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“11 Incredibly Interesting Songs About Boats” features music courtesy of Denzel Curry, Ice Nine Kills, Florence + The Machine, Jay Park & The Lonely Island. 

Boats may not be everybody’s cup of tea, but interestingly, there are plenty of interesting songs that reference boats.  Yep. Friends 11 Incredibly Interesting Songs About Boats is all about, well, boats.  The criteria used was simple – the song title can use the word ‘boat’ in the title or reference a type of boat, such as a ship or a yacht.  No need to belabor this introduction any longer. “11 Incredibly Interesting Songs About Boats” features music courtesy of Denzel Curry (“Speedboat”),  Ice Nine Kills (“Rocking the Boat”), Florence + The Machine (“Ship to Wreck”), Jay Park (“Yacht”), and The Lonely Island (“I’m On a Boat”).

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1. Denzel Curry, “Speedboat”

ZUU • Loma Vista • 2019

Denzel Curry packs a serious punch on “Speedboat”, the banging second single from his 2019 LP, ZUU. There’s good reason to salivate over “Speedboat.” The production, courtesy of Rugah Rahj, is a great starting point.  Rahj gives Curry a badass backdrop to spit over, including the piano lines and the beat.  Of course, Curry isn’t outshined in the least by the production, serving as the force that makes “Speedboat” the superb record that it is.

Following a dramatic intro, he unveils the simply glorious chorus that slaps the first time you hear it:

“Big talk, speedboat
Pray to God I don’t get repo’d
Didn’t go to college for a free throw
People gettin’ killed through the peephole
Have your money up before you go to war
Put the mask on like a luchador
My dawg didn’t make it to 21, so I gotta make it past 24.”

One of the most notable lines from the chorus references the late XXXTENTACION who was murdered at just 20 years old in 2018.  Beyond the chorus, Denzel Curry continues to bring the heat over the course of two verses.  He reflects on his life and his come-up.  “Gas, all in my brain, it fumigating my thoughts,” he raps on the second verse, continuing, “Thinking ‘bout intricate plots / To get out the hood, that’s when I started to jot.” Prior to the awesome chorus, the pre-chorus sets things up:

“Jesus, please deliver us form evil
Please pray over all my people
What you see in life’s illegal
I don’t wanna use my desert eagle.”

Simply put, Denzel Curry is on fire on “Speedboat.” “Speedboat” checks off all of those ‘hip-hop’ boxes – great production and tight bars.  “Speedboat” previously appeared on the playlist 11 Songs That Tickled my Fancy in May 2019.

2. SAINt JHN, “All I Want is a Yacht”

All I Want is a Yacht [Single] • Godd Complex / HITCO • 2019

“All I want is a yacht, and some top, in the coupe, by the spot…” Fair enough.  Anyways, my first experience with Brooklyn-bred rapper SAINt JHN came by way of his uniquely-titled single, “I Heard You Got Too Litt Last Night”, which appeared on his 2018 debut album, Collection One. SAINt JHN also notably appears on one of the best songs from the Beyoncé led/curated album, The Lion King: The Gift, “Brown Skin Girl.” The point is, the artist is making his presence known, and this boat-centric playlist provides him with another opportunity, thanks to “All I Want is Yacht.” A yacht can be various sizes, though most often, in hip-hop especially, rappers seem to be referencing the biggest, longest, and most luxurious versions of the boat.

It actually takes a while for SAINt JHN to inform us of his desires – the bridge to be exact.  Bridge is arguably the best name for the particularly aforementioned section because it occurs only once the entire song.  Prior and after that, “All I Want is a Yacht” is all over the place regarding form, beginning with a pre-chorus of sorts, followed by a refrain (or chorus, if you wish?) that is later varied.  There are two verses, with the first being the longest, yet lacking much substance.  As for the second, it’s all of three lines long, and those three lines are ambitious, confident, with one line acknowledging blessings.  But honestly, this is a drippy, flex joint, and the aforementioned ‘bridge,’ continued below, confirms such:

