Only the Ocean

Album: To The Sea (2010)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • This is the closing track from Hawaiian singer-songwriter Jack Johnson's fifth studio album, To The Sea. Johnson told Gibson.com both the album title and this song are inspired by memories of his late father, the well-known surfer Jeff Johnson. "The title of the album felt very natural title to use this time around," he explained. "The obvious appeal is that it's a phrase that sounds nice when you say it, but I was also thinking of a body of water representing the subconscious. The sea is a place my father led me to, and it's a place I've taken my own children. You get to the shoreline and you make the decision whether to dive under the surface or not. That works on a lot of levels. On the most personal level, when my father died, we took his ashes to the sea. The last song on the record is called 'Only the Ocean' and that's really a song for my father. Every time I go to the ocean now I feel like I'm visiting him."

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Songs Discussed in Movies

Songs Discussed in MoviesSong Writing

Bridesmaids, Reservoir Dogs, Willy Wonka - just a few of the flicks where characters discuss specific songs, sometimes as a prelude to murder.

Mick Jones of Foreigner

Mick Jones of ForeignerSongwriter Interviews

Foreigner's songwriter/guitarist tells the stories behind the songs "Juke Box Hero," "I Want To Know What Love Is," and many more.

Mark Arm of Mudhoney

Mark Arm of MudhoneySongwriter Interviews

When he was asked to write a song for the Singles soundtrack, Mark thought the Seattle grunge scene was already overblown, so that's what he wrote about.

Stand By Me: The Perfect Song-Movie Combination

Stand By Me: The Perfect Song-Movie CombinationSong Writing

In 1986, a Stephen King novella was made into a movie, with a classic song serving as title, soundtrack and tone.

Victoria Williams

Victoria WilliamsSongwriter Interviews

Despite appearances on Carson, Leno and a Pennebaker film, Williams remains a hidden treasure.

Adam Duritz of Counting Crows

Adam Duritz of Counting CrowsSongwriter Interviews

"Mr. Jones" took on new meaning when the song about a misguided view of fame made Adam famous.