About the Song

Toby Keith, the country music king of red Solo cups and summertime anthems, takes a humorous yet relatable turn with “Sailboat for Sale”. This track, found on his 2015 album “35 MPH Town”, tells the tale of a sailor stuck in a frustrating situation, all wrapped up in a catchy, toe-tapping melody.

“Sailboat for Sale” is a story song filled with Keith’s signature wit. The narrator, a self-proclaimed “drunken sailor,” finds himself stuck with a sailboat he clearly despises. The lyrics paint a picture of a frustrating purchase, perhaps fueled by rum-induced spontaneity (“An old pirate sold me on it / G / D / We traded straight across / The boat I thought I wanted / A / For the boat I hate”).

The song’s humor lies in the sailor’s predicament. He’s stuck with a vessel that doesn’t suit his fancy, one that seemingly lacks the necessary “throttle” for a real sailing adventure. “Sailboat for Sale” becomes a lament for a bad deal, with the catchy chorus (“Sailboat for sale / With a drink in my hand and a sailboat for sale”) serving as a hilarious plea to anyone willing to take this unwanted vessel off his hands.

But beneath the surface of the song’s humor lies a relatable theme. We’ve all, at some point, made impulsive purchases that turned out to be less than ideal. “Sailboat for Sale” taps into that feeling of buyer’s remorse, delivered with a healthy dose of self-deprecating humor.

While the song doesn’t delve into the specifics of the “ocean” the sailor can’t seem to reach, it evokes a sense of yearning for something more. Perhaps it’s the open seas and the thrill of adventure, or maybe it’s simply a desire for something different from the monotony of his current situation.

“Sailboat for Sale” is a lighthearted and entertaining song that showcases Toby Keith’s ability to weave humor and relatable themes into a catchy country tune. It’s a perfect addition to any playlist that needs a dose of laughter and a reminder that even the toughest cowboys can make bad decisions sometimes.

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Lyrics: Sailboat for Sale 

I’m floating in my boat
Not the one I used to fish in
But the boat I sit in wishin’
I was still floating on my fishing boat
And I’m out here on this river
Really it’s just a creek
But it’s a river when I drink
So I’m drinking on my river boatI could sail to the ocean
If the wind would come and get me
But I ain’t goin’ nowhere quickly
I’m just a drunkin’ sailor
Waiting on a gale
With a drink in my hand and a sailboat for sale

Aye
Aye

An old pirate sold me on a
We traded straight across
The boat I thought I wanted
For the boat I hate I lost
She’ll sing when that wind whistles
When it doesn’t, well she don’t
Just ask that old pirate
That’s floatin’ on my river boat

I could sail to the ocean
If the wind would come and get me
But I ain’t goin’ nowhere quickly
I’m just a drunkin’ sailor
Waiting on a gale
With a drink in my hand and a sailboat for sale

Never make a handshake deal while sharing someone bottle
Never buy a boat son that doesn’t have a throttle

Aye
Aye

I could sail to the ocean
If the wind would come and get me
But I ain’t goin’ nowhere quickly
I’m just a drunkin’ sailor
Waiting on a gale
With a drink in my hand and a sailboat for sale

I got a sailboat for sale

Aye
Aye