Top 100 Songs About Water For Relieving Stress

It isn’t surprising there are plenty of songs about water. Water is a substance that is buried in our psyche. But have you ever tried describing it? It is tasteless, doesn’t smell of anything, has no color, and is transparent. So what is it about the stuff?

There are some simple answers:

• It is essential to living as all life depends upon it.
• Life begins with water.
• It is the most prevalent compound in all organisms.
• As humans in our tissues, we are 20% water in bone cells, and in brain cells, 85%.
• Virtually all cellular reactions occur with water present.

It appears we are eternally linked and dependent upon this indescribable substance. No wonder then that it holds a fascination for us. 

Therefore, it is completely understandable that many poets and songwriters write about water, along with singers who sing about water. When we see water, it seems to move us. So, here are my favorite songs about or related to water.

Top 100 Songs About Water For Relieving Stress

1

Moon River – Andy Williams

Let’s start with one of the all-time great songs about water. This timeless classic was written by Henry Mancini and Johnny Mercer. This song became famous because of the movie “Breakfast at Tiffany’s,” where it was sung by Audrey Hepburn.

But, it is the Andy Williams version of 1962 we most remember. It became a mainstay of his live act. He even opened every episode of his TV show with the first few very recognizable bars.

It must be one of the most covered songs related to water and also one of the most admired. When Frank Sinatra covers it, you know you have written something special.

2

Splish Splash – Bobby Darin

Let’s carry on with a novelty song that was just a bit of fun. This song was indelibly ingrained in my head for years after my older sister bought the single. She played it until it was almost worn out. 

The whole song was a joke from the beginning. It was created for a bet that Darin couldn’t come up with the lyrics, “Splish Splash, I was taking a bath,” and open a song with it. In the lyrics were references to other songs popular at the time. 

Buddy Holly’s “Peggy Sue” was mentioned, as was Little Richard’s “Good Golly Miss Molly.” Also, “Moving and a Grooving” from a Duane Eddy song. I have included it for a bit of light relief before it starts to get serious.

3

A Hard Rain’s A-Gonna Fall – Bob Dylan

I had a good friend at school, Chris, who was later to work with the Beatles at Apple. His father imported music from America. Chris walked over half an hour to my house to tell me I had to go back with him to his house to listen to something. (We didn’t even have telephones let alone anything else).

What I heard changed me as a person forever. For me, “The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan” was a seminal moment and this song and its words in particular.

• “I saw guns and sharp swords in the hands of young children.”
• “I heard one person starve, I heard many people laughing.”
• “Heard the song of a poet who died in the gutter.”
• “I met a white man who walked a black dog.”
• “I met another man who was wounded in hatred.”

One of three anti-war songs on the album. I didn’t realize at the time, but there was a prophet amongst us. The world was on the brink of war because of idiots in 1962, and this was a warning. Not that many people listened. But it may just have been the beginning of something that manifested itself a few years later.

The structure has somewhat of a folky Woody Guthrie feel to it, and the message gets across. As I said before, it gets serious.

4

Wipe Out – The Surfaris

Let’s lighten it up a bit. The early 60s was also the time of the “surf” explosion. One of the best examples of that was this track from the Surfaris. It was a ‘double-A’ side with “Surfer Joe” acting as the ‘B’ side. “Surfer Joe” later became a hit in its own right.

There has always been some controversy about whether any members of the Surfaris played on this and other tracks on the album of the same name. No matter, it was a bit of light relief from the prophetic images of Dylan, Baez, and Seeger.

5

Surf City – Jan and Dean

Let’s continue to stay in the 60s and the surfing period with this duo. It might be a little unfair, but at that time in the UK, we couldn’t make up our minds whether this was serious or not. I suppose it was the relative simplicity of the words and the way the pair of them looked in their publicity photos.

Nevertheless, it was a popular song that emphasized this rather over-played vision of Southern California and its “surfs up” mentality. That might be unfair; it may well have been like it in 1963. But it certainly wasn’t when I went.

