Into the Ocean
Encyclopedia
"Into the Ocean" is the second single from Blue October
's fifth album, Foiled
. The song peaked at #53 on the Billboard Hot 100
, while the music video
for the song, directed by Zach Merck, reached number one on the VH1
V-Spot countdown. A live acoustic version of the song appears on the band's album Ugly Side: An Acoustic Evening With Blue October
.
's erhu
and lamenting lyrics typical of "Hate Me
" and other songs written by lead singer Justin Furstenfeld
. The feelings conveyed by the song reflect Furstenfeld's real-life battle with depression
and suicidal
tendencies.
The lyrics convey the first-person
account of a "normal boy" who has fallen or jumped off the bow of a ship and the thoughts that pass through the boy's mind as he loses the will to keep afloat by treading water. His final thought is of his beloved as he eventually concedes to drowning:
In the final verse the song takes on a deeper meaning as the lyrics reveal that the initial story of the boy drowning was just a dream spurred by feelings of grief over the loss of a loved one, presumably the woman whose face gave him comfort as he imagined he was drowning. The dream is referred to lyrically as "Midnight's late reminder of the loss of her, the one I love." The song then indicates that he wishes, like in the dream, that he could slip "into the ocean, end it all."
According to a VH1-online article about the band, "Into the Ocean" has had an impact on many listeners who may have been contemplating suicide.
Blue October
Blue October is a rock band from Houston, Texas. The band was formed in 1995 and currently consists of Justin Furstenfeld , Jeremy Furstenfeld , Ryan Delahoussaye , Matt Noveskey , and Julian Mandrake .-History:Blue October was formed by lead...
's fifth album, Foiled
Foiled
Foiled is the fourth album by Blue October. The album was certified gold in the United States on August 9, 2006, and on February 22, 2007, was certified platinum. The album is also popular in Canada where it has also achieved platinum status....
. The song peaked at #53 on the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
, while the music video
Music video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
for the song, directed by Zach Merck, reached number one on the VH1
VH1
VH1 or Vh1 is an American cable television network based in New York City. Launched on January 1, 1985 in the old space of Turner Broadcasting's short-lived Cable Music Channel, the original purpose of the channel was to build on the success of MTV by playing music videos, but targeting a slightly...
V-Spot countdown. A live acoustic version of the song appears on the band's album Ugly Side: An Acoustic Evening With Blue October
Ugly Side: An Acoustic Evening With Blue October
Ugly Side: An Acoustic Evening With Blue October is a live acoustic album by Blue October. It is their third live album, and eighth album overall. The album was recorded during a sold out three-day tour of Houston, Austin, and Dallas July 22-25, 2010 during which the band played two acoustic...
.
Content
The song contrasts an upbeat rhythm and light melodies with Ryan DelahoussayeRyan Delahoussaye
Ryan Paul Delahoussaye is a multi-instrumentalist musician and co-founding member of the American rock band Blue October. Delahoussaye is a classically trained violinist...
's erhu
Erhu
The erhu is a two-stringed bowed musical instrument, more specifically a spike fiddle, which may also be called a "southern fiddle", and sometimes known in the Western world as the "Chinese violin" or a "Chinese two-stringed fiddle". It is used as a solo instrument as well as in small ensembles...
and lamenting lyrics typical of "Hate Me
Hate Me
"Hate Me" is a 2006 single from the Houston, Texas, alternative rock group Blue October. The song peaked at number two on the Billboard Modern Rock charts and at number 29 on the U.S. Hot 100. In 2007 the video for the song was nominated for a MuchMusic Video Award for best international video. ...
" and other songs written by lead singer Justin Furstenfeld
Justin Furstenfeld
Justin Steward Furstenfeld is a record producer, artist, author, and the lead singer, guitarist, lyricist and frontman of the American rock band Blue October.-Personal life:...
. The feelings conveyed by the song reflect Furstenfeld's real-life battle with depression
Clinical depression
Major depressive disorder is a mental disorder characterized by an all-encompassing low mood accompanied by low self-esteem, and by loss of interest or pleasure in normally enjoyable activities...
and suicidal
Suicide
Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Suicide is often committed out of despair or attributed to some underlying mental disorder, such as depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, alcoholism, or drug abuse...
tendencies.
The lyrics convey the first-person
First-person narrative
First-person point of view is a narrative mode where a story is narrated by one character at a time, speaking for and about themselves. First-person narrative may be singular, plural or multiple as well as being an authoritative, reliable or deceptive "voice" and represents point of view in the...
account of a "normal boy" who has fallen or jumped off the bow of a ship and the thoughts that pass through the boy's mind as he loses the will to keep afloat by treading water. His final thought is of his beloved as he eventually concedes to drowning:
In the final verse the song takes on a deeper meaning as the lyrics reveal that the initial story of the boy drowning was just a dream spurred by feelings of grief over the loss of a loved one, presumably the woman whose face gave him comfort as he imagined he was drowning. The dream is referred to lyrically as "Midnight's late reminder of the loss of her, the one I love." The song then indicates that he wishes, like in the dream, that he could slip "into the ocean, end it all."
According to a VH1-online article about the band, "Into the Ocean" has had an impact on many listeners who may have been contemplating suicide.
- "Into the Ocean," with Delahoussaye's seductive violin siren call and plucked mandolin, openly contemplates a death wish with so much honesty, fans write to the band, claiming tracks like this have prevented their own suicidal impulses.
- "I love Justin's lyrics," says guitarist [CB] Hudson, ..."Our music touches people in the heart. I'm really proud of that."
- "If I have saved others, I don't know what to say," admits Justin. "But if I can do that for them, why... can't I do that for myself?"