The song "Odin (Spirit of the Water)" by John Stewart tells the story of a star-eyed girl and her man of the sea. The man was a whaler who hunted and killed whales, but the girl pleaded with him to let the whales go free. The couple sailed together with the sunrise, and the man was known as the devil on the wind out of Monterey. The girl continued to plead with the man, calling him the keeper of her heartline, to spare the whales. She even called upon Odin, the spirit of the water and god of the sea, to help her cause. One day, the ship sailed in without any men onboard except for the whaler, who was now lashed to the mast like a ghost from the past. He announced that the battle was over and the whale had won. He vowed that it would be the last time he would take the line. The song tells the story of the girl's plight to save the whales and the man's eventual decision to stop hunting them. It is a plea for respect and protection of marine life and a call for all of us to be mindful of our impact on the environment.
