Released: 2011
“Little Black Submarines” by The Black Keys is a song that masterfully marries melancholy lyrics with a surge of raw, electric energy. It’s a tale of longing, loss, and the desperate need to reconnect, not just with a loved one, but with one’s own sense of self and purpose. The song starts off with a gentle, acoustic demeanor before erupting into a powerful electric anthem, symbolizing the internal battle between despair and the will to push forward.
The song kicks off with the lines “Little black submarines, operator, please, put me back on the line.” Here, the little black submarines serve as a metaphor for messages or pleas sent out in hopes of reconnection. The narrator’s asking the “operator” to put him back on the line symbolizes a desire to reconnect with someone lost, possibly a lover, indicating a sense of urgency and desperation. The term “operator” harks back to a time when telephone calls were manually connected by an operator, adding a vintage feel that underscores the depth of the narrator’s longing.
As the song progresses, the narrator admits, “Told my girl I’d be back, operator, please, this is wreckin’ my mind.” This line reveals the promise he made to his girl, highlighting the torment he feels from being separated. There’s a raw honesty in the admission of his mental turmoil, reflecting the emotional weight of broken promises and unresolved relationships. The feeling of being mentally wrecked is something many can relate to, making the song’s message universal.
The chorus, “Oh, can it be? The voices calling me, they get lost and out of time. I should’ve seen it glow, but everybody knows that a broken heart is blind,” delves even deeper into the narrator’s psyche. The “voices calling me” could represent internal conflicts or external pressures that distract from one’s true desires and passions. There’s a poignant recognition here of missed signs or opportunities (“I should’ve seen it glow”), overshadowed by the universally acknowledged truth that love’s pain can obscure one’s judgment (“a broken heart is blind”).
Later on, the song transitions from its soft, acoustic beginnings to an eruptive, electric crescendo, mirroring the emotional intensity of the lyrics. The lines “Pick you up, let you down, when I wanna go to a place I can hide” speak to the cyclical nature of seeking solace in someone, only to push them away in fear of vulnerability. This push-and-pull dynamic is further amplified by the musical shift, creating a powerful catharsis for the listener.
The lyrics also explore themes of lost potential and disconnection with lines like “Treasure maps, fallen trees, operator, please call me back when it’s time. Stolen friends and disease, operator, please patch me back to my mind.” These metaphors suggest a journey gone awry, where instead of finding treasure, one encounters obstacles and loses connections (both to people and to oneself), underscoring a yearning to reclaim what was lost and to heal.
In sum, “Little Black Submarines” by The Black Keys is a profound exploration of heartbreak, loss, and the human condition’s resilience. It connects with listeners through its honest lyricism and dynamic composition, proving itself a powerful anthem for those wrestling with the darkness in search of the light.