“…And a bad bitch to cook, nigga look
Fuck a book, I never read, everything I got, I took
She on a tape, I’m on a lake, he gon’ grill it, nigga-niggas goin’ ape…”

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3. Ice Nine Kills, “Rocking the Boat”

Ft. Jeremy Swartz

The Silver Scream • Fearless • 2018

“‘Cause I’ve got a fish to fry / That’s feeding on the weak / So cast a line for every life they took / It’s time to set the hook.” The Silver Scream, released in 2018, marks the fifth studio album from metalcore collective Ice Nine Kills.  Did you catch that album title – ‘scream’ instead of ‘screen’? The majority of the album is steeped in horror, including other songs such as “Stabbing in the Dark” and “Merry Axe-Mas.”  Never fear though – “Rocking the Boat” is a pretty terrifying listening experience in its own right. What makes a terrifying listening experience you ask? Minor key – check.  Screamed/shouted vocals – also check.  Loud and in your face – check x three.

Besides the aforementioned boxes checked off, “Rocking the Boat” has some intriguing lyrics.  The initial pre-chorus lyrics, referenced above, are pretty sweet in their own right. Then, you thrown in the chorus, which is quite poetic:

“We’re all just floating in a shallow grave
Buoyed by the blood of the masses
They’d rather sell out instead of save
We’re all so starving that we’ve taken the bait
You think we would’ve learned from the past that
The predator will soon become the prey.”

Of course, there’s also the dramatic verses that reference Jaws and apparently, a corrupt mayor (“The head of the town is out there flashing his teeth”), included sound bits, a bridge, as well as a breakdown section. The bridge once more likens sharks and a corrupt politician (“With sharks like you among us / We need a bigger boat,” as well as references the capture (“But now you’ve been caught / So smile, you son of a bitch”). Like other Ice Nine Kills records that have appeared from The Silver Scream, it’s quite a thrilling listening experience.

4. Gucci Mane, “Off the Boat”

Evil Genius • Atlantic • 2018

“Me and the white girl just eloped / Same day, my bricks came off the boat, boat, boat, boat / I think I’m Pablo on the low / But free El Chapo he the goat, goat, goat, goat.  Charming Gucci Mane, charming. “Off the Boat” hails from the East Atlanta rapper’s 2018 album, Evil Genius. In fact, “Off the Boat” commences the album, and the flex is REAL. The aforementioned lyrics definitely show Gucci Mane exhibiting ‘that attitude’ referencing drugs and sex.

Back up a little bit, and the chorus that precedes is even more of a treat. Gucci boasts on the chorus, “My bitch came off a boat, boat, boat, boat / I’m never goin’ broke, broke, broke, broke / It look like we sellin’ dope, dope, dope.” Shallow? Yes – shallow AF to be precise. That said, foreign chicks, plenty of money, and ample swagger carries a rapper a long way, particularly Gucci Mane.

5. Jay Park, “Yacht”

Ft. Vic Mensa

Ask Bout Me • Roc Nation • 2018

“I should buy a yacht just to take you on it / Wanna take you ‘round the town just to watch you flaunt it…” Well, it appears that SAINt JHN isn’t the only musicians who’s thinking about a yacht on this boat-centric playlist.  Korean-American rapper/singer Jay Park, assisted by rapper Vic Mensa, gets in on the action on “Yacht,” which appears on Park’s 2018 U.S. debut, Ask Bout Me.  Notably, Park is signed with Roc Nation.

On “Yacht,” listeners are treated to Jay Park’s singing voice, which is quite pleasant.  Over the sleek, luxurious urban contemporary/hip-hop-style backdrop, Park definitely delivers some chill, easy-going vibes.  The yacht really is only secondary to the real thing he’s concerned about – a girl who is a total hottie.  Essentially, Park wants to impress her in every way possible, not to mention what will go down in the bedroom with “that fly Asian guy” who is “the captain”: “Fuck around and take you on a world tour / Versace dropping on the bedroom floors, yeah.” Vic Mensa isn’t left out of the mix either, with ripe, sexed-up lines like “I could make your coochie rain, don’t tell FEMA, ay…” or “I get you wet like Training Day.”

