Based on the classic novel by Edward L. Beach (19182002) and the 1958 film starring Clark Gable and Burt Lancaster, this song is about WWII submarine warfare in the Pacific. It's a brilliant song, which does a good job of recreating the mood of suspense and excitement of the film.

For those who are not familiar with the English language and who wonder who Davy Jones may be, just know that "Davy Jones's locker" is a common name give to the bottom of the sea, and especially the grave of those who died at sea. Apparently, the term was first recorded in 1726, and alludes to Davy Jones, a name given to the evil spirit of the sea. The real origin of both "Davy" and "Jones" is disputed. A logical theory is that Jones referred to the biblical Jonah, who, according to the legend, was swallowed by a whale and spent 3 day inside, and that Davy was a corruption of a West Indian word for "devil". Alternatively, Jones may have been a real character a 16th century publican (mentioned in the ballad Jones Ale Is Newe) who owned a locker, much feared by sailors, where he stored his beer. The first mention of Davy Jones his locker came later is to be found in The Adventures of Peregrine Pickle, written by Tobias Smollett in 1751. Lastly, Davy Jones may have taken his surname from Jonah, but first name from Saint David, the patron saint of Wales and guardian of Welsh sailors.

These are some words I wrote for the Somewhere In Time album. That particular song never made it but I kept the words, and when Steve came up with something, I said: 'You know what will fit brilliantly there these words'. It's a song about submarines, actually the first song about submarines. 'Dive, Dive, Dive' came later. This is a slightly more serious version. The title comes from one of my favourite war movies. We do use a lot of film and book titles because they always inspire good material for us. But then books crop up a lot on films! This is about the dog eat dog, no mercy world of life and death at sea during the Second World War, and it was as rough for the guys below as it was for the guys up top. They both engaged in this evil struggle without any mercy. And the sea didn't have any mercy.

Bruce Dickinson