Submarine

Song Meaning

The lyrics paint a picture of a relationship teetering on the edge of something profound, yet fraught with hesitation and a sense of unreality. The narrator describes a "crazy time" where a partner was ready but waiting, their love perceived as "divine" but met with the narrator's own "blindness." This push and pull creates a tension, a desire to "ride through" the connection, but ultimately stepping aside, suggesting an inability to fully commit or grasp the moment's potential. The central conflict seems to be the gap between intense desire and the practicalities or doubts that prevent its fulfillment. The repeated invocation of "Atlantis" acts as a potent, almost mythical destination, representing an ultimate, perhaps unattainable, shared experience. The chorus captures a collective yearning, a fervent wish to "go forever," yet it's undercut by the skeptical question, "Does it even exist?" This duality mirrors the relationship's state: a dream of ecstasy and deep connection juxtaposed with the fear of its non-existence or the narrator's own limitations. The most striking craft element is the persistent, almost chant-like repetition of "Atlantis." It transforms from a mere place name into a sonic embodiment of obsession and aspiration. The shift in Verse 2, from "ride through you" to "go really deep," and then the striking image, "I am so deep that I am out of reach from Earth," coupled with the invitation "where there is no air," suggests a desire for an escape into a realm beyond ordinary reality. This is where the narrator seems to want to take the relationship, into a space of pure, unadulterated connection, free from earthly constraints. Ultimately, the lyrics resonate because they tap into the universal human experience of yearning for something extraordinary, a perfect union or a transcendent moment, while grappling with internal doubts and external obstacles. The contrast between the ecstatic pronouncements and the lingering questions about reality creates a compelling emotional landscape. The song captures that specific feeling of being on the cusp of something amazing, where the potential is palpable, but the actualization remains uncertain, leaving the listener suspended in that hopeful, yet anxious, state.