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6. The Backpack Kid, “Drip on Boat”

Ft. Swaghollywood

SwagPack Kid (EP) • Winmore • 2018

“Too much drip on me, yeah I need a boat.” Definitely sounds like a lot of drippin’ there The BackPack Kid.  Who is The BackPack Kid? Ah, he’s the Georgia teen (Russell Horning) who created the viral dance sensation known as the Floss. Horning has done very well from himself since achieving viral success, including appearing on SNL with Katy Perry, as well as appearing in the music video for “Swish Swish”.  2018 saw Horning release his debut, 10-minute EP, SwagPack Kid, featuring the song at hand, “Drip on Boat.” “Drip on Boat” previously appeared on the playlist, The Drip is Real on These 11 Songs.

The BackPack Kid is assisted by Swaghollywood on the first half of the chorus, before he drops the aforementioned lyrics.  Naturally, on the pop-rapped verses, Horning brags about how awesome he is, much like most rappers. Give him credit though – he does so sans profanity and tasteless, objectifying references to girls.

“Too much drip on me, gotta learn how to float
I got on designer from my head to my toes
I ain’t asked for help, yeah, I did it on my own
I don’t see a hater, you can get up out my zone.”

7. Chris Janson, “Buy Me A Boat”

Buy Me a Boat • Warner Music Nashville • 2015

“I ain’t rich, but I damn sure wanna be.” Fair enough Chris Janson, fair enough.  Later, he asserts, “They call me redneck, white trash, and blue collar / But I could change all that if I had a couple million dollars.” Interesting – very interesting. For those who are unfamiliar with him, the Janson is the country singer that told Everybody in 2017 that he can “Fix a Drink”. Not being haters – or hating too much – but The Musical Hype bestowed Mr. Janson with the honors of having one of The Worst Songs of 2017… Before Janson would keep things ‘oh so simple’ in regard to fixing drinks, he would “Buy Me A Boat,” the title track of his 2015 debut album.

“Buy Me A Boat” is countrified to the nth degree.  There’s twang as well as that southern vibe written all over it. Janson focuses on money throughout the song and though he understands “Money can’t buy happiness,” he also understands the things that it can buy.  He drops a colorful list of what money can do on the memorable chorus:

“But it could buy me a boat, it could buy me a truck to pull it
It could buy me a Yeti 110 iced-down with some silver bullets
Yeah, and I know what they say
Money can’t buy everything
Well, maybe so
But it could buy me a boat.”

The song is incredibly tongue-in-cheek, but hey, that’s part of the charm.

8. Florence + The Machine, “Ship to Wreck”

How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful • Island • 2015

“And, ah, my love remind me, what was it that I said? / I can’t help but pull the earth around me to make my bed / …Did I build a ship to wreck?”” It’s clear on the energetic “Ship to Wreck,” a highlight from the 2015 Florence Welch + The Machine album How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful that Florence Welch has seen her relationships go to hell. Welch is no strangers to tackling matters of the heart, and she does so masterfully on “Ship to Wreck.”

“To wreck, to wreck, to wreck / Did I build this ship to wreck?” Florence Welch simply wants to know exactly what she did to cause the love – the relationship – to go south.  She uses plenty of poetic, metaphorical lyrics related to the ocean to intensify the tenuous nature of the relationship.  On the first verse, she sings, “Dredging up great white sharks, swimming in the bed / And here comes a killer whale, to sing me to sleep / Thrashing the covers off, has me by its teeth.”  On the second verse, a key metaphorical moment occurs as Welch sings, “The chair is an island, darling, you can’t touch the floor.” “Ship to Wreck” previously appeared on the playlist, 11 Songs That Are Nothing Short of a ‘Wreck’.

