country song about motorboating

The Meaning Behind the Song Lyrics: “Pontoon” by Little Big Town

by Alex Hopper August 25, 2022, 9:53 am

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For many people, summertime means heading to the lake just as soon as the weather hits the upper 80s. It turns out, that’s Little Big Town’s version of summertime bliss, too, as evidenced by their 2012 track, “Pontoon.”

The song, originally released as the lead single from their fifth studio album, Tornado , earned the band their first No. 1 single on the Billboard Hot Country charts and remained at the top spot for over a week. “Pontoon” also clinched LBT several awards, including a Grammy for Best Country Group Performance.

Throughout the foot-tapping country track, Little Big Town paints the perfect summer day, complete with soaking in rays, floating, and taking an easy-breezy ride on a pontoon. Let’s dive into the lyrics behind the track.

Songwriters Luke Laird, Natalie Hemby, and Barry Dean reportedly came up with the title after a publisher asked about a track the trio wrote for Miranda Lambert called “Fine Tune.” The publisher seemed to only get the gist of the title correct, calling it “Pontoon” instead. Laird and Hemby liked the sound of the new title and decided to make the flubbed song name a reality soon after. 

“It was started in a writing room at Universal Music, but we didn’t get very far—first verse, a few lines of chorus, but the music was clear,” Dean told American Songwriter in 2020 regarding the origins of “Pontoon.”

“It was months later before the three of us got back together because our calendars were crazy,” he continued. “We met at Luke’s office and it was right around the time Natalie was going to have her baby. We got together for a few hours, finished the chorus first, then wrote the second verse and bridge. They were both fun days.”

Looking Into the Lyrics

Swapping speed for an easy-cruising ride, the song fully leads into the comfort-first mentality of a pontoon boat. Unlike its Ski boat counterpart, pontoons are made for a gentle romp around the lake, perfect for enjoying a drink and relaxing with friends. Little Big Town sets that same scene with the opening lines.

Back this hitch up into the water / Untie all the cables and rope / Step onto the astroturf / Get yourself a koozie / Let’s go / Who said anything about skiing? / Floating is all I want to do / You can climb the ladder / Just don’t rock the boat while I barbeque

By the time the chorus hits, the listeners are headed straight toward carefree elation. Across the instant ear-worm refrain, they move into a “slow-motion” party, making waves and catching rays.

On the pontoon / Making waves and catching rays up on the roof / Jumping out the back, don’t act like you don’t want to / Party in slow motion / Out here in the open

Music Video

The accompanying video is exactly what you’d expect it to be. The four-piece heads out to the harbor, with coolers and instruments in tow, ready to live out the day they sing about in the song. Their pontoon is a double-decker cruiser named “Boondocks”—a reference to another classic LBT song of the same name.

As the video croons on, the party grows bigger without ever losing that gentle breeze. Check it out below. 

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Little Big Town, ‘Pontoon’ – Lyrics Uncovered

The inspiration behind the lyrics to Little Big Town 's forthcoming single 'Pontoon' were a bit of a mix up, but for the band and the writers, a very, very good mix-up!  The song is the first single from the band's highly-anticipated fifth studio album, and it is already being called "the single of the summer" by many media outlets. 'Pontoon' was crafted by the amazing minds of Luke Laird, Natalie Hemby and Barry Dean.

"Natalie and I wrote a song called 'Fine Tune' for Miranda Lambert , and it's on her 'Four the Record' album," Laird tells Taste of Country. "We wrote the song, and Natalie's publisher had heard about it and asked, 'What's this song you and Luke wrote called 'Pontoon'?' And she was like, 'No, it's called 'Fine Tune.'' She was telling us that story when she and Barry and I got together to write. Then we were like, 'Well, 'Pontoon' would actually be a cool song to write!' [ laughs ]"

" Back that hitch up into the water / Untie all the cables and rope / Step onto the Astro Turf / Get yourself a koozie, let's go ," they wrote in the opening lyrics.

"We started it, and had sort of the first verse -- the first few lines," recalls Laird. "Then we didn't come back to it until several months later. We were like, 'Remember that song, 'Pontoon,' that we started? We should finish that.' It kind of stuck with all of us. So we got together another day and finished it, and of course, had a blast writing it."

" Pontoon / Makin’ waves and catchin’ rays up on the roof / Jumping off the back don’t act like you don’t want to / Party in slow motion / Out here in the open hmm, motor-boatin’ ," they wrote in the lyrics to the song's chorus.

"We knew we liked it, and a bunch of people put it on hold," notes Laird. "Little Big Town were all into it. The record label and everybody got on board with it, and it's been really exciting."

