 The song features a change in meter during the pre-chorus "We've been sailing with a cargo full of love and devotion" where it is for one measure while the rest of the song is in common time.A dance to "Rock the Boat" is commonly performed at weddings and birthday parties, involving many people sitting down in a row and "rowing" a boat to the tune of the song.Particularly popular in Ireland, the dance attracted international attention after being featured on the second season of the TV series "Derry Girls".