The song was written by William ‘Jan’ Berry and a certain Brian Wilson. We will take a look at his contribution next.

6

Surfin USA – Beach Boys

Once upon a time, there was another group with the aforementioned Brian Wilson. They were knocking out the Surf Songs as well. The Beach Boys were, although, probably better than the rest at it. 

But we never knew that one member, Brian, would become one of the best songwriters of his generation. And he was.

Playing Their Instruments

It was released in 1962 in the US and 1965 in the UK. It was the band’s second album and established them as international artists. “Surfin USA” was the lead track from the album. 

It was said later that it would be the best album they made where they all played their instruments. In years that followed, the band became, begrudgingly most of the time, an outlet for Brian Wilson’s not inconsiderable creative abilities.

Leaving a Mark

This track, from what was, at the time, a very good album, did go some way to launching what you might call a national craze. It also established the Beach Boys with some international water-based recognition. 

They did build on that recognition over the years that followed. But there was always the feeling that more could have been achieved. But four chaps from Liverpool had a bit to say about that. We will deal with that later.

7

Sitting On The Dock Of The Bay – Otis Redding

It seemed that no sooner had we discovered Otis Redding than he was gone. The soul scene of Stax and the rest had, to a certain extent, passed by the UK. Oh, it was around, but The Beatles, The Who, and a dozen others held the reins and called the shots.

So, it was with some trepidation we dragged ourselves down to Hammersmith Odeon in West London to see Otis along with Sam and Dave and Booker T and the MG’s if my memory serves me correctly. What we saw was an education. 

We saw, and more importantly felt, what soul music was all about. I never forgot his performances of “I’ve Been Loving You Too Long” and “Try a Little Tenderness.” Magical.

The Last Single

We waited for a new single, and it came in the shape of “Sitting On The Dock Of The Bay.” A song he wrote evidently from a boathouse in San Francisco while performing at the Fillmore. But, it was released after he had died in a plane crash. It became the first posthumous number one.

In this song, he captured the “cool” image of just hanging out down by the water. Something a lot of people have done. He even ended it with some whistling to add to the relaxed feel. Still to this day, a masterpiece.

8

Octopus’s Garden – The Beatles

Can’t have a list of the best of anything musical without having these guys involved somewhere. From the “Abbey Road” album, this was a track written by Ringo. 

Not my favorite track by them by any means. However, it is about water, and it was written by Mr. Starkey, which is something different in itself.

A Holiday Snapshot

He had been on holiday in the Mediterranean and went on a boat trip. The captain told him that the octopus in the area liked to build gardens. You might laugh, but there is an element of truth. 

They don’t plant things, of course. But they do collect items from the bottom to place in the small caves where the eggs are laid. Is that building a garden in the sea?

State-of-the-Art Recording Techniques

To create a tongue-in-cheek feeling of the sea, they wanted to simulate the sound of a diver in the water. Quality recording techniques were used by George blowing bubbles through a straw into a glass of milk.

The Message Behind The Song

This could be a little different. Ringo was the only one of the four who had strong feelings for all the other members. The break-up was in full swing at this stage, and he hated all the bickering. Maybe going to live under the sea in a garden, which he loves, was his way of escaping it all.

9

When The Levee Breaks – Led Zeppelin

A track known for one thing. Not so much the links to water, but the drums. Has there ever been a drum sound like that? 

It was 1970, and anybody who was anybody was recording at Island Studios in West London. Zeppelin tried to record this track there. The drums wouldn’t sound like they wanted to. They ended up at Headley Grange on the Rolling Stones mobile. 

That drum sound came from having the drums in a stairwell three floors below the mics. That gave it the echo they were looking for.

The Original Idea For The Song

That came from a Blues singer, Memphis Minnie, who wrote the song about floods on the Mississippi in 1927. Workers there were forced to carry on work at gunpoint despite the dangers. 

