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safe ship, harbored is an album by the crane wives released in 2011. it’s also a song title in the same album. this album is my favorite by the crane wives.

in album order:
can’t have it all
the diving bell
new colors
caleb trask
counting sheep
hole in the silver living
safe ship, harbored
naked, the night falls
ancient history
october
the crooked, the cradle
i ain’t done

safe ship, harbored has 12 songs. all of them are masterpieces. i’ve noticed recurring themes of relationships, both good things and issues with them, transformation and change over time, fears and past stopping you from living, and a beautiful duality of selfishness and selflessness. beautiful album.

personal rankings,
based on lyrics mainly

1. safe ship, harbored
   ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ this song is where i got my system name from, the specific lyric “where does your faith fall in me?” it resonates in me in a way i can’t explain. beautiful, emotional vocals aside, the lyrics really do it for me. “i’m a safe ship harbored, losing all of my good years in the shallow water” implies a lot. i see it as being safe, harbored is really isolating or letting past experiences keeping you from moving forward, and then wasting away because of it. shallow waters are relatively predictable and safe but they don’t give anything. paired with the following lines, “…i wasnt born a safe ship; something wore me down” makes me think of being once adventerous and just, alive, but then being scared and hurt back into a safer, yes, but boring, unsatisfying life. i relate to it a lot.
   
2. the diving bell
   ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ it sounds lovely and like it’s coming from a good place, and maybe it is. i like that the lyrics have a subtle darker meaning. it talks of drowing in someone, allowing them to drown you, allowing yourself to give everything for something that will drown you. it can be taken in a lot of ways. i see it in many. the line “i am not afraid to give you anything” makes me feel a lot. the lyrics “far too soon for this / but i am all in” also find something familar in me. it’s such a good song
   
3. can’t have it all
   ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ the idea of getting to keep a piece of yourself, your love, even after being ruined and hurt in a relationship is… personal to me. the opening lines “you won’t find me where you left me, no i’m long gone” implies being left and deciding not to wait around. this song is a statement. it says “you do not get to ruin all of me. it is in my control to keep what little i have left and i say you don’t get it.” i love it
   
4. the crooked, the cradle
   ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ i see this song as a literal escape from childhood / general past experiences, or being sad about the escape itself. the line “this cradle still burns like a hole in my chest” feels like childhood memories, the cradle, still hurts. the line following, “the crooked are smiling, they know me best” is saying parents/family, the crooked, the very people that hurt you so badly, are the ones who really know you. the lyrics “if mercy’s abound i’ll be safe, i’ll be sound, and the devil won’t know the love i just couldn’t let go of.” mercy being leaving, the devil being the family/childhood: once you leave, yes, you are safe and sound, but theres still some love you have for what you left behind and they will never know about it. this song reminds me of my mindset when i was 16 and stuck in the worst of it. it’s painful
   
5. new colors
   ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ the whole song is about seeing NEW things. finding new things, doing new things, anything but the routine of everyday life. the line “i’d give up my sight to see” means if you gave up your sight, you’d see what you couldn’t. you’d see what being sighltess is. it’s a drastic measure because you’re so tired of routine and your life… lovely song
   
6. i ain’t done
   ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ i consider this song a counterpart to can’t have it all in some ways. theres a lot of themes about resistance and persistence. lot of violent and betrayal related lyrics. i haven’t analyzed this song enough, but it’s still at 6 because it was one of the songs that got me hooked on tcw.
   
7. caleb trask
   ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ this song says that even though you have bad blood, a bad family, a bad past, it shouldn’t stop you from living. it refrences a tale i don’t know much about, but the general themes are yes, you’re fucked up, but we all are. love anyway and dont wait too long to live
   
8. naked, the night falls
   ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ naked, the night falls follows a story of a hurt and scarred person being uncomfortable and scared to be vulnerable again. they love someone so much, though, that they do it anyway, and it transforms them into a better and happier person. i think the title literally says that. naked, being vulnerable, and the night falls meaning the darkness and fear falls because of the love. beautiful song. i dont relate to it enough for it to be higher but i love it to death.
9. ancient history
   ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ an emotional song about how old shitty scary memories never really leave. they keep coming back and haunting you no matter how much you try to shake them off
   
10. october
    ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ wlw love that doesn’t really work out. a tender, deep love that could both be all consuming and so perfect, but one is too willing and one doesn’t have room to love her. at least, that’s how i see it
    
11. counting sheep
    ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ a song focusing more on mental health and how it created a loop of being so anxious because you’re anxious. upset becase you’re upset. depressed because you’re depressed. focuses on sleep issues which could also relate to a loop or anxiety because of how much it repeats
    
12. hole in the silver lining
    ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ in all honesty, this song is at 12 because i do not and cannot relate to it. it’s about being positive that there’s good in every bad thing and being sure everything will be okay. it’s about leaving your doubt behind for good, greater things. i struggle with that. i love the vocals and the way the lyrics progress, still a perfect song