My song lyrics might be a bit inscrutable, so I've included this "cheat sheet" here if you'd like to use it. I recommend at least trying to listen without the help first, but hopefully this will clarify if you're confused.

Cheat sheet Spoiler
The lyrics of my song switch without warning from time period to time period. There are four characters/time periods involved, listed here in the order in which they appear in the song:

1488 C.E., Western Europe/Iberia - Christopher Columbus
2022 C.E., United States - Jon Porobil
Circa 1000 C.E., Greenland - Leif Erikson
2370, unspecified outer space - The Starship Enterprise

It's also worth noting that I recorded a second set of three verses. These don't appear in the recording directly, but I sent them to a reverb and muted the source audio, so when I sing a verse line, you're hearing reverb from another timeline.

[1488] Columbus lifts his hat and bows before the Queen
(reverb: [2022] Jon Porobil loads the washing machine)
[2022] He flicks his Fidget Cube and frowns at his computer screen
(reverb: [1488] And tries to give her the greatest speech she’s ever seen)
[1488] He speaks of legacy, of trading routes and staking a claim
(reverb: [2022] There’s 30 messages to write before the end of the day)
[2022] The kids are at each other’s throats over a video game
(reverb: [1488] Will she take this opportunity to make his name?)

[1488] You’ve handled each rejection with a sad and quiet grace
[All] Before you know it you’ll be floating in the water

[2022] Bolting out the office door, he’s late to get the kids again
(reverb: [1000] Leif Erikson tans another walrus skin)
[1000] Skræling attack reports from Thorvald’s surviving men
(reverb: [1488] She gives him 14,000 maravedis on a whim)
[1488] It’s enough to tide him over, but it’s not the win he needs
(reverb: [2022] He’s worried sick, but he’s caught up in the weeds)
[2022] The words and numbers run together the more he reads
(reverb: [2370] The ship is in pursuit and they’re matching our speed)

[1000] And you've chosen such an unforgiving place
[All] Before you know it you’ll be floating in the water

[2022] The dog missed every walk this week
[1488] Is Bartolomeo even alive?
[1000] These winters are increasingly bleak
[2370] We're gonna die out here if we can’t fix the warp drive

(Woo!)

[1000] The ocean froze, now his boat is trapped in ice
(reverb: [1488] No one he’s asked has yet agreed his price)
[1488] He’s already hit up every single nobleman in Europe... twice
(reverb: [1000] He hasn’t seen any wildlife bigger than mice)
[1000] There’s walrus ivory to trade, but this is no way to live
(reverb: [2022] She can’t stand to see him struggling to live)
[2022] She says “I love you, Jon, but something’s gotta give”
(reverb: [1000] He takes a broken handle to make a shiv)

[2022] The hotel pool, [1488 & 1000] the ocean blue, [2370] the emptiness of space
[All] Before we know it we’ll be floating in the water
[All] Before we know it we’ll be floating in the water
[All] Before we know it we’ll be floating in the water
[All] Before we know it we’ll be floating in the water
[All] Before we know it we’ll be floating in the water

Floating in the Water
by Jon Porobil

Columbus lifts his hat and bows before the Queen
He flicks his Fidget Cube and frowns at his computer screen
He speaks of legacy, of trading routes and staking a claim
The kids are at each other’s throats over a video game

You’ve handled each rejection with a sad and quiet grace
Before you know it you’ll be floating in the water

Bolting out the office door, he’s late to get the kids again
Skræling attack reports from Thorvald’s surviving men
It’s enough to tide him over, but it’s not the win he needs
The words and numbers run together the more he reads

And you've chosen such an unforgiving place
Before you know it you’ll be floating in the water

The dog missed every walk this week
Is Bartolomeo even alive?
These winters are increasingly bleak
We're gonna die out here if we can’t fix the warp drive

(Woo!)

The ocean froze, now his boat is trapped in ice
He’s already hit up every single nobleman in Europe... twice
There’s walrus ivory to trade, but this is no way to live
She says “I love you, Jon, but something’s gotta give”

The hotel pool, the ocean blue, the emptiness of space
Before we know it we’ll be floating in the water
Before we know it we’ll be floating in the water
Before we know it we’ll be floating in the water
Before we know it we’ll be floating in the water
Before we know it we’ll be floating in the water