Cody Simpson premiered his nautical new single “Captain’s Dance With the Devil” on Thursday (April 9), exclusively to Billboard.
Armed with a guitar, the breezy tune finds the Australian singer-songwriter telling the story of a seafaring young man in classic troubadour fashion. “This young sailor’s going to drown/ This old ship is sinking down/ And his cheeks are black and blue, and he’s murdered all his crew/ This young sailor’s going to drown,” he croons over gentle snare drum on the song’s opening verse.
“‘Captain’s Dance With the Devil’ was inspired by my new collection of poetry,” Simpson tells Billboard. “It’s a narrative about a young sailor yearning for freedom. A boy interested in rebellion from societal conventions. Interested in the rough life, the tough life, a life outside the law — a life at sea. I thoroughly enjoy telling stories in my music!”
The new song was released in conjunction with Prince Neptune, Simpson’s debut book of poetry, and marks the singer’s first release since 2019’s “Golden Thing,” which was purportedly inspired by his then-budding romance with girlfriend Miley Cyrus.
Check out the exclusive premiere of “Captain’s Dance With the Devil” below.
