Walt Grace's Submarine Test, January 1967

Walt Grace Desperately aiding his whole place Dreamed to discover a new space And buried himself alive Inside his basement Tongue on the side of his face meant He's working away on his placement And what it would take to survive 'Cause when you're done with this world You know the next is up to you And his wife told his kids he was crazy And his friends said he'd fail if he'd try But with the will to work hard And a library card He took a homemade, fan-blade One-man submarine ride That morning The sea was mad and I mean it Waves as big as he'd seen it Deep in his dreams at home From dry land He rolled it over to wet sand Closed the hatch up with one hand And peddled off alone 'Cause when you're done with this world You know the next is up to you And for once in his life it was quiet As he learned how to turn in the tide And the sky was a-flare When he came up for air In his homemade, fan-blade One-man submarine ride One evening When weeks had passed since he's leavin' The call she planned on receivin' Finally made it home She accepted The news she never expected The operator connected The call from Tokyo 'Cause when you're done with this world You know the next is up to you Now his friends bring him up when they're drinkin' At the bar with his name on the side And they smile when they can As they speak of the man Who took a homemade, fan-blade One-man submarine ride