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Little Big Town Pontoon (Music Video and Lyrics)

by steve ‐ September 13, 2023

photo: YouTube

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The Little Big Town Pontoon song was released in April 2012 as the first single from their fifth studio album,  Tornado .   This song became the first Little Big Town tune to reach #1 on the Billboard Country Music chart starting September 15, 2012.   Watch the music video and check out the lyrics to the song below.

Little Big Town Pontoon Music Video

The lyrics to Pontoon were written by  Natalie Hemby ,  Luke Laird  and  Barry Dean .

Little Big Town Pontoon Lyrics

Back this hitch up into the water Untie all the cables and rope Step onto the astro turf Get yourself a coozie Let’s go

Who said anything about skiin’? Floatin’ is all I wanna do You can climb the ladder Just don’t rock the boat while I barbeque

On the pontoon Makin’ waves and catchin’ rays up on the roof Jumpin’ out the back, don’t act like you don’t want to Party in slow motion Out here in the open Mmmmmmm…motorboatin’ (Hoo hoo hoo) Reach your hand down into the cooler Don’t drink it if the mountains aren’t blue Try to keep it steady as you recline on your black inner tube Pontoon Makin’ waves and catchin’ rays up on the roof Jumpin’ out the back, don’t act like you don’t want to Party in slow motion Out here in the open Mmmmmm…motorboatin’ (Hoo hoo hoo) (Hoo hoo hoo) 5 mile an hour with aluminum side Wood panelin’ with a water slide Can’t beat the heat, so let’s take a ride On the pontoon Makin’ waves and catchin’ rays up on the roof Jumpin’ out the back, don’t act like you don’t want to Party in slow motion I’m out here in the open Mmmmmmm…motorboatin’ On the pontoon (Hoo hoo hoo) On the pontoon (Hoo hoo hoo) Back this hitch out into the water On the pontoon (Hoo hoo hoo) (Hoo hoo hoo)

The music video and lyrics should put you in a great mood for summer!

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Story Behind the Song: 'Pontoon'

What if someone heard Elton John's "Tiny Dancer," misheard the lyrics and wrote a hit song called "Hold Me Closer, Tony Danza?"

That's essentially what happened with Little Big Town's "Pontoon." Co-writers Natalie Hemby, Luke Laird and Barry Dean told the story behind the 2012 country hit to Bart Herbison of Nashville Songwriters Association International .

I get up this morning, and Little Big Town is on "Good Morning America." Of course they're doing that song. That song just keeps materializing; I hear it everywhere. It's already in some commercials, right?

Natalie Hemby: I don't know, but I hear it on the lake all the time, so that's a good sign.

This whole thing starts with the publisher confusing something that they thought you guys had written. Luke?

Luke Laird: Natalie and I had written a song that Miranda (Lambert) recorded called "Fine Tune." It was on her last album, and it's still one of my favorite songs the two of us have written. Somebody had overheard "Fine Tune" playing in an office at the publishing company or something, and another person came and asked Natalie, "What was that song of yours? 'Pontoon' or something?"

NH: It was kind of like that. It wasn't me. It was somebody else that they said it to. They called me and (said), "They thought that you were saying 'Pontoon.' " So I called Luke and said, "We should write this really obnoxious song called 'Pontoon,' to be funny.

LL: Of course Barry and I were like, "Yeah."

Barry Dean: For Natalie that probably is lyrically not the most meaty song, but she takes a special angle on the lyric, and we shaped it that way. And Luke had that groove, and the production of the record (by) Jay Joyce. It's hipper than you think it would be. It's kind of built like an old country song, and then produced like something a little fresher.

LL: It literally is one of those songs that we never could have imagined. It started in the room. We all reacted to it, and I feel like as a writer, you have to trust that.

Now, there's a story after the song. You (Natalie) went to buy a pontoon. This is priceless to me.

NH: Oh yeah. Well, if you're going to write a song about a pontoon, someone has to buy one. My husband loves boats, so we took the plunge. These two still haven't bought one, and now we're probably going to end up selling ours. We went to go buy a boat, and it's a nice new boat a guy was selling. He had to sell it because his wife was pregnant and they just moved here. We took a ride on the boat, and we loved it. We had my in-laws on there, and just as we were about to leave ... we came back to the dock, and I have to leave because my daughter is getting a little fussy. She sings, "Motorboatin' " as we're getting off the boat, and the guy was like, "Oh my God, that song is so awful." (laughs) ... Not everybody likes your song, and that's OK.

