When the first notes of Sailing begin, many listeners assume it’s simply a gentle song about the sea. A man on a boat, wind in his hair, singing about going home. But with time—and silence—you begin to realize: Sailing was never really about the ocean.
It is a song about distance, longing, and a journey that doesn’t promise arrival.
A song not written for Rod Stewart
Sailing was written by Gavin Sutherland in 1972, long before Rod Stewart ever recorded it. The original version was modest and largely overlooked. But when Rod Stewart heard it, something deeper resonated—not the melody, but the emotional emptiness between the lines.
He didn’t rewrite the lyrics. He didn’t modernize it. Instead, he allowed his own life to inhabit the song.
The boat as a metaphor for life
In Sailing, the boat becomes a symbol of a man who has traveled far from where he began. “I am sailing, stormy waters” reflects not just rough seas, but emotional turbulence—fame, broken relationships, exhaustion, and the quiet realization of isolation.
In 1975, Rod Stewart was at the height of his fame. Yet success brought distance, not comfort. Sailing became his quiet confession.
When the song became something bigger
The song took on new meaning during the Falklands War in 1982, when it was played for British troops stationed far from home. From that moment, Sailing ceased to be just a pop ballad—it became a shared emotional anchor.
Veterans later said they didn’t hear it as music. They heard it as a reminder that someone was still waiting.
A restrained performance that hurts more
Known for his raspy, powerful voice, Rod Stewart held back in Sailing. No dramatic crescendos. No vocal acrobatics. Just restraint—and vulnerability. That restraint is what makes the song devastating. It sounds like a man too tired to cry.
Why the song grows with age
When you’re young, Sailing feels beautiful. When you’ve lived, it feels personal. Everyone carries a version of “home” they may never return to—a time, a person, or a former self. Sailing doesn’t promise arrival. It only acknowledges the journey. And that is why, decades later, the song still stops people in their tracks.