Lyrks
Lyrks
Lyrks
Cover Art

Boat People Lyrics by No-No Boy

1942

2018

Forty years ago
The doctor left on a boat
Never seen the snow
Or held it in his hand
Sail until you see
Dry land
I can't get off the news
I can’t get off the floor
The good folks go inside
When we need 'em most
What do prayers do
Behind locked doors?
Tuan went back to rebuild
Only to watch Saigon fall
Now he climbs up Mont Royal
He makes a life in Montreal
Donated winter coat
And Barbie dolls
I wrap myself in books
They're talkin’ 'bout this man
I linger on bell hooks
She helps me to understand
Some of this ain't new
No, man
Fourteen hours by car
Cargo trucks and cabs
Just to shake the cops
Mom had to stay back
Chinese safehouse and
Covered tracks
Eighteen metres long
Two hundred bodies full
A simple compass and a map
From a kid's geography book
Forget Ferdinand
Or Captain Fuckin' Cook
Bodies bobbin' in
A rough South China Sea
Ran across a Thai
Pirate ship, scavenging
Ripped the doctor from his kids
Bleeding
Hours under gun
Then tossed into the water
Swam back to his son
Held tight to his daughter
Driftin' through the night
As the daylight broke
A mountain in the dawn
Off the Malaysian coast
Sweet Pulau Bidong
Never cried so hard
Or so long
I can't get off the news
I can’t get off my phone
My mother came here too
Forty years ago
If you see somebody’s cold
Give 'em a coat
Credits
No-No Boy

No-No Boy

About “Boat People” by No-No Boy

Read the complete lyrics to "Boat People" by No-No Boy from the album "1942" in 2018. 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 Folk, Rock.

"Boat People" is performed by No-No Boy. from the album "1942" in 2018 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 "Boat People", explore more songs by No-No Boy 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 No-No Boy · Trending lyrics · Billboard Hot 100

Frequently asked questions

"Boat People" is credited to No-No Boy. Songwriting credits may include additional writers listed on the release; check the credits section on this page for linked collaborators.

"Boat People" appears on "1942" in 2018.

Visit the No-No Boy artist page at /artist/no-no-boy for biography, popular tracks, and links to more lyric pages.