— Compiled by Dave Paulson, [email protected]

About the series

In partnership with Nashville Songwriters Association International , each week we will release a video interview with a songwriter about his or her work. See the full interview with Natalie Hemby, Luke Laird and Barry Dean at www.tennessean.com/music along with past installments.

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Little Big Town’s ‘Pontoon’ Shows No Sign of Sinking

Little Big Town talks about the success of "Pontoon," their latest top 10 single. "Who would have thought a song about motor boating at this point in our career would cause such a ruckus?"

By Annie Reuter

Annie Reuter

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“Who would have thought a song about motor boating at this point in our career would cause such a ruckus?” Little Big Town ‘s Karen Fairchild said backstage after a recent performance in New York.

Hailed by many as the “song of the summer,” just last week “Pontoon” jumped from No. 13 to No. 9 on the Hot Country Songs Chart, making it their first Top 10 since “Little White Church” in 2010. The quartet expressed their excitement to Billboard upon learning of their latest Top 10 single.

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“We knew it was special when we cut it,” Kimberly Schlapman said. “The timing of it has been so great. We’re on the road with Rascal Flatts so everybody’s really beginning to hear it now because it’s getting played more and more. Every show is more fun because of it.”

Bandmate Phillip Sweet agreed.

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“I think the more people hear it, the more momentum it grows and builds,” Sweet said. “It’s one of those things you can’t write it out and say, ‘This is going to be a big ol’ smash.’ You just hope and we do our best at making a fun record that we are moved by and enjoy.”

Little Big Town shared their appreciation to the fans for initially showing an interest in the song.

“People want to have fun,” Fairchild said. “That’s the main thing: people want to have a good time. So if you’re making a playlist and you’re going out to the lake for the weekend or the beach, I think it just fits people’s lives right now.”

The band admits they initially gravitated to the song that Natalie Hemby, Luke Laird and Barry Dean wrote but never dreamed of its steady rise up the charts.

“Natalie sang the demo and we thought, ‘Man, that’s a song that you’ve never heard.’ First of all, who’s ever written a song about a pontoon? Never heard that. But having a chick sing it? I don’t know,” Fairchild confessed. “There’s something weird about the delivery when we heard Natalie sing it. And so we thought, ‘This song is cool. It sounds like something country fans will really love if they could get a chance to hear it.'”

A song they could relate to themselves having spent many hot summer days on pontoons, Little Big Town’s busy schedule keeps them off the water and on the road. In fact, the last time they were on a pontoon was at the CMT Awards in June.

“CMT let us have that pontoon and we couldn’t fit it into the storage space that we keep so we had to cut it into four pieces,” Fairchild confessed.

The group planned a trip to the lake on their day off in Detroit to rent pontoons but time slipped away from them.

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Pontoon by Little Big Town

• I back this hitch up into the water Untie all the cables and rope Step onto the AstroTurf Get yourself a Koozie Let's go Who said anything about skiin'? Floatin' is all I wanna do You can climb the ladder Just don't rock the boat while I barbeque On the pontoon Makin' waves and catchin' rays up on the roof Jumpin' out the back, don't act like you don't want to Party in slow motion Out here in the open Mm, motorboatin' (Hoo hoo hoo) Reach your hand down into the cooler Don't drink it if the mountains aren't blue Try to keep it steady as you recline on your black inner tube Pontoon Makin' waves and catchin' rays up on the roof Jumpin' out the back, don't act like you don't want to Party in slow motion Out here in the open Mm, motorboatin' (Hoo hoo hoo) (Hoo hoo hoo) Five mile an hour with aluminum sides Wood panelin' with a water slide Can't beat the heat, so let's take a ride On the pontoon Makin' waves and catchin' rays up on the roof Jumpin' out the back, don't act like you don't want to Party in slow motion I'm out here in the open Mm, motorboatin' On the pontoon (Hoo hoo hoo) On the pontoon (Hoo hoo hoo) I back this hitch out into the water On the pontoon (Hoo hoo hoo) (Hoo hoo hoo) Writer/s: Barry Dean, Luke Laird, Natalie Hemby Publisher: CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC, Reservoir Media Management, Inc., Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Universal Music Publishing Group Lyrics licensed and provided by LyricFind
• More songs from Little Big Town
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Comments: 2

• Cb from Ca Little Big Town's song Pontoon is a track mix disaster for the bass guitar track! It fades in and out of existence at the start of the song, blurps in real quick, then fades till a little bit later in the song.
• Camille from Toronto, Oh June, 2012. I just saw this video on TV today and can tell it's gonna be a BIG hit for a group that well deserves it. They have a fabulous sound and the video is perfection. Way to go!

