Performed by Björk and Robert Wyatt
Programming: Valgei… Read Full Bio ↴SONG INFO
Performed by Björk and Robert Wyatt
Programming: Valgeir Sigurdsson
"He lives in Louth, and he has equiptment in his bedroom where he records himself and his albums. We brought a G4 and Pro Tools and recorded it in like one afternoon. He's such an extraordinary singer. Before he left, he insisted to give us a scale of his voice, where he sings all the tones - and he has the most amazing range, like 5 or 6 octaves. What's really interesting about his range is that each octave is of a totally different character. We actually ended up using that later for 'Oceania', we used what he calls the "Wyattron". Maybe this isn't a secret, but when I was pregnant and breastfeeding - what is great is that your nature tells all your cells to go on vacation now that the baby is the most important thing. It's a very humbling and gorgeous thing and a very healthy experience. But slowly after 6 months or so, the baby wouldn't mind being without you for an hour a day, a couple of month later two hours, and meet other kids and have relationships with other people than you. And mothers kinda have a hard time to let go too. It's an interesting stretch. And with my "submarine behaviour" ...the part of me that writes songs had gone dormant, and this song says it's time to wake it up and say "hello! wake up" - it's been hibernating, so it's a little bit of an alarm call." (Björk, XFM 25aug04)
Submarine
Björk Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Do it now
This submarine way down to return
To return
Do it now
Do it now
Shake us out of the heavy deep sleep
Shake us now
Do it now
Shake us out of the heavy deep sleep
Do it now
Björk's song Submarine explores the concept of diving deep into oneself to find truths that are often buried within. The opening lines "When will it be time to document, do it now" serve as a call to action, urging the listener to document their own journey of self-discovery. The metaphor of a submarine represents the journey of plunging deep within oneself in order to unearth hidden emotions and desires. The repetition of "Do it now" emphasizes the urgency of this process and encourages the listener to take action.
The lines "Shake us out of the heavy deep sleep" are a plea to break free from the constraints of our own minds and to awaken to new possibilities. It is an acknowledgement that this process of self-discovery is not easy and requires effort and courage. The song encourages listeners to confront their fears and anxieties in order to find their true selves.
Overall, Submarine is a powerful and introspective work that speaks to the importance of self-discovery and the courage needed to undertake such a journey.
Line by Line Meaning
When will it be time to document
When will we take note and record our experiences
Do it now
We must act immediately
This submarine way down to return
We are descending deep into the unknown, searching for a way back
To return
Our ultimate goal is to find our way back to safety
Shake us out of the heavy deep sleep
We need a sudden awakening from our oblivious state in order to take action
Shake us now
We need to be shaken out of our inaction and complacency
Do it now
Action is urgent and cannot be delayed any longer
Do it now
We must take action immediately to save ourselves from the dangers of the deep unknown
Shake us out of the heavy deep sleep
We need a sudden awakening to the reality of our situation, and the urgency of our mission
Do it now
Immediate action is the only way to ensure our survival
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Bjork Gudmundsdottir
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Euroviking (formerly setheurovision94)
Even though it feels like Björk's doing backing vocals to her own song, this song is so breathtaking, and completely unique even in her catalogue, that I don't even mind. It's absolutely my favorite on Medúlla.
Fratou Lotte
Yes! Absolutely! It is breathtaking! Did you listen to some Robert Wyatt solo stuff? It is very worthwhile imo. Have a good day!
Gidouille
@Fratou Lotte Wyatt is on this track.
Rusty
This song is truly an imploding experience
caca
oh my god 😭
Arissei S
harmonious as sea waves, some softer and some rougher, but still all belonging to one ocean. björk's voice surging to lead the song, as some kind of goddess, creating and directing what came from her experience, emotion and pain. medúlla is such a masterpiece!
Syncratic
Robert Wyatt (Soft Machine) appears on this song - his voice sounds great! Of course Bjork would collaborate with someone of his caliber.
MeloLand
Fantastic song...
Baling Alcantara
THIS IS SO GOOD IN HEADPHONES I FEEL LIKE I'M IN A CROWDED ROOM OF PPL
Pink elephant
Sounds fabulous with Robert Wyatt's vocals