Drummer Chad Butler explained during a Spotify track-by-track: "'Saltwater Heart' came together in the magical island of Bali. We were traveling the world, chasing waves and songs and this song came together on the cliff overlooking the Indian ocean. It was inspired by the surroundings. This song is a reflection of that feeling of being on the edge of the earth."
Switchfoot vocalist Jon Foreman explained the song's meaning during a track-by-track on the Land Of Broken Hearts website : "'Saltwater' is a song about longing. On tour, I often feel brittle and thirsty for substance," he said. "Far from shore, far from home- the ink dries up, and the blood begins to clot. I begin to feel like a sojourner longing for home, wanting to be washed clean of the dust of travel. And yet there is a deeper longing. A spiritual longing that no physical location can give me- not even my hometown. 'Saltwater' is a song that is trying to speak to both of these longings at once: longings of my physical being and the longings of my soul."