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Little Big Town

About Pontoon

"Pontoon" is a song recorded by American country music group Little Big Town. It was released in April 2012 as the first single from their fifth studio album, Tornado. The song – written by Natalie Hemby, Luke Laird and Barry Dean – became the group's first No. 1 single on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart for the week of September 15, 2012. The song won the 2013 Grammy Award for Best Country Duo/Group Performance.

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Little Big Town is an American country music vocal group. Founded in 1998, the group has comprised the same four members since its inception: Karen Fairchild, Kimberly Schlapman, Jimi Westbrook, and Phillip Sweet. The quartet's musical style relies heavily on four-part vocal harmonies, with all four members alternating as lead singers. Westbrook and Sweet also play rhythm guitar. more »

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Written by: Natalie Hemby, Barry Dean, Luke Laird

Lyrics © MUSIC ASSET MANAGEMENT (MAM), Universal Music Publishing Group, CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC

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first one...hehe...they are talking about enjoing on a flat boat

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The Best Country Songs About Boats

By Jof Owen

From Chris Janson to Dustin Lynch, here's Holler's best country songs about boats playlist.

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“Believe me, my young friend, there is nothing - absolutely nothing - half so much worth doing as simply messing about in boats", wrote Kenneth Grahame in his enduring classic Wind In The Willows, and that's something country singers have been taking very much to heart over the years.

Chris Janson knows money can't buy him happiness, but he knows it could buy him a boat, and a truck to pull it and a cool box full of beers. What more could you really ever wish for in life?

So if you've got a boat get out in it and if you haven't got a boat, just close your eyes and turn up Holler's Best Country Songs About Boats playlist and imagine you do.

See the full tracklist for Holler's Best Country Music Songs About Boats Playlist below:

Buy Me A Boat

Chris Janson

If I Had A Boat

Lyle Lovett

Sea Stories

Sturgill Simpson

Sailin' Around

Redneck yacht club.

Craig Morgan

Boats To Build

Something 'bout a boat.

Jimmy Buffett

Drive (For Daddy Gene)

Alan Jackson

Tequila On A Boat

Dustin Lynch & Chris Lane

Carrie Underwood

Zac Brown Band

Boat Drinks

Florida Georgia Line

Kenny Chesney

Better Boat

Kenny Chesney & Mindy Smith

I Was On A Boat That Day

Old Dominion

Tennessee River Run

Darryl Worley

Fast Boat To Sydney

Johnny Cash & June Carter Cash

Little Big Town

Brian Kelley

Where The Boat Leaves From

Drunk on a boat, lovely cruise, need a boat.

Morgan Wallen

Brad Paisley

Zac Brown Band & Jimmy Buffett

John Denver

A Pirate Looks At Forty

Sail away home, can't get away from a good time, that's my kind of night, i want to go home.

Johnny Cash

Save It For A Rainy Day

Paradise to me, changes in latitudes, changes in attitudes, better on the water.

Ashley McBryde

Wish I Had A Boat

One particular harbour, boat in a bottle.

Eric Paslay

Rum Is The Reason

Soul of a sailor, son of a son of a sailor, pirate flag, nautical wheelers.

Jimmy Buffett & Alan Jackson

For more of Holler's playlists, see below:

• The Best Country Songs About Flying
• The Best Truck-Driving Country Songs
• The Best Country Songs About Dogs

Subscribe and Listen to Holler's Best Country Songs About Boats Playlist Above.

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Top 10 Country Songs About Boats

Roll with these great songs about being on the water

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Whether you want a song to listen to on a boat or a song to remind you of life on the romanticized high seas, these country songs are a good fit. Following are the top 10, in reverse order—no life jacket required. Imagine you're with your sweetie on a serene blue lake, an expansive bay where you can see for miles, or way out in the ocean , waves crashing, sun high in the sky. Lean back, shut your eyes, and take a listen.

Darryl Worley: "Tennessee River Run"

Darryl Worley knows how he likes to spend his weekend, and it isn't getting started on some of that yard work, cleaning and organizing the garage, or having dinner with the in-laws. Released in 2003, the song reached #31 on Billboard's Hot Country Songs chart.

Kenny Chesney: "Boats"

Kenny Chesney loves the feeling of liberty he gets from being on H20. That's why he calls boats "vessels of freedom" and, yes, "harbors of healin'." "Boats" was released in 2008 on Chesney's "Lucky Old Sun" album.

Lyle Lovett: "If I Had a Boat"

Lyle Lovett is a lawn-chair surrealist in this song about a man who has it all: a boat, a pony, and a pony on the boat. Roy Rogers, Dale Evans, and Tonto each make cameos. The sea lends itself to daydreaming. The 1988 song was part of Lovett's album, "Pontiac."

