The meaning of the lyrics of the song "Submarine" (Podvodnaya lodka) the performer of the song "Vladimir Vysotsky"

I'm fed up to the back teeth.

Even tired of singing.

I wish I could lie down like a submarine,

So they couldn't track me down.

A friend handed me vodka in a glass,

A friend said it would pass.

A friend introduced me to Verka while drunk -

He said, "Verka will help, and vodka will save you."

Neither Verka nor vodka helped.

Vodka gave me a hangover, and what's the use of Verka?

I wish I could lie down like a submarine,

So they couldn't track me down.

I'm fed up to my throat, I'm fed up to my fill.

Oh, I'm tired of singing and playing!

I wish I could lie down like a submarine,

And not transmit any call signs.

Сыт я по горло, до подбородка.

Даже от песен стал уставать.

Лечь бы на дно, как подводная лодка,

Чтоб не могли запеленговать.

Друг подавал мне водку в стакане,

Друг говорил, что это пройдет.

Друг познакомил с Веркой по пьяни -

Мол, Верка поможет, а водка спасет.

Не помогли ни Верка, ни водка.

С водки похмелье, а с Верки - что взять?

Лечь бы на дно, как подводная лодка,

Чтоб не могли запеленговать.

Сыт я по горло, сыт я по глотку.

Ох, надоело петь и играть!

Лечь бы на дно, как подводная лодка,

И позывных не передавать.

In Vladimir Vysotsky's song "The Submarine," the lyrical hero finds himself in a state of profound fatigue and apathy. He is "fed up to the back teeth" with everything: routine, creativity, even friendship and love. The image of a submarine sinking to the bottom, evading detection, becomes a metaphor for the hero's desire to isolate himself from the world, to withdraw into himself, to hide from problems and obligations.

The first verse sets the tone for the entire piece. The hero is so tired that even what used to bring him pleasure - creativity ("even songs make me tired") - now weighs him down. He wants to "sink to the bottom," to become invisible and unreachable, like a submarine escaping radar.

The second verse introduces us to the attempts of a friend to help the lyrical hero. The friend offers traditional ways to combat melancholy: companionship, alcohol ("vodka in a glass"), and a romantic fling ("introduced me to Vera while drunk"). However, in the hero's case, these "cures" prove powerless.

The third verse is a statement of the failure of attempts to overcome the mental crisis. "Neither Vera nor vodka" brought relief. Alcohol only brings a hangover, and a fleeting romance cannot fill the inner void. The desire to "sink to the bottom" becomes even stronger.

In the final verse, the hero's weariness reaches its peak. He is "fed up" with everything, including his own personality, the role he plays in life ("Oh, I'm tired of singing and acting!"). The image of the submarine takes on a new meaning here - it is not only a refuge but also a way to completely disconnect from the world, to cease all communication ("And not transmit any call signs").

Thus, the song "The Submarine" is a philosophical reflection on burnout, weariness with life, and the desire to hide from the world. The image of the submarine becomes a vivid metaphor for this state, a symbol of voluntary isolation and the rejection of struggle.