About The Song
“Sea of Heartbreak” was written by Don Gibson and Paul Hampton in 1961. Gibson recorded the song and released it as a single on RCA Victor Records in 1961. The track reached #2 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart and #21 on the Billboard Hot 100, becoming one of Gibson’s biggest crossover hits.
The song was recorded at RCA’s Studio B in Nashville, Tennessee, which was known as one of the premier recording facilities for country music at the time. Gibson’s recording featured the Nashville A-Team session musicians, including guitarist Hank Garland and bassist Bob Moore.
Don Gibson was already established as a successful songwriter and performer, having written classics like “Sweet Dreams” and “I Can’t Stop Loving You.” Paul Hampton was a lesser-known songwriter who collaborated with Gibson on this composition. The song marked another successful collaboration in Gibson’s career.
The track has been covered extensively by various artists across multiple genres. Notable versions include recordings by Johnny Cash, Hank Williams Jr., and Emmylou Harris. The song became a standard in country music repertoires and has been recorded by numerous artists over the decades.
“Sea of Heartbreak” was included on Gibson’s 1961 album “Some Favorites of Mine” on RCA Victor. The song helped solidify Gibson’s reputation as both a performer and songwriter during the early 1960s Nashville Sound era.
The song’s success contributed to Gibson’s continued prominence in country music during the 1960s. It became one of his signature songs alongside his other major hits and established compositions.
The track exemplified the Nashville Sound production style of the early 1960s, featuring smooth arrangements and polished production that helped country music achieve broader mainstream appeal during this period.
Video
Lyrics
The lights in the harbor
Don’t shine for me
I’m like a lost ship
Adrift on the sea
Sea of heartbreak
Lost love and loneliness
Memories of your caress
So divine, I wish
You were mine again, my dear
I’m on this sea of tears
Sea of heartbreak
(Sea of heartbreak, heartbreak)
How did I lose you?
Oh, where did I fail?
Why did you leave me?
Always to sail
This sea of heartbreak
Lost love and loneliness
Memories of your caress
So divine, how I wish
You were mine again, my dear
I am on the sea of tears
Sea of heartbreak
(Sea of heartbreak, ahh)
Oh, what I’d give to sail back to shore
Back to your arms once more
Oh, come to my rescue
Come here to me
Take me and keep me
Away from the sea
Yes, this sea of heartbreak
Lost love and loneliness
Memories of your caress
So divine, how I wish
You were mine again, my dear
I’m on the sea of tears
Sea of heartbreak
It’s a sea of heartbreak
(Sea of heartbreak, ahh)