Guy Clark: "Boats to Build"

Guy Clark  is fed up with the daily grind. Now he's set to go the way of Noah in this take-this-job-and-shove-it gem. "Boats to Build" was the title track on Clark's 1992 album.

Zac Brown Band: "Knee Deep"

Zac Brown Band and Jimmy (Buffett, as if you had to ask) take a boat for a permanent vacation to a tropical destination. It's a move that isn't exactly original, but it sure is pleasurable. This song reached No. 1 on Billboard's Hot Country Songs chart in 2011.

Little Big Town: "Pontoon"

Little Big Town 's party barge is ready for boarding, and the grill's ready for a fiesta "in slow motion, out here in the open." You really should catch this scene. "Pontoon" was a No. 1 hit on Billboard's Hot Country Songs chart in 2012.

Jimmy Buffett: "Lovely Cruise"

Jimmy Buffett  has a lot of great songs about boats, ships, and sailing. Among them are "A Pirate Looks Forty," "Boat Drinks" and "Son of a Son of a Sailor." But this one is particularly, well, lovely. "Lovely Cruise" is featured on Buffett's famous "Changes in Latitudes, Changes in Attitudes" album from 1977.

Craig Morgan: "Redneck Yacht Club"

Learn what happens when a trailer park gets its water wings. Don't miss the music video for this Craig Morgan boat-burner. The song peaked at No. 2 on Billboard's Hot Country Songs chart in 2005.

Nitty Gritty Dirt Band: "Fishin' in the Dark"

According to the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band , there's always a good excuse for going out on a boat at night when nothing but you and the fish are out. Oh, and maybe your baby, too. Wait, are we talking about fishing here? This was a No. 1 hit on Billboard's Hot Country Songs chart back in 1987.

Alan Jackson: "Chattahoochee"

This boating song gives the title to Alan Jackson 's 1992 album. For the man in this song, swimming on the riverbank of the Chattahoochee is where you learn "a lot about livin' and a little 'bout love." A No. 1 hit on Billboard's Hot Country Songs chart, it reached No. 46 on Billboard's Hot 100.

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Little Big Town Tell How They Motorboated Past the Competition: ‘Pontoons Are Sexy, People!’

Country fans do like their outdoor leisure lifestyle anthems, and while there'd been (and still are) a million songs about trucks, watercraft songs have mysteriously been in non-existent supply. How is it no one got to this particular no-brainer any sooner than Little Big Town?

"Pontoons are sexy, people!" declares Karen Fairchild, making an assertion no chart-watcher should dispute, since "Pontoon" became the country anthem of the summer.

"I think people call it 'The Motorboatin' Song,' too," points out Jimi Westbrook. "I was doing some (radio) interviews and they were like 'Yeah, they were calling it for that motorboating song.' So maybe that helped it, too," he says, alluding to the song's slightly risqué connotations.

Adds Kimberly Schlapman, "It certainly didn't hurt." Enough said. Or enough, um, suggested.

"Pontoon" is one of seven songs Little Big Town played at an exclusive Ram Country gig at the Roxy, which is now up in its entirety at Yahoo! Music. On their bus before the show, the four members of the group told us about the making of their just-released fifth album, Tornado , and its ubiquitous lead single.

A lot of country music fans were shocked a few weeks ago by the news that the platinum-selling "Pontoon" had become Little Big Town's first No. 1 single. Not because anyone would have expected any lesser chart position for the song that became a summer phenomenon… but shocked because it was difficult to believe that their previous "signature song," "Boondocks," never reached the top when it came out in 2005, even though that classic's ongoing radio play would make anyone think that'd been a No. 1.

"It only went to No. 8 or 9 or something like that," points out Schlapman. She's right: "Boondocks" peaked at No. 9, shockingly. "But a lot of people think it was a No. 1, which is fine with us, because it was a big ole hit."

"We don't correct 'em," laughs Westbrook. "It's been the song that has taken us to the party..."

"And now with 'Pontoon,' it's given us another big song that people just light up about. When we start the first lick in the beginning of the song, the crowd just goes crazy. And that's a testament to them hearing it a lot ."

"I don't think we've ever been sure we would have a No. 1," Westbrook says, but "after we cut the track, our producer at one point kind of joked when he said, 'That sounds like a big hit just ready to pick off the hit tree!'"

Although "Pontoon" has an ever-so-racy feel to it, the most sensual track from their current crop is "Tornado," as you'll see from Fairchild's sexy reading of the track in the band's Roxy performance. That one may or may not be a future single, but there was a different reason they made it the title track.

