The Water Is Wide Lyrics
James Taylor
Lyrics
The water is wide
I can't cross o'er
And neither have I wings to fly
build me a boat that can carry two
and both shall row my love and I
There is a ship
and she sails the sea
She's loaded deep
as deep can be
but not so deep as the love i'm in
i know not how I sink or swim
O love is handsome and love is fine
the sweetest flower when first it's new
but love grows old and waxes cold
and fades away like summer dew
Build me a boat that can carry two
and both shall row
my love and I
and both shall row
my love and I
Song & Lyrics Facts
James Taylor's "The Water Is Wide" is a folk song written by Scottish poet Carolina Oliphant and popularized by James Taylor in 1976. The single was released on his album Greatest Hits, which was released on June 1st, 1976.
The song was co-written with Danny Kortchmar and performed with the band that included Waddy Wachtel (guitar), Leland Sklar (bass) and Russ Kunkel (drums). The lyrics tell of a man who wants to cross an ocean to be with the woman he loves but can't because the water is too wide. The track has been covered by numerous artists over the years, including Pete Seeger, Joan Baez, Johnny Cash, Emmylou Harris, and many more.