to regulate their breathing
one more night
the Winter Boys are freezing in their spam tin
the Baltic moon
along the Northern seaboard
and down below
the Winter Boys are waiting for the storm

bye-bye Empire, Empire bye-bye
shallow water - channel and tide

and I can trace my history
down the generations to my home
in one of our submarines

the red light flicker, sonar weak
air valves hissing open
half her pressure blown away
flounder in the ocean
see the Winter Boys -
drinking heavy water from a stone

bye-bye Empire, Empire bye-bye
shallow water - channel and tide
bye-bye Empire, Empire bye-bye
tired illusions drown in the night

and I can trace my history
down one generations to my home
in one of our submarines

one of our submarines is missing tonight
seems she ran aground on manoeuvres
one of our submarines