In an interview with Pitchfork, Michael Stipe explained the meaning of the song:
"That's where "Feeling Gravity's Pull" came from. That's where "Electron Blue" came from-- electron blue being a drug that's made out of light. "Sing for the Submarine" is about a guy who in fact has gone so deep into this almost neurotic state that he's imagined a way to escape from the city with his loved one in the event of some cataclysmic...event. And that escape route is by way of a submarine that is fueled by melody. And that creates the template for the song."
In an interview with Pitchfork, Michael Stipe explained the meaning of the song:
"That's where "Feeling Gravity's Pull" came from. That's where "Electron Blue" came from-- electron blue being a drug that's made out of light. "Sing for the Submarine" is about a guy who in fact has gone so deep into this almost neurotic state that he's imagined a way to escape from the city with his loved one in the event of some cataclysmic...event. And that escape route is by way of a submarine that is fueled by melody. And that creates the template for the song."
http://pitchfork.com/features/interviews/6813-rem/