From the recording Borderlands

My long-time artist friend, Janice, provided "drowning in a tub of tears" as a Country song title idea when I visited her in New Mexico, and the tongue-in-cheek approach sometimes found in Country music seemed best suited.

Lyrics

Tub of Tears - Erik Haakenstad

Oh I have had my share of swimming lessons
Mama threw me in the water soon as I was born
They say that once you’re in
You’re gonna sink or swim
So just how did I sink down so deep my friend?

I’m drowning in a tub of my tears
This absurd end surpasses my direst fears
She’ll have to pull me from this pearly bottom
When she finally hears
That I’ve drowned in a tub of my tears

Now I’ve always been at home around the water
Whether on or in it’s always been my world
But I took that Siren’s call
Now my baby won’t be home at all
I’m just hook, line and sunk fool, heading full fathom down

I’ve scoured the seven seas for ways to lure her back
But she storms on in and I got to face facts
I know the currents of love are hard to ride
And the riptide rips, and the heart capsizes all too soon

Now the moral of my tale is very simple
A man can’t trawl for love with each new tide
You’ll only get swept away
Now remember what I say
‘Cause I’m about to go down for the third and the very last time!

Lyrics Erik Haakenstad © 2025