Listen to I Used to Be a Sailor by Tracy Chapman

I Used to Be a Sailor

Tracy Chapman

Singer/Songwriter

4,031

Apple Music Note

OVERVIEW

LYRICS

Music Video

I Used to Be a Sailor

Watch I Used to Be a Sailor on YouTube

Featured In

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Credits

PERFORMING ARTISTS

Tracy Chapman

Vocals

Tony Levin

Bass Guitar

Manu Katché

Drums

Roy Bittan

Keyboards

Mike Campbell

Mandolin

Mino Cinelu

Percussion

Steve Thornton

Percussion

COMPOSITION & LYRICS

Tracy Chapman

Songwriter

PRODUCTION & ENGINEERING

Tracy Chapman

Producer

Chad Blinman

Assistant Engineer

Joe Pirrera

Assistant Engineer

Bradshaw Leigh

Engineer

Thom Panunzio

Recording Engineer

Bob Clearmountain

Bob Clearmountain

Mixing Engineer

Jimmy Iovine

Producer

David Bianco

Recording Engineer

Lyrics

I used to be a sailor

Who sailed across the seas

But now I'm just an island

Since they took my boat away from me

Oh no

I don't like being stationary

I like the rocky wavy motions of the sea

I sit and rot behind these padded walls

Hoping one day they'll fall

And set me free

He wrote his epitaph

He wrote his eulogy

It said "I think that I can die now

For my true love won't come for me"

Oh no

I don't like being stationary

I like the rocky wavy motions of the sea

I sit and rot behind these padded walls

Hoping one day they'll fall

And set me free

I used to be a sailor

Who sailed across the seas

But now I'm just an island

Since they took my boat away from me

Oh no

I don't like being stationary

I like the rocky wavy motions of the sea

I sit and rot behind these padded walls

Hoping one day they'll fall

And set me free

Set me free

Set me free

Set me free

Written by: Tracy Chapman

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