Top Ten Steve Goodman Songs: When My Rowboat Comes In (#1)

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My final entry in the world of Steve Goodman is my favorite song of his, and one of my favorite songs, period. This is a song that can make me cry and smile simultaneously. I refer to it as Goodman's hymn of hope. #1: When My Rowboat Comes In This is a song that is about as positive and life-affirming as any song you'll ever hear. And when he recorded this, Goodman was dying. He recorded this song 13 months before leukemia took his life at the age of 36. When people come up with hokey songs like "Live Like You Were Dying" I think of this song, where Goodman, in effect, said, "live like you were living." He acknowledges the problem ("on a stormy night when the clouds roll in to hide the lucky stars that I am under" [Goodman was indeed "lucky:" when he was diagnosed in 1968, he was initially given 3-6 months to live]) but, thanks to the love of his wife ("I need someone who can find the sun and chase away my sorrow with her laughter"), he is nothing but optimistic: "when the sun comes up on the other side everything will be all right when we go rowing." And consider how slow a process rowing is. His life at this point was literally day-to-day, but he still had a positive approach. "If my lucky stars won't shine tonight I'd rather take my chances on tomorrow." Goodman acknowledged everything in this song, laying bare his soul. Yet you cannot help but feel joyous when you hear this man who knew he was losing the battle sing about, in essence, winning the war. I hope this song gives someone a good feeling and a positive outlook for a better tomorrow. It's gotten me through some rough times (including now). Everything will be all right when we go rowing. When My Rowboat Comes In Written by Steve Goodman From Affordable Art, 1983 The hymn of hope: