From talking about eyes to literally talking about the sea, people have written songs for years about the ocean.
The Sea is a mystery to many, we’ve barely explored it and know so little about it but we still sail out and find calmness within it.
Beautiful songs have been written describing how the person they love, how their eyes remind them of the sea, from the true blue colors like how Ed Sheeran described it to the deep stare that can mesmerize like in Ocean Eyes.
There are fun songs such as Surfin’ USA to songs like Beyond the Sea. Just as vast the Sea is is just as vast as the number of songs written about it.
1. Beyond the Sea by Bobby Darin
One of his most popular songs was also the title for a movie about his life called Beyond the Sea.
There was also a version of this song in the movie “Finding Nemo” played by Robbie Williams during the credits.
This song made it to Billboard’s Top 100 for 14 weeks and the highest it peaked at was number six on the chart.
- This song was one of his most popular pop songs
- The Song was featured in an episode of X-Files
- The song is an English translation/ version of a French song called La Mer by Charles Trenet
2. Tenerife Sea by Ed Sheeran
The song is about his girlfriend at the time and he essentially got his inspiration from her eyes as he describes them as blue as the Tenerife Sea in Spain.
It’s particularly got a nice, upbeat slow song, generally great for weddings and the song essentially has been listed in the top 20 on Spotify for first dances/wedding dances in its first year of release, which is fairly significant.
In the Rolling Stones article about the song Jon Dolan described the song as an “oversweet ballad”.
Other praises the song for all intents and purposes has for the most part been described as a beautiful love song, sweet and summery; while others have also gone to specifically describe it as an unreserved love song as well as being a gorgeous love song in a subtle way.
All comments generally were made by critics from New York Times, Washington Post, Billboard, and the Guardian.
- Ed Sheeran wrote the song right after the Grammys in Nashville.
- Despite rumors that circled around during the song’s release, it is not about Taylor Swift
- Ed Sheeran performed the song a few times towards the end of 2013 before its release in 2014 in Ed Sheeran’s studio album x.
3. Ocean Eyes by Billie Eilish
The song basically was written by Billie’s brother Finneas, originally for his band but he decided to specifically give the song to Billie because he thought the song fit better with her vocals and voice.
Billie was asked to produce a song for the dance company she was in.
It’s a very dreamy ballad that describes being captivated by looking into his or her stare in a subtle way.
Billie and her brother uploaded the song on SoundCloud so the dance instructor could use it for a performance, but by the very next day, the song had gone viral.
Because it was to actually be produced for a dance performance the song actually is more based on contemporary dance.
- Song was written by Billie’s brother and was originally made for his band, but after realizing it fit Billie’s vocals better he gave it to her.
- The song went viral overnight after being used for a choreography performance
- Billie was only 14 when she sang Ocean Eyes
4. Across the Sea by Weezer
The song was written when Cuomo Rivers, Weezer’s lead vocalist, was in college at Harvard University.
He wrote the song after receiving a letter from a fan in Japan, and his lyrics have much to do with the letter and the fan despite never meeting the fan.
No one knows for sure but according to Cuomo during an interview, the fan who sent the letter receives royalties for the song.
However, it’s not known for sure if that’s true due to other statements and interviews made by Cuomo.
- Many fans of Weezer consider this to be one of their best or the best song they’ve produced/made.
- Song was made after getting inspiration from a letter from a fan asking about their life.
- The band never met the fan that wrote the letter
5. Surfin’ USA by The Beach Boys
Released in 1963 the song has been one of The Beach Boys’ most popular songs as well as becoming a California anthem for many fans.
The song is basically according to the members a rewritten version of Berry’s Sweet Little Sixteen song. The members rewrote the lyrics and added a hook.
They also talked to Berry and gave him most of the royalties and named him the song’s composer.
- Just like Surfin’ USA, most of their songs were about surfing but only one member actually surfed. They said the reason is that surfing at the time was very popular with those that bought records.
- Although an early song of theirs it’s been described as their signature sound over the years.
- The song has been a staple/signature sound also for the state of California.
More Great Songs About the Sea
| Title | Artist |
| Lost Sailor | Grateful Dead |
| Dock of the Bay | Otis Redding |
| Under the Sea | Samuel E. Wright |
| Sea and Sand | The Who |
| How Far I’ll Go | Auli’i Cravalho |
| To the Sea | Jack Johnson |
| Seaside | The Kooks |
| Oceans | Pearl Jam |
| A dip in the Ocean | Fountains of Wayne |
Hello there, my name is Ramiro and I’ve been playing guitar for almost 20 years. I’m obsessed with everything gear-related and I thought it might be worth sharing it. From guitars, pedals, amps, and synths to studio gear and production tips, I hope you find what I post here useful, and I’ll try my best to keep it entertaining also.
