Song Details
- Album Release Date: 2012
- Genre: pop
Song Meaning of “Submarines” by The Lumineers
The Lumineers song, “Submarines,” is a reflective indie folk-rock anthem that captures a longing for freedom and a longing to escape one’s current plight. It speaks to how easy it is to get so caught up in our daily lives and how it can be a challenge to break away and find some peace.
The song opens with a hauntingly beautiful acoustic guitar that sets the tone for the melancholy lyrics that follow. The lyrics tell the story of a sailor longing for freedom from the grind of life. From the depths of the cold, dark ocean, the sailor yearns for the courage to take a risk and find his own way in the world—to leave behind his mundane existence and instead travel the vast expanse of the seas and take a chance on something unknown.
The chorus speaks to the challenge of making such a bold move—of embracing the feeling of standing at the edge of the unknown and mustering the courage to take that plunge. The singer’s voiced eagerness can be felt in the line, “Come on let’s go/The night is young and the sea is wild”. In the end, the chorus is an anthem for courage—the courage that comes from taking a risk and following the call of wanderlust.
The song speaks a universal truth— that sometimes the only thing that can save us from stagnation and boredom is the courage to take a chance and explore the unknown.