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About

Genius Annotation

“Sail” is AWOLNATION’s signature sleeper hit.

Despite its minimal lyrics and its abrasive tone, its “SAIL!” exclamation and stormy atmosphere eventually gathered fans.

The song debuted at #89 in the Hot 100 in 2011, but then dropped out after 20 weeks, but then re-entered the charts in 2013. It eventually reached a new peak at #17, and ended up spending over a year on the charts in its second run.

It also holds a distinction for a fanmade video being significantly more popular than the official video.

The first four chords are the same as Foreigner’s “Cold As Ice"— a minor sixth chord, plus the fourth, followed by a minor sixth chord, in the same rhythm. The songs then diverge.

Aaron Bruno says it’s not a Foreigner sample, though.

You’re the second person to ask me that in the last week. It’s not true. I don’t even know what that song is, I’ll have to go back and listen to it

Q&A

Find answers to frequently asked questions about the song and explore its deeper meaning

What did AWOLNATION say about "Sail"?
Genius Answer

In a 2011 e-mail interview, frontman Aaron Bruno confesses:

I never ever expected “Sail” to be on the radio, or any other song necessarily, I just hoped that there were other people as strange as me that they would maybe relate to the struggle and passion of this record. I always want to write the best songs I am capable of.

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