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9. Marilyn Manson, “Warship My Wreck”

The Pale Emperor • Loma Vista • 2015

“You can’t ever say that I’m breaking the rules / If I can’t glue them back together / Scars on my fingers, bruises, my neck / Crashin’ my trains, warship my wreck.” When he wasn’t “Killing Strangers,” being “The Mephistopheles of Los Angeles,” or being on the “Third Day of a Seven Day Binge,” Marilyn Manson was being darkly poetic on “Warship My Wreck,” another highlight from the band’s 2015 album, The Pale Emperor.

As always, Brian Hugh Warner incorporates multiple meanings in to his lyrics.  A prime example comes at the end of the record:

“Cut the hands off
Kamikaze into your soul…
Worship my wreck.”

Throughout, Manson makes it clear that he doesn’t have to play by any rules – he can and will do whatever he wants. As for you, the victim and captive audience, well, he’s in control, you’ll “worship his wreck” and bow to him – something like that.  Honestly, there’s a number of different ways you can go with this record. “Warship My Wreck,” like the previous entry, “Ship to Wreck,” also appeared on the playlist, 11 Songs That Are Nothing Short of a ‘Wreck’.

10. The Lonely Island, “I’m on a Boat”

Ft. T-Pain

Incredibad • Republic • 2009

“Aw, shit / Get your towels ready, it’s about to go down / Everybody in the place, hit the fucking deck / But stay on your motherfucking toes / We running this, let’s go.” If you somehow managed to miss the epic, hella-ridiculous comedy rap record “I’m On a Boat,” it’s a MUST HEAR. The 2009 gem appears on Incredibad, the debut album by The Lonely Island (Andy Samberg, Jorma Taccone, and Akiva Schaffer). Also, worth noting, The Lonely Island get an autotune-heavy lift by “Buy U A Drank” hit-maker, T-Pain.

“I’m on a boat / I’m on a boat / Everybody look at me, ‘cause I’m sailing on a boat.” So, just how dumb is “I’m on a Boat?” Pretty dumb, but infectiously- and irresistibly so.  The Lonely Island are quite literal in their aggressive rhymes, which makes it that much funnier.  Outlandish AF, lines like “Fuck land, I’m on a boat motherfucker / Fuck trees, I climb buoys, motherfucker” should be cringe-worthy, but instead are quite funny.  T-Pain also contributes to the dumbass cause:

“Never thought I’d see the day
When a big boat coming my way
Believe me when I say
I fucked a mermaid.”

Will “I’m on a Boat” change your life? That’s debatable, but the record is nothing short of two-and-a-half minutes of epic-ness.

11. Prince, “Get on the Boat”

3121 • NPG / Legacy • 2006

“Get on the boat / Get on the boat, people / Get on the boat now / We got room for a hundred more.” Listen to the late, great, and iconic Prince – The Purple One knew exactly what he was talking about! “Get on the Boat” wasn’t the crowning achievement of the superb 3121, but it definitely served as a terrific, funky way to close 2006 Prince album.  3121 was the second album, following Musicology (2004) that saw ‘The Purple One’ see a resurgence in popularity.  3121 notably and surprisingly earned Prince his first career no. 1 debut on the Billboard 200.

“Everything in darkness / Must come out into the light / When we love each other / That’s the only way that’s going to be right.” As the lyrics excerpted from the second verse suggest, “Get on the Boat” is a thoughtful, uplifting record.  There are definitely spiritual elements, but Prince doesn’t necessarily use “Get on the Boat” as a Biblical or religious sermon.  He makes it fun, while also touching on things we need to improve on as a society.  Long before that standout lyric from the second verse, on the first, Prince sings, “Every single color / Every race and every creed / Looking for the truth you all / That’s going to set somebody free.”  The big question is, what are you waiting for? “Get on the boat!”

“11 Incredibly Interesting Songs About Boats” [Photo Credits: Atlantic, Fearless, Godd Complex, HITCO, Island, Legacy, Loma Vista, NPG, Pexels, Pixabay, Republic, Roc Nation, Winmore, Warner Music]

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