Underway

This track comes from Aaron's military service — Air Force enlisted, Army Infantry officer, DoD civilian at SPAWAR/NIWC. It tackles The moment the ship pulls away from the pier and everything you know shrinks to a dot on the horizon. The lyrics get specific — "Last phone call home, told my people I'd be proper" — because personal tracks on Majik's are personal for real, not performatively. The rock production matches the energy of the confession. It hits intense and determined, in that order. Every personal track in the catalogue comes from a real moment, a real feeling, a real person. This one is no exception.

[verse 1] Pier getting smaller in the rearview of the fantail Salt air hits different when you know it's gonna be a long sail Stowed my civvies, locked the memories in a footlocker Last phone call home, told my people I'd be proper Watch the coastline fade like a dream you can't hold onto Nothing but the waterline and whatever God's gonna throw you Seventeen weeks minimum, that's what the CO told us But the ocean doesn't care about the timeline in the folders [chorus] Underway, underway Everything I love is miles away But I signed the line, I made the call So I stand the watch until we're through it all Underway, underway Count the sunsets, mark another day Steel beneath my feet, salt spray on my face I'm underway [verse 2] Midwatch at zero-dark, coffee black as the horizon Radar screens glowing green, eyes locked on the prizes Letters from home hit different when you're floating Every word a lifeline, every sentence keeps you going Berthing smells like diesel and a hundred sleeping sailors Dreaming about driveways and the lives of nine-to-fivers But we chose this, didn't we, raised our right hand willing So I'll ride this grey hull through every wave it's given [chorus] Underway, underway Everything I love is miles away But I signed the line, I made the call So I stand the watch until we're through it all Underway, underway Count the sunsets, mark another day Steel beneath my feet, salt spray on my face I'm underway [bridge] Somewhere past the continental shelf You stop pretending, start being yourself The ocean strips away the noise Leaves nothing but the sailor and the choice To keep going when the world drops off the edge To hold the line when you're standing on the ledge [verse 3] Months compress like accordion folders in my memory Every port a postcard, every departure a penalty But I learned more about myself in those steel corridors Than any classroom ever taught within its normal borders Now the pier is growing bigger and the families are waving And the weight of what we carried, man, it's worth the saving Kiss the ground or kiss your girl, either way you're grateful Because you made it back from underway, and that's not always faithful [chorus] Underway, underway Everything I love is miles away But I signed the line, I made the call So I stand the watch until we're through it all Underway, underway Count the sunsets, mark another day Steel beneath my feet, salt spray on my face I'm underway [outro] I'm underway Steel and salt and sacrifice I'm underway