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 saleAye
AyeAn 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 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 saleNever make a handshake deal while sharing someone bottle
Never buy a boat son that doesn’t have a throttleAye
AyeI 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 saleI got a sailboat for sale
Aye
Aye