When The Ship Goes Down

Album: Water In A Whale (2013)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • Jillette Johnson was still living in New York City when she wrote this song, which deals with the overwhelming feeling that came with being a young musician trying to get her feet off the ground in the big city. "I was straddling the line of being aware of how small I was and how huge the mountain I'm trying to climb was," she said on the Songfacts Podcast. "I was also aware of how romantic of a city New York is, being a young person living there. I was in my early 20s living my dream. I had a record deal and I was touring, so I was in this constant back and forth of being really humbled and also being in a fantasy world."
  • "When The Ship Goes Down" is part of Johnson's debut album, Water In A Whale. A few years later, she moved to Nashville, which is where she met her husband. The song stuck in her live repertoire, but has evolved. "I love this song," she said. "It's definitely one of those songs from my first record that still hits me in different ways when I hear it and I still love to play it. I do think I have evolved as a songwriter since I wrote this song."
  • At the time, I was living in New York City and I was straddling the line of being aware of how small I was and how huge the mountain I'm trying to climb was. I was also aware of how romantic of a city New York is, being a young person living there. I was in my early 20s living my dream. I had a record deal and I was touring, so I was in this constant back and forth of being really humbled and also being in a fantasy world.

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Jules Shear - "All Through The Night"

Jules Shear - "All Through The Night"They're Playing My Song

Shears does very little promotion, which has kept him secluded from the spotlight. What changed when Cyndi Lauper had a hit with his song? Not much, really.

Chris Frantz of Talking Heads

Chris Frantz of Talking HeadsSongwriter Interviews

Talking Heads drummer Chris Frantz on where the term "new wave" originated, the story of "Naive Melody," and why they never recorded another cover song after "Take Me To The River."

Ben Kowalewicz of Billy Talent

Ben Kowalewicz of Billy TalentSongwriter Interviews

The frontman for one of Canada's most well-known punk rock bands talks about his Eddie Vedder encounter, Billy Talent's new album, and the importance of rock and roll.

Joe Jackson

Joe JacksonSongwriter Interviews

Joe talks about the challenges of of making a Duke Ellington tribute album, and tells the stories behind some of his hits.

70s Music Quiz 1

70s Music Quiz 1Music Quiz

The '70s gave us Muppets, disco and Van Halen, all which show up in this groovy quiz.

Annie Haslam of Renaissance

Annie Haslam of RenaissanceSongwriter Interviews

The 5-octave voice of the classical rock band Renaissance, Annie is big on creative expression. In this talk, she covers Roy Wood, the history of the band, and where all the money went in the '70s.