"The album being titled Tornado I think is just reflective of the process we went through recording it," Westbrook says. "And, too, there was like a storm brewing—a good storm brewing—in our camp of positive changes. And we did the record so fast, really, that it felt like a storm that came and went and it was gone. It was such a really interesting process—new for us."

The album was done in "three weeks, top to bottom," says Fairchild, "but most of it in seven days." "Which for us is unheard of," adds Schlapman. "We rehearsed for four days really hard, then for the next three days we cut the record. At the end of seven days, we couldn't believe we might be done! Crazy." Says Schlapman, "We didn't plan on doing it that quick. We allowed a lot of time. But it was going so well that we decided that we shouldn't belabor things, and should just go with it when it felt right, and go with our gut and Jay (Joyce)'s gut, our producer. And it worked, so we were like, 'Hmm, we're done, I think!'"

Working with a producer other than their long-time helmer Wayne Kirkpatrick was one switch. Working fast was another. A third change: "Our live band played on this record with us," Philip West points out. "We've done that on a couple of songs before, but not the entire album. We all cut it at the same time, right there in the same room. For me personally, I feel like I feel that energy that we were experiencing as it was going down. It was just like playing a live show."

And a fourth big switch on Tornado : help from a plethora of big-name Music Row songwriters, including Natalie Hemby, Luke Laird, Liz Rose, and the Warren Brothers. The band members did co-wrote five of the 11 tracks on Tornado , but that's fewer than on any of their previous four albums. Obviously that approach has paid off, as "Pontoon," for one, was an outside pick.

Their approach going in to recording the new album was "just that we were gonna be wide open about songs, and we weren't gonna have ego or be too precious about anything," Fairchild says. "It didn't matter where the song was going to come from. It just had to feel right and then we were gonna cut it. We always try to write most of the material for a record, but we just let ourselves be open this time. And we started building the record from songs that we found—which is unusual."

Fairchild points out that "after we started writing with people that we'd never written with before, Natalie (Hemby) came in with this amazing idea of doing something that we had never done before, which is kind of duets within the band. So 'Night Owl' is the song that we wrote that day. That was her melodic idea, to have the guys sing and then Kimberly and I sing and never really join until we got to the bridge... We just got really inspired by the community and being so wide open ourselves, personally. I think you can hear that on our record. There's an energy there and some spontaneity there that's been good for us."

The most striking use of the duet form on Tornado is the bittersweet ballad "On Your Side of the Bed," which all four band members co-wrote with Americana fave Lori McKenna. It's sung as a back-and-forth by Fairchild and Westbrook.

"I love that moment on the record and in the live show," says Schlapman, "because Karen and Jimi are married, of course. That's not an autobiographical story of their lives, but I think everybody can identity with that point in a relationship where you're going 'Hey, here I am! I'm over here!' It's beautiful. And that chorus, which is just a cry out for help, when we get there every night, it's such an emotional thing."

Schlapman has previous described the band, which has been together for 13 years, as "like an old married couple." Don't they know that sounds a little bit mathematically improbable?

"It does," Schlapman laughs, "but we all know exactly what that means. We've been together so long, we're a family—that might be a better way of saying it."

"An old happily married couple," clarifies Fairchild.

"Yeah, we are a living, breathing country song, aren't we?" Westbrook wonders aloud.

"But we can read each other's minds, almost," Schlapman says. "We really don't have to speak a whole lot, especially Karen and I."

"The girls are scary," Westbrook says.

"We can literally talk to each other without saying a word at this point," Fairchild says. "One night when I got really hoarse on tour recently, I lost my voice, and I was trying to make it through the show for the fans. And I wanted her to help me go for this big note with me. So I just turned around, and she was up on this riser playing tambourine, and I thought 'Oh dear God, please help me,' and she did. We just did it together. I couldn't really tell her what I was wanting to verbalize, so I just looked at her like 'Are you understanding what's going on here,' and she gave me that 'I get it—I know what you're saying' look. So, yeah, that's the beautiful thing about having a longtime girlfriend."

"It's a little freaky," says Sweet.

"Even for the two of us, we're still outside of that," admits Westbrook. "I don't know how that works."

The band has been together for 13 years, but Fairchild and Schlapman have been friends for 25 years. Does that mean the two guys are still always perpetually 12 years behind, somehow?

"But isn't that always how guys are?" asks Schlapman.

"They pay attention if you say things like motorboatin' ," says Fairchild. "You know what I mean. All of a sudden they go, what?"

