Ocean

Album: The Blackened Air (2002)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • Here, Nina Nastasia sings about turning into a giant and causing destruction. She wrote the song a couple of years into a dysfunctional relationship. "There's a lot in the lyrics about feeling... not empowered, but powerfully destructive, causing messes everywhere I go," she explained to Uncut magazine. "This feeding of low self-esteem or that things are wrong with me."
  • The song ends with people drowning in Nastasia's giant tears before she dies in the ocean of tears too. It is one of many ocean and water songs in her discography. "Maybe it's because I'm from Southern California and I went to the beach a lot," she told Uncut. "That's where I feel most comfortable and happy. When I'm at the ocean. I feel a lot of peace when I'm swimming, so maybe that's why I keep going to that."
  • Nastasia recorded "Ocean" for her second album, The Blackened Air. She laid down The Blackened Air almost entirely live over a six-day period at the Electrical Audio Studios in Chicago. Producer Steve Albini set up the band in a semi-circle in one corner of the studio.
  • Nastasia played the guitar with Gerry Leonard. The other musicians are:

    Dave Richards: bass
    Jay Bellerose: drums
    Stephen A.F. Day: cello
    Dylan Willemsa: viola
    Joshua Carlebach: accordion

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Tom Bailey of Thompson Twins

Tom Bailey of Thompson TwinsSongwriter Interviews

Tom stopped performing Thompson Twins songs in 1987, in part because of their personal nature: "Hold Me Now" came after an argument with his bandmate/girlfriend Alannah Currie.

Danny Kortchmar

Danny KortchmarSongwriter Interviews

Danny played guitar on Sweet Baby James, Tapestry, and Running On Empty. He also co-wrote many hit songs, including "Dirty Laundry," "Sunset Grill" and "Tender Is The Night."

Bryan Adams

Bryan AdamsSongwriter Interviews

What's the deal with "Summer of '69"? Bryan explains what the song is really about, and shares more of his songwriting insights.

Colbie Caillat

Colbie CaillatSongwriter Interviews

Since emerging from MySpace with her hit "Bubbly," Colbie has become a top songwriter, even crafting a hit with Taylor Swift.

Johnette Napolitano of Concrete Blonde

Johnette Napolitano of Concrete BlondeSongwriter Interviews

The singer/bassist for Concrete Blonde talks about how her songs come from clairvoyance, and takes us through the making of their hit "Joey."

Al Jourgensen of Ministry

Al Jourgensen of MinistrySongwriter Interviews

In the name of song explanation, Al talks about scoring heroin for William Burroughs, and that's not even the most shocking story in this one.