The Sea Kept Time

[Verse 1] We shoved off late from the harbor wall, With a paper crown and a chart drawn small, Mara tied bright ribbons to the rail, And ben read the compass like a bedtime tale. The bay turned blue where the channel bends, Six old voices, one boatload of friends. [Pre-Chorus] You passed the helm, i called the line, The whole wide afternoon was ours to find. [Chorus] Here’s to the day we sailed out together, Sun on our shoulders, salt in the air, Raise up a song for the ones who know you, No matter how far, they’re already there. Round goes the boat, round goes the laughter, Bright as the water beneath the blue, Happy birthday, we’ll keep this day forever— The sea kept time while we sang it through. [Verse 2] A gull made off with the lemon cake, We cheered its daring getaway, Then jo struck a chord on the old six-string, And every voice found the same refrain. The sails held full as the coastline slid, We toasted the year and the years we’d lived. [Pre-Chorus] No grand plan, no perfect phrase, Just your best friends and a borrowed day. [Chorus] Here’s to the day we sailed out together, Sun on our shoulders, salt in the air, Raise up a song for the ones who know you, No matter how far, they’re already there. Round goes the boat, round goes the laughter, Bright as the water beneath the blue, Happy birthday, we’ll keep this day forever— The sea kept time while we sang it through. [Bridge] When the years put miles between our names, We’ll still remember that circle of sound, A compass spinning, a cake gone missing, And six voices carrying us homeward bound. [Final chorus] Here’s to the day we sailed out together, Sun on our shoulders, salt in the air, Raise up a song for the ones who know you, No matter how far, they’re already there. Round goes the boat, round goes the laughter, Bright as the water beneath the blue, Happy birthday, we’ll keep this day forever— The sea kept time while we sang it through. [Outro] The sea kept time while we sang it through, Happy birthday, old friend—this day’s for you.