Waterway Wave
Waterway Wave: Nostalgic River Rhythms and Midwest Memories
Lyrics
Been gone so long, some things I miss
Expressing a sense of absence, acknowledging the time away
But it ain’t the same things that others miss
Highlighting the subjective nature of what is missed
I miss seeing the Minnesota sun go down
Nostalgia for witnessing the sunset in Minnesota
And I miss knowing someone when you look around
Yearning for familiarity and connection with others
When I think of home, there’s one thing on my mind
One specific thought dominates the concept of home
And it ain’t even that gold Grain Belt shine
Downplaying the significance of materialistic values
You need your something borrowed
Emphasizing the tradition of including something borrowed
Maybe it’s something new
Suggesting the importance of embracing new experiences
But you sure as hell need your something blue
Stressing the necessity of having something blue
Cruisin’ and floatin’
Describing a leisurely and carefree activity on the water
With my buddies motorboatin’
Recalling enjoyable moments with friends on boats
The river water’s flowin’
Comparing the flowing river to open cold beers
Like the cold beers that are open
Symbolizing the lively atmosphere with boats on the water
Boats all around going up and down
Depicting the active scene along the Mississippi highway
That Mississippi highway close to town
Highlighting an unwritten rule about water etiquette
There’s just one rule they don’t teach in school
Introducing the concept of the "waterway wave"
About water etiquette and not lookin’ a fool
Repetition for emphasis
It’s the waterway wave
Reiterating the importance of the waterway wave
Aye
Repetition for emphasis
Aye
-Aye
-Aye
-And you pass it out when the sun don’t shine
Describing occasions when the waterway wave is appropriate
And you give it away when it’s closing time
Linking the gesture to specific times, like closing time
And It’s a right one here and a left one there
Highlighting variations of the waterway wave
But I better see one of those in the air
Stressing the expectation of seeing the wave in the air
Cruisin’ and floatin’
Repetition for emphasis
With my buddies motorboatin’
-The river water’s flowin’
-Like the cold beers that are open
-Boats all around going up and down
-That Mississippi highway close to town
-There’s just one rule they don’t teach in school
-About water etiquette and not lookin’ a fool
-It’s the waterway wave
Reaffirming the significance of the waterway wave
Aye
Repetition for emphasis
Aye
-Aye
-Aye
-When people come by that you don’t know
Advising on the appropriate response to unfamiliar people
Better put your hand up in the air
Encouraging the audience to participate in the wave
As you float
Connecting the wave to the experience of floating in a boat
In your boat
-And if you owned a castle
-You’d be doing it all in your moat
-Hell, I don’t know
Expressing uncertainty or indifference
Cruisin’ and floatin’
Repetition for emphasis
With my buddies motorboatin’
-The river water’s flowin’
-Like the cold beers that are open
-Boats all around going up and down
-That Mississippi highway close to town
-There’s just one rule they don’t teach in school
-About water etiquette and not lookin’ a fool
-It’s the waterway wave
Final affirmation of the importance of the waterway wave
Aye
Repetition for emphasis
Aye
-Aye
-Aye
-
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