"Long Island Sound" is a song by James McMurtry that tells a story about his life and observations of the world around him. The lyrics talk about different people he knows, like New Mexico being lost in Austin, Carolina keeping her thoughts to herself, and Tennessee never stopping talking. He also mentions his old guitar and the shotgun he got when he was nine, which he keeps in his back bedroom closet. The song talks about the rush hour traffic on the cross-island parkway and watching the sunset over the projects. McMurtry wonders where his long lost love is and if they are someone's wife now. He also mentions how he has two cars, a bay boat, and a 401k, indicating a comfortable middle-class life. Overall, the song seems to be a reflection on life and the passage of time. McMurtry seems to appreciate where he is now, despite the mundanity of it all. He toasts to all the strangers around him and the Mets and Rangers, celebrating the present moment and the people he shares it with.
