felt small and yet large
Thinking that when
We reached that far shore
It would define us as men
Sixteen arms paddled
Through all types of weather
And as the days passed
We bonded together
We dove in the water
To keep us refreshed
Sensing new muscles
On our shoulders and chests
We moved north to south
And the landscape devolved
The mountains less fearsome
The trees not as tall
More and more houses
Dotted the shore
And large motorboats
That we couldn’t ignore
But we paddled on
With undaunted might
Feeling our victory
Was finally in sight
[Chorus:]
Eight days on the water
Alive in my mind
Eight days on the water
Frozen in time
[Verse 3:]
And after a week
Our battle seemed won
When Manhattan’s skyline
Loomed in the sun
The buildings of Wall Street
Denser than forests
And millions of people
Moving around us
Yet, the Hudson and East
Were sad shades of brown
And just as much garbage
As fish floated ‘round
The conquest of nature
Which we thought was good fun
Was a zero sum game
That humans had won
I wish I could say
I had these deep thoughts
But nothing was noticed
So nothing forgot
I was blinded by youth
As most of us are
Awed by the structures
The bridges and cars
[Chorus:]
Eight days on the water
Alive in my mind
Eight days on the water
Frozen in time
[Verse 4:]
Now 60 years later
I stand on a shore
Older and wiser
I can no longer ignore
I think of that journey
And now understand
My innocence lost
And nature’s command
Both gone forever
And not to return
Our abuse of the planet
We still haven’t learned
To return to an Eden
May seem like a dream
But I still believe
Because I’ve already been
Yes, I still believe
Because I’ve already been
[Chorus:]
Eight days on the water
Alive in my mind
Eight days on the water
Frozen in time
Eight days on the water
Alive in my mind
Eight days on the water
Frozen in time
Credits
William Shatner

William Shatner

About “Eight Days on the Water” by William Shatner

Read the complete lyrics to "Eight Days on the Water" by William Shatner from the album "So Fragile, So Blue" in 2024. 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.

"Eight Days on the Water" is performed by William Shatner. from the album "So Fragile, So Blue" in 2024 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 "Eight Days on the Water", explore more songs by William Shatner 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.

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Frequently asked questions

"Eight Days on the Water" is credited to William Shatner. Songwriting credits may include additional writers listed on the release; check the credits section on this page for linked collaborators.

"Eight Days on the Water" appears on "So Fragile, So Blue" in 2024.

Visit the William Shatner artist page at /artist/william-shatner for biography, popular tracks, and links to more lyric pages.