Do It In The Ocean

Music by David & Stephen Fowler
Lyrics by David Fowler

Arranged and performed by Echo Movement

Behind the Song
At its root, this is the title track of In The Ocean. The phrase "do it in the ocean" was taken from a vintage (c. late 70s/early 80s) Belmar lifeguard tournament t-shirt. The shirt was dark blue and had silhouettes of two angels facing each other in white. Steve and I remember the shirt from when we were kids, as part of the lifeguard t-shirt collection our father maintained.

Do It In The Ocean started as Steve and I jamming in the studio in the soul-driven style of Stevie Wonder. It developed into an epic saga, of sorts, as the lyrics took shape around leaving civilization for the ocean.

The lyrics were triggered by a daydream built on loose memories. The bars on Main Street in Belmar NJ close around 1:30 a.m., often turning the Summer streets into a carnival. From there, it's a six block walk to the ocean through a beach house suburbia. All locals and many visitors have made that walk. The bars and lights gradually cross-fade with ocean waves.

There are always a collection of late-night wanderers on the beach, all with a different story. But they all have one thing in common- they chose to spend that exact time with their backs to the land. The nighttime shoreline is a close manifestation of "the edge," and even wandering near it can be empowering.

Cool Facts
The cover art for In The Ocean is a painting by close friend Jay Alders called Burning Inspiration. This song features a short soundscape right after the first chorus (@01:12) that puts you in the painting. Stare at the cover art while you listen, and enjoy.

Lifeguard tournaments are a local oceanfront community tradition. Around ten different municipalities convene after hours to showcase their crews' most athletic members for friendly (however intense) competitions. Swimming, running, kayaking, boarding and rowing are all common events. Both Steve and Dave have competed in the Monmouth County tournaments.

The last few seconds of the song has a few voices. One is drummer Colin saying he dug that take. Another is Dave saying "alright..." That was the beginning of some dialog about a monstrous spider that found its way into the studio. We discovered that we left the tapes rolling later on and decided to leave just a second in.

Key Phrase
"All of what's imagined is in-between dreams"

Music and Lyrics (chords over lyrics)
A G F
Moonlight draws the sidewalk
A G F
How you lead me to my friends
A G F Dmaj7 Db
Wander to the ocean never ends
A G F
Lovers quietly talk
A G F
Others' thoughts transcend
A G F
Leave the world behind me
D7 Db
Turn me on to the sea

F#m
It's about where we've been
B
And where we're going
F#m
And it ain't no sin
B
To not be knowing
A
Once we begin
B
We keep it going
F#m E D
That's why we do it in the ocean
C#m D E
For its sweet motion


Crawling back onto land
The waves, they reach for me
Flowing through the soft sand peacefully
Pale moon on the ocean
What's your mystery
Your inviting motion
Waves me back to the sea

[chorus]

[chromatic climb: B to F]

Bb F#
All of what's imagined is in-between dreams
Bb F#
What's impossible isn't what it seems

F#m
It's about where we've been
B
And where we're going
F#m
And it ain't no sin
B
To not be knowing
A
Once we begin
B
We keep it going
F#m E D
That's why we do it in the ocean
C#m Bm C#m D E
For its * * * *