Robert Plant changed the lyrics around a bit from the original, and a new, more suitable melody was created. It has typical Zeppelin power to add to the relentless drums. A great harmonica and vocal make this a stand-out track from the fourth album.

10

Black Water – The Doobie Brothers

I love this song from their 1974 album “What Were Once Vices Are Now Habits.” The album was the eagerly awaited follow-up to the brilliant “The Captain and Me.” In many ways, it was rather disappointing, but this track was excellent.

Visions of Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn, stories about rafting down the river, of Dixieland jazz and dancing honky-tonks. Of streetcars from New Orleans and the Mississippi River.

It was a song that captured a time and a place, and you didn’t have to work too hard to visualize the scenes. Great harmony vocals and stylish guitar-picking, and even a violin. If you want a great song about a river, this is it.

11

Smoke On The Water – Deep Purple

I am running out of space for this look at songs about water. But this one just had to be there. A Frank Zappa concert ended up with the whole concert hall burning down. Deep Purple was there at the time. 

It was beside Lake Geneva, and an eerie pall of smoke hung over the surface of the water. A song was born. More than just a song, a musical legend. 

Machine Head

It appeared on the “Machine Head” album, which to me was always their best, contrary to the opinion of die-hard Purple fans. It is instantly recognizable. In the first three chords of the song, you know exactly what you are going to get. 

And Roger Glover’s bass line reminded bass players you haven’t got to play like a demented speed freak to play great bass. One or two notes will do if they are the right notes at the right time.

Dark

It has a dark sound to it, as it should, and uses a lot of fourths that give it that feeling of impending doom. Certainly one of the best Deep Purple ever produced and one that is a great favorite everywhere.

12

Rain – The Beatles

This song was only a ‘B’ side to “Paperback Writer,” but it was a notable development in music at the time. It involved a lot of new ideas and created what could be the first “psychedelic rock” record.

There are a lot of vague explanations as to its meaning, including arriving in Melbourne in a downpour or people moaning about the weather. I won’t go into the others, which are probably more accurate. 

It is a “John Song” and includes sounds played backward and John’s chiming Epiphone Casino. It has a very “un-McCartney-esque” bassline, complete with a different sound. But it is elevated by Ringo’s excellent drumming. And yes it was him.

A Late night

They had already played games with reversing sound on a song “Tomorrow Never Knows” that came out on Revolver. They did it again here. The session started around 9:00 PM and didn’t finish until after 1:00 AM. The later it got, the more “psychedelic,” shall we say, things became.

It may well have also been the first music video made. Only a ‘B’ side it may have been but a giant leap for music. There has been nothing like them.

13

Bridge Over Troubled Water – Simon and Garfunkel

I have left possibly the greatest song about water until last. A song about hope, love, and support. The title track from the album and a cause of a lot of bad feelings between them, which was ironic in its context. Paul Simon asked Art Garfunkel to sing. He didn’t do a bad job, did he? But Paul made no secret that he’d wished that he had sung it himself. 

At one concert, Art sang the song and got a standing ovation. He brought the pianist onto center stage to join him. There was no guitar part, so Paul watched from the wings. Art and the piano player took the plaudits, but the man who wrote the song was never introduced to the crowd. 

How much damage that did, we may never know except for this. It was his last song at the last concert of his Paul Simon Farewell tour. He said to the crowd, “I am going to reclaim my lost child.” He then sang it himself. Say no more.

