The lyrics in Hugh Laurie's song, The Whale Has Swallowed Me, are a metaphorical representation of feeling trapped and swallowed by life's challenges. The reference to Jonah being swallowed by a whale is a biblical story where the protagonist disobeyed God, leading to his being consumed by a whale for three days. The reference in the song shows a person feeling so consumed by life's challenges that they can't find a way out.

The second verse gives the metaphor of the sun rising in the east and setting in the west, which is followed by the lines "Sometimes I get that feeling, every creature needs some rest." It's a representation of the natural cycle of things and that despite the feeling of being consumed, it's essential to take breaks and rest to retain one's strength.

Towards the end of the song, the metaphorical allusions lead to the belief that the whale swallowed the protagonist because it was unwell, leading to the feeling of being trapped. The feeling of being released comes with the hope that the whale will eventually let go of its victims. The last lines of the song, "I do believe one day, I will crawl out of here," is a hopeful take that someday, the protagonist will find a way out of their current situation.