"Yeah, when those superpowers are used against us, we don't have a chance," Westbrook admits. "Bottom line."

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25 Best Boat Songs (Ultimate Boating Songs Playlist)

Who doesn’t love being on a boat? The warm sunshine, invigorating breeze, and cool water zipping by—not to mention the occasional spray to the face—is the ultimate way to shed your daily worries and feel completely relaxed and carefree.

You’re with your friends, the cooler is full, and your rod and reel are ready; the only other thing you need is great music. Here is the ultimate list of songs about boats and boating to make it a perfect day on the water.

1. Margaritaville – Jimmy Buffet

It’s no surprise that Jimmy Buffet was in Key West, Florida, when he wrote this iconic song from 1977. The ultimate homage to a lazy life in the tropics, from boiling shrimp to wondering how you got a tattoo of a cute Mexican senorita, everyone sings along whenever Margaritaville comes on.

Next: The greatest summertime jams of all time (summer songs playlist)

2. Proud Mary – Creedence Clearwater Revival

“Rollin’, rollin’, rollin’ on the river” are words etched into the American consciousness, and the song that went to #2 in 1969 is as recognizable today as it was then. Creedence Clearwater Revival’s classic song about a Mississippi riverboat has been covered by countless groups and singers, but the original is still the best.

Next: The best songs about rivers of all time

3. Buy Me a Boat – Chris Janson

Buy Me A Boat is the quintessential working-man-who-wants-a-boat song, and as Chris Janson says, if you’ve got a truck to pull it and a Yeti 110 cooler, well, you don’t need more than that to be happy. The driving beat and simple, relatable lyrics make this track from 2015 a must for your day on the water.

4. Pontoon – Little Big Town

The opening four notes of Pontoon are instantly recognizable, and it’s hard to not dance to this song that went all the way to #1 in 2012 . With a toe-tapping beat and lyrics like, “Party in slow motion, Out here in the open, Mmmmmmm motorboating,” this one is sure to get everyone up and moving.

5. Kokomo – The Beach Boys

The group that is inextricably tied to images of beaches, surfing, and girls in bikinis racked up nearly forty Top 40 hits. Featured in the Tom Cruise movie Cocktail , Kokomo is about a fictitious tropical paradise where you can get away from it all. The song reached the top of the charts in 1988—a full 24 years after the group’s first #1 hit.

Next: The best bands from the 1960s (our ultimate list)

6. Red Solo Cup – Toby Keith

It’s a safe bet you’ll have beverages on the boat, and chances are you’ll be drinking them from a red solo cup . Toby Keith’s hilarious tribute to the ubiquitous disposable drinking vessel reached #9 on the country charts in 2011. The singer described it as both “the stupidest song that I have ever heard in my life” and “freakin’ awesome.” Proceed to party!

7. Two Pina Coladas – Garth Brooks

Everyone loves a good sing-along, and when it’s about a coconut-y adult beverage, even better. This #1 hit from 1998 is simple, fun, and evokes a beachy, carefree feeling that goes perfectly with blue sky, sunshine, and water stretching to the horizon.

8. If I Had a Boat – Lyle Lovett

Singer-songwriter Lyle Lovett burst onto the national scene in the mid-80s, and this song from 1987 is still a favorite among concertgoers. The line, “Well, kiss my ass, I bought a boat, I’m going out to sea,” always elicits loud cheers and applause from the audience.

9. Don’t Worry Be Happy – Bobby McFerrin

An anthem to happiness if there ever was one, this hit from 1988 was the first a cappella song to reach #1 on the Billboard Top 100 Chart. The whistled melody in the intro leads into “Here’s a little song I wrote,” and by then, everyone is already grooving to the gentle reggae beat.

10. Day O (Banana Boat Song) – Harry Belafonte

Also known as Banana Boat Song , Day O came out in 1956, and everyone seems to still know it. The simple tune about dock workers loading bananas onto ships contains the often-repeated refrain “Daylight come and we want go home.” The calypso beat and call-and-response make this a favorite in any crowd.

11. It’s Five O’Clock Somewhere – Alan Jackson and Jimmy Buffet

The ultimate wishing-you-weren’t-at-work song is perfect for the boat because, well, you’re not at work! This track from 2003 goes, “Pour me something tall and strong, Make it a hurricane, before I go insane,” and there’s no reason why you can’t when you’re basking in the sunshine and looking out at the sparkling water.

Next: Top drinking songs for a booze-fueled playlist

12. Come Sail Away – Styx

One of the top rock bands of the 70s , Styx released this song in 1977, and it went all the way to #8 on the charts . The references to sailing on a virgin sea and searching for tomorrow on every shore are clearly metaphorical, but it’s a positive message about never giving up on your dreams.

