About 70 percent of the Earth’s surface is water, and since about 60 percent of our bodies are made of water, it’s only natural that humans are drawn to the sea. Life emerged from the water, it thrives there, yet we know less about the creatures in its depths than we do about the universe outside our atmosphere. It is mysterious, powerful, and majestic.
No wonder it is a constant source of inspiration for artists of all kinds.
The next time you take an atmospheric trip to the beach and need a soundtrack to accompany your aimless gazes, try one of these great songs about water and the seas. Each song has something magical about it.
This list is a playlist of the best songs about water, chosen by music fans like you. Some of the songs listed below have “water” or “river” in the lyrics or title, while others are about water as a theme. People play in the water in these songs, get wet, swim, and more.
Use of water as a symbol in music
Singers and songwriters have used water to describe an event, situation, or state of mind. Although the symbol has been used in various ways, it is often used for similes that explain relationships or the lyricist’s feelings about a person. Water and various terms associated with it are a familiar image in many different genres of music.
Waters such as seas, lakes, oceans, canals, and rivers are often used as metaphors to draw attention to the emotional state of the lyricist.
Concepts and ideas about water in songs
Of course, different listeners will Performer the symbolic meaning of water differently, but that’s what makes it such a great metaphor. Profound lyrics often convey a deep sense by allowing listeners to think about the metaphors and images from different angles.
Hidden meanings in songs about water
In some songs, the symbol of water is used to convey or reflect a hidden meaning. The word is often used to describe alternative concepts best symbolized by water’s mysterious and ever-changing properties. The term is so dynamic that it can be used diabolically to explore dark sarcasm regarding past events or troubling memories.
All songs can be listened to directly in full length here. In addition, you can find a Spotify playlist at the end of the article.
Places 1-100 of the best songs about water, sea & waves:
| Place: | Song/Performer: | Listen: |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Waterfalls – TLC |  |
| 2. | Cry Me a River – Justin Timberlake | |
| 3. | Ocean Eyes – Billie Eilish | |
| 4. | The River – Garth Brooks | |
| 5. | Rain on Me – Lady Gaga feat. Ariana Grande | |
| 6. | Water Runs Dry – Boyz II Men | |
| 7. | Water – The Who | |
| 8. | Into the Ocean – Blue October | |
| 9. | The River – Bruce Springsteen | |
| 10. | Ocean – Martin Garrix feat. Khalid | |
| 11. | I Am a River – The Foo Fighters | |
| 12. | Cake by the Ocean – DNCE | |
| 13. | Dead Sea – The Lumineers | |
| 14. | Smoke on the Water – Deep Purple | |
| 15. | Fire Lake – Bob Seger | |
| 16. | Water Under the Bridge – Adele | |
| 17. | Grown Ocean – Fleet Foxes | |
| 18. | Hold Back the River – James Bay | |
| 19. | How Far I’ll Go – Auli’i Cravalho | |
| 20. | The River of Dreams – Billy Joel | |
| 21. | King Of The Beach – Wavves | |
| 22. | Bridge Over Troubled Water – Simon and Garfunkel | |
| 23. | Umbrella – Rihanna feat. Jay-Z | |
| 24. | Water – Ra Ra Riot | |
| 25. | Cold Water – Major Lazer feat. Justin Bieber and MO. | |
| 26. | Walk on the Ocean – Toad the Wet Sprocket | |
| 27. | Purple Rain – Prince | |
| 28. | Rivers of Babylon – Boney M | |
| 29. | Have You Ever Seen the Rain – Creedence Clearwater Revival | |
| 30. | Children of the Sea – Black Sabbath | |
| 31. | Come in With the Rain -Taylor Swift | |
| 32. | Across the Sea – Weezer | |
| 33. | Stoked on Life – The Trash Mermaids | |
| 34. | Ocean – Lady A | |
| 35. | Down to the Waterline – Dire Straits | |
| 36. | Trash – Kate Nash | |
| 37. | Head Above Water – Avril Lavigne | |
| 38. | Water No Get Enemy – Fela Kuti | |
| 39. | Let the River Run – Carly Simon | |
| 40. | Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head – B.J. Thomas | |
| 41. | Into the Mystic – Van Morrison | |
| 42. | Surfin’ USA – The Beach Boys | |
| 43. | Swim – Madonna | |
| 44. | Orinoco Flow (Sail Away) – Enya | |
| 45. | Slippery When Wet – The Commodores | |
| 46. | Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea – Ella Fitzgerald | |
| 47. | Madman Across the Water – Elton John | |
| 48. | Yellow River – Christie | |
| 49. | Surfin’ Safari – The Beach Boys | |
| 50. | (Sittin’ On) The Dock of the Bay – Otis Redding | |
| 51. | Rock Lobster – The B-52s | |
| 52. | Where the River Goes – Stone Temple Pilots | |
| 53. | Black Water – Doobie Brothers | |
| 54. | Back to the River – The Pretty Reckless | |
| 55. | New World Water – Mos Def | |
| 56. | Under The Boardwalk – The Drifters | |
| 57. | Rain – The Beatles | |
| 58. | Mighty River – Mary J. Blige | |
| 59. | Lies of Serpents, a River of Tears – Zao | |
| 60. | Ocean Avenue – Yellowcard | |
| 61. | A Knife in the Ocean – Foals | |
| 62. | Down to the River to Pray – Alison Krauss | |
| 63. | Lake by the Ocean – Maxwell | |
| 64. | Dirty Water – The Standells | |
| 65. | Ocean of Noise – Arcade Fire | |
| 66. | Only the Ocean – Jack Johnson | |
| 67. | Ocean Breathes Salty – Modest Mouse | |
| 68. | Down By the River – Neil Young | |
| 69. | River – Eminem | |
| 70. | Oceans – Coldplay | |
| 71. | When the Levee Breaks – Led Zeppelin | |
| 72. | Tenerife Sea – Ed Sheeran | |
| 73. | Once in a Lifetime – Talking Heads | |
| 74. | Beyond the Sea – Bobby Darin | |
| 75. | River of Love – George Strait | |
| 76. | Down By the Seaside – Led Zeppelin | |
| 77. | Blue Bayou – Linda Ronstadt | |
| 78. | Moon River – Audrey Hepburn | |
| 79. | Come Sail Away – Styx | |
| 80. | Oceania – Bjork | |
| 81. | Every Teardrop Is a Waterfall – Coldplay | |
| 82. | Up on Cripple Creek – The Band | |
| 83. | Seaside – The Kooks | |
| 84. | A Hard Rain’s a-Gonna Fall – Bob Dylan | |
| 85. | Big River – Johnny Cash | |
| 86. | Drink The Water – Jack Johnson | |
| 87. | Walk on Water – Thirty Seconds To Mars | |
| 88. | Splish Splash – Bobby Darin | |
| 89. | Sea Within a Sea – The Horrors | |
| 90. | Ocean – Goldfrapp | |
| 91. | The Water Song – The Incredible String Band | |
| 92. | Kern River – Emmylou Harris | |
| 93. | Yellow Submarine – The Beatles | |
| 94. | Oceans – Pearl Jam | |
| 95. | Green River – Creedence Clearwater Revival | |
| 96. | Don’t Drink the Water – Dave Matthews Band | |
| 97. | Cool Water – Jack Scott | |
| 98. | Meeting Across the River – Bruce Springsteen | |
| 99. | May This Be Love – The Jimi Hendrix Experience | |
| 100. | How Deep Is The Ocean – Irving Berlin | |
