i found the beach off the beaten trail 
i blew the wind through my own sails 
i wrote these words with the setting sun 
the water’s turning, and this is what i’ve done 

the water moves from day to day 
it never stops, it never stays the same 
i tried to build my own waterway 
i built my own waterway 

i tried to walk out on my own game 
i pried the lock, i could not escape 
i kept an eye on my yesterdays 
i fought the heartache, and i fought the pain 

the water’s turning to carry me along (lift me) 
the sun has set, i’ve come and gone (away) 
this is what i’ve done (waterways, waterways) 
this is what i’ve done (waterways, waterways) 

i talked to God, he gave me praise 
i sailed through the horizon to see another day 
he told me something, sometime, somewhere, someway 
somehow i always knew that I would recognize his face someday 

and i found love as she found me 
it is as real to me as anything i’ve felt or seen 
every word that i could ever try to say 
wouldn’t come close to me truthfully explaining (love!) 

all my love, and all my life, and 
all who lived, and all who died 
kept me on the water -kept me off the wake 
i built my own waterway 

the water’s turning to carry me along (lift me) 
the sun has set, i’ve come and gone (away) 
this is what i’ve done (waterways, waterways) 
this is what i’ve done (waterways, waterways) 

i am a naked sail at sea 
i was what i could never be 
but every water has a way to be won 
and every day has its setting sun 

i learned my colors, and i learned my trade 
i earned my honor, and i met my fate 
this is what i’ve done 
this is what i’ve done