14

Under the Sea – Samuel E. Wright,

15

Backwater Blues – Bessie Smith,

16

The River of Dreams – Billy Joel,

17

Dirty Water – The Standells,

18

Cry Me a River – Justin Timberlake,

19

Rollin’ on the River – Creedence Clearwater Revival,

20

River Deep, Mountain High – Ike & Tina Turner,

21

Colder Water – Damien Rice,

22

Water No Get Enemy – Fela Kuti,

23

Sea of Love – The Honeydrippers,

24

Flow – Sade,

25

Watermark – Enya,

26

Smokestack Lightning – Howlin’ Wolf,

27

Across the Sea – Weezer,

28

Walk on Water – Eminem ft. Beyoncé,

29

Raindrops Keep Fallin’ on My Head – B.J. Thomas,

30

Black Water Side – Bert Jansch,

31

Bridges Over Babylon – UB40,

32

Deep Water – Jewel,

33

God Moving Over the Face of the Waters – Moby,

34

For the River – Carly Simon,

35

Green River – Creedence Clearwater Revival,

36

Island in the Sun – Weezer,

37

I’m On a Boat – The Lonely Island ft. T-Pain,

38

Knee Deep – Zac Brown Band ft. Jimmy Buffett,

39

Kokomo – The Beach Boys,

40

Lazy River – Bobby Darin,

41

Muddy Water – Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds,

42

Low Tide – Jimmie Vaughan,

43

Love Boat Captain – Pearl Jam,

44

Nautical Disaster – The Tragically Hip,

45

Out to Sea – Mark Knopfler,

46

Rain on the Scarecrow – John Mellencamp,

47

Rain King – Counting Crows,

48

Over the Sea – Jesse Winchester,

49

River Flow – Bob Dylan,

50

River of Dreams – Billy Joel,

More 50 Songs About Water

51. 51. Take Me to the River – Al Green,
    52. Down by the Water – PJ Harvey,
    53. Waterfalls – TLC,
    54. Sail On – Commodores,
    55. Blue Bayou – Roy Orbison,
    56. Over Troubled Water – Aretha Franklin,
    57. Downstream – Supertramp,
    58. Wading in the Water – Eva Cassidy,
    59. Waterline – Jedward,
    60. The Rains of Castamere – Ramin Djawadi,
    61. The Ocean – Led Zeppelin,
    62. Down in the River to Pray – Alison Krauss,
    63. Waterfall – Jimi Hendrix,
    64. Brokedown Palace – Grateful Dead,
    65. Cabin by the Sea – The Dirty Heads,
    66. Captain Kidd – Great Big Sea,
    67. Changing Tides – The Fray,
    68. Deep Blue Sea – George Harrison,
    69. Down by the River – Neil Young,
    70. Down to the Waterline – Dire Straits,
    71. Going Down to the River – Doug Seegers,
    72. Harbor Lights – The Platters,
    73. Harm’s Swift Way – Robert Plant,
    74. My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean – Traditional,
    75. Nightswimming – R.E.M.,
    76. Oceans – Pearl Jam,
    77. Oh Shenandoah – Traditional,
    78. On the Ocean – Guster,
    79. Peaceful Water Underneath the Bridge – The Red House Painters,
    80. Red Water (Christmas Mourning) – Type O Negative,
    81. River Deep Mountain High – The Ronettes,
    82. River Man – Nick Drake,
    83. Riverside – Agnes Obel,
    84. Yellow River – Christie
    85. Come Sail Away – Styx
    86. The River Knows Your Name – John Hiatt
    87. Ocean Man – Ween
    88. Redondo Beach – Patti Smith
    89. Rivers of Babylon – Boney M.
    90. (Sittin’ On) The Dock of the Bay – Otis Redding
    91. Lake of Fire – Nirvana
    92. The Rain Song – Led Zeppelin
    93. Underwater Love – Smoke City
    94. Like the River – Carly Simon.
    95. Rolling Sea – Vetiver
    96. Down – The Water – PJ Harvey
    97. Water Under The Bridge – Adele
    98. Floods – Pantera
    99. Hold Back The River – James Bay
    100. Wading in the Velvet Sea – Phish

Looking for Some Great Songs?

We can help you with that. Check out our handy articles on the Best Songs About Clouds, the Best Songs About Friendship, Funny Songs to Sing with Kids, the Best Sing-Along Songs, and The 20 Best Jazz Albums of All Time for more superb musical suggestions.

Songs About Water – Final Thoughts

There could have been so many more. I had to leave out some great songs because of the lack of space. But these are the ones that have special meaning for me in one way or another.

Until next time let the music play.