Song Details
- Album Release Date: 2012
- Genre: psych-rock
Song Meaning of “Ship of Fools” by The Doors
The Doors’ classic song “Ship of Fools” is an allusion to the story of a ship carrying morally wicked people unaware to their own destiny. In the song, Jim Morrison queries the ignorance of these fools who trespass through life with no thought for the consequences. The chorus of the song refers to the “ship of fools gonna be washed away” mirroring how these hell-raising and reckless behaviours lead to a dramatic downfall.
The lyrics allude to the fools’ lives lived in the pursuit of pleasure, to the point of not noticing the currents to which they are sailing. This illustrates the idea that although they do not demise, they must face the consequences of their actions in due course.
The imagery used throughout the song helps in expressing the idea that nothing lasts forever and that immorality will often catch up with one in the end. The metaphor of the “ships of fools setting sail, dreams unfolding and sails unfurling” helps reinforce the message that although our dreams and goals may seem to be easily within reach, we too can sometimes be too blind to notice our own folly.
The song finishes with the suggestion that those who partake in the behaviour can “learn to swim and save themselves” thereby allowing them to avoid impending disaster by accepting the need to change.