Next: Playlist of songs about sailing

13. Soak Up the Sun – Sheryl Crow

The message in this stay-positive-even-though-your-life’s-not-perfect song is epitomized by the line, “It’s not having what you want, it’s wanting what you’ve got.” Sheryl Crow is determined to soak up the sun, which is exactly what you’ll be doing when this hit from 2002 comes on.

Next: Top sunshine songs for a sunny anthem playlist

14. Boats – Kenny Chesney

There’s probably not a better song in the world to describe the feeling of freedom on a boat than Boats , a Kenny Chesney song from 2008. Nothing complex here. It’s just about how awesome it is to be on a boat. The simple chorus goes, “Boats, Vessels of freedom, Harbors of healing, Boats.” What more needs to be said?

15. Sweet Caroline – Neil Diamond

Anyone who doesn’t know this hit from 1969 must have been living under a rock for the past few decades. It’s a favorite at sporting events and karaoke venues everywhere, and it’s guaranteed to get people up and singing. Good times never felt so good!

16. I’m Gonna Miss Her – Brad Paisley

Singer-songwriter Brad Paisley infuses this song with his unique sense of humor, and anyone who loves fishing can relate. This #1 hit from 2001 is sure to bring a smile to your face, especially when you can say “Oh, lookie there, I’ve got a bite.”

17. Redneck Yacht Club – Craig Morgan

Singer Craig Morton put his own special spin on boating life in this witty song from 2005. Bass trackers, Bayliners, and a party barge make up the titular organization, and of course, there are tank top tans, flip flops, and beer drinking before 10 am. Just “Regular Joes rockin’ the boat.” Yee haw.

18. Toes – Zac Brown Band

Another song that was inspired by the Florida Keys , the message of Toes is pretty simple: a beach vacation with your “toes in the water, ass in the sand, not a worry in the world, a cold beer in my hand.” The next line just makes sense: “Life is good today.” This track from 2006 is the perfect song for a day on the water!

19. Summertime – DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince

Will Smith brings his funky rap style to this song released way back in 1991. The chill beat and lyrics are straight out of the 90s, and it’s a fun, retro ode to cruising and checking out girls, new sneakers, basketball, grilling, and dancing.

20. Happy – Pharrell Williams

Remember in Despicable Me 2 when Gru dances through the streets because he’s in love? The song is Happy , which shot to #1 in more than 20 countries and is considered the most successful song in the world for 2014. If optimism had a theme song, this is it. A perfect match when you’re in the best place on earth—a boat on the water.

21. I Love Rock ‘N Roll – Joan Jett And the Blackhearts

This cover of a track originally recorded by the Arrows has become one of the most successful and popular rock songs of all time . It was #1 on the charts for seven weeks in 1981 and catapulted 23-year-old Joan Jett to national stardom. Heads will be banging when this comes on, so put another dime in the jukebox, baby.

22. The Booze Cruise – Blackjack Billy

Nothing says party on a pontoon boat like this country jam, where drinks, tunes, and girls are the star attractions. One of the biggest hits of the year in 2013, it’s impossible not to get into the spirit—or spirits, as the case may be—when you find out a redneck margarita is just, well, straight tequila.

Next: The greatest songs about tequila

23. California Girls – The Beach Boys

Surfing, cars, and girls were The Beach Boys’ favorite subjects, and this song from 1965 celebrates beautiful women from all over the United States and the wish that they all lived in sunny California. If there’s a track that’s the very embodiment of summertime, this has to be it.

24. Red Red Wine – UB40

With a smooth reggae beat, this 1983 cover by UB40 made it to #1 in both the UK and US. There’s no hidden message here. It’s just about how wine can help you forget your worries for a little while. That’s it. So get your groove on with a glass of vino—just make sure it’s red!

25. Where the Boat Leaves From – Zac Brown Band

You can’t help but be in a good mood when this toe-tapping tune comes on. It’s about how being on a boat helps you forget your worries—you just “drop them in the blue ocean” and go to a place where there is sand, tanned ladies, piña coladas, banana trees, and Bob Marley songs playing. Yes, please.

As the Head Editor and Writer at Music Grotto, Liam helps write and edit content produced from professional music/media journalists and other contributing writers. He works closely with journalists and other staff to format and publish music content for the Music Grotto website. Liam is also the founding member of Music Grotto and is passionate in disseminating editorial content to its readers.

Liam’s lifelong love for music makes his role at Music Grotto such a rewarding one. He loves researching, writing and editing music content for Music Grotto.

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