Discover the story of the song > Wooden Ships – Crosby

The song talks about the protagonist meeting someone from a different place but they can still communicate through smiles. The protagonist asks their new friend who won a war, and they share some purple berries. They then talk about wooden ships on the water and people on the shoreline. The song takes a darker turn as they describe horror and death, and how they feel they need to leave this place. They suggest taking someone's sister and leaving for somewhere new where they can laugh again, before the song ends with the protagonist sailing away on a fair wind.