Boat In Belize - Kelly McGuire

Kelly McGuire is probably one of the best songwriters I've ever heard, both within the Trop Rock community and without. The visual and emotional descriptions of people, events and places in his songs are easily comparable to the great novelists, in my opinion. Simply put, Kelly McGuire literally forces the listener to incorporate the use of the senses.

For example, in his fantastic sea ballad, Solitude, he allows us to quietly peek in on his lonely world at sea

Feel the breeze,
straighten the telltale...
Hear the mainsail firm and turn to foil...

Even lightheared songs like Boat in Belize put us square in the middle of a typical day in Belize watching some unnamed, lucky son-of-a-bitch as he lives the life we all dream about. Read along and see how he does it.


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BOAT IN BELIZE
Kelly McGuire
Boat in Belize - 2007

He sits at the bar
while he's waiting for charters
He's up at the crack of noon
At night he's at Frido's,
Dancing with ladies,
He's a strikingly handsome dude.

It couldn't get much better,
Sent his ex-wife a letter,
Saying there won't be any alimony soon...
I've been captured by natives,
Of a third world country
Under a Central American moon

He's got a boat in Belize,
A dock in San Pedro,
A coconut fall from the bar
He's got his back to the beach on his favorite barstool
He don't have to stumble too far...
He plies his trade in the islands,
Diving and trying to forget what he left all behind
He's just what he seems
He's living his dreams
Down in Belize.

Now the turquoise waters,
Pickled by palm trees,
Blowing in the tropical breeze
Barbeque Sundays, Bruce on the barbee...
The palapa bar down at BC's.

Now the traders and islanders, sailors and pirates
And divers and those with a scam,
And the tourists that meet him,
Like me want to be him,
And we're trying to come up with a plan.

He's got a boat in Belize,
A dock in San Pedro,
A coconut fall from the bar.
He's got his back to the beach on his favorite barstool,
He don't have to stumble too far...
He plies his trade in the islands,
Diving and trying to forget what he left all behind.
He's just what he seems,
He's living his dreams...
on his boat in Belize.
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