Bandleader/founder Kirkwood began writing music as a teenager as an outlet for the pain he felt from parents' divorce. Guitarist Perry was the first to join up with Kirkwood's new project, and was quickly followed by the others as the newly formed quartet set up shop in Dallas. Seven Channels issued the independently released EP International Wonderful, and began gigging on a regular basis -- leading to being selected as one of the "Top Five Unsigned Bands in America" on VH1's 1999 Rock Across America Tour.
The new group caught a break when they won a contest called "Quit Your Day Job," which resulted in the winner receiving a record deal with the Palm Pictures label. 2001 saw the release of their self-titled major-label debut. ~ Greg Prato, All Music Guide
Submarine Dream
Seven Channels Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Nothing's left for taking
Gone away are her dreams
Torn at the seams
She's like a submarine dream
as she dives and fades away from me
(x2)
She's buried in all the fear and pain
that makes her crawl
the silence she wears
breaks my heart
mask will soon fall apart
She's like a submarine dream
as she dives and fades away from me
(x2)
She'll bend until she breaks
as the night turns into day
I'm screaming
she starts to fade
that there's a better way
She's like a submarine dream
as she dives and fades away from me
(x2)
Fades away from me
(x9)
The lyrics of Seven Channels's song "Submarine Dream" describe a woman who is exhausted and broken, having lost all of her hopes and dreams. She is weighed down by fear and pain, which causes her to retreat from life and become disconnected from those around her. The use of the metaphor of a submarine dream highlights her isolation and distance from reality. Much as a submarine is separated from the world above, the woman in the song is trapped within her own fears and struggles, unable to escape.
Throughout the song, the singer watches as the woman "dives and fades away" from him, unable to reach out to her and unable to pull her back from the depths of her despair. He worries that she will "bend until she breaks" and implores her to find a better way to face her struggles. The repeated refrain of "fades away from me" adds to the sense of helplessness and loss felt by the singer.
Overall, "Submarine Dream" is a poignant reflection on the pain of watching someone you care about suffer and the difficulty of reaching out to them when they are lost in their own struggles.
Line by Line Meaning
She's tired of breaking
She's exhausted from constantly struggling and failing
Nothing's left for taking
She feels like she's lost all opportunities and possibilities
Gone away are her dreams
Her aspirations and goals have vanished
Torn at the seams
She's falling apart physically and emotionally
She's like a submarine dream
She's elusive and difficult to understand, like a dream you can't quite catch
as she dives and fades away from me
She's slowly disappearing from the singer's life
She's buried in all the fear and pain
She's overwhelmed by her emotions and struggles to cope
that makes her crawl
Her fears and pain are so crippling that she can barely function
the silence she wears
Her lack of communication and emotional suppression
breaks my heart
It's painful for the artist to see her suffering
mask will soon fall apart
She can't keep up the facade forever and her true emotions will eventually show
She'll bend until she breaks
She's pushing herself to the limit and may soon collapse
as the night turns into day
She's been struggling for a long time and there seems to be no end in sight
I'm screaming
The singer is desperate to get through to her and help
she starts to fade
Despite the singer's efforts, she continues to feel distant and unreachable
that there's a better way
The artist wants to show her that there's hope and a way to overcome her struggles
Fades away from me
She continues to disappear from the artist's life
(x9)
Contributed by Joshua F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Joseph Ramirez
Saw these guys live back in the day- they were like fire in a jar man. A great show.