Owl City: Fireflies Meaning

Song Released: 2009

Fireflies Lyrics

You would not believe your eyes
If ten million fireflies
Lit up the world as I fell asleep
Cause they fill the open air,
And leave teardrops everywhere,you'd think me rude but I would just stand, and stare

I'd like to make myself...

1. anonymous

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   Oct 13th 2009 !⃝

   Ambien. If you've been on it, you'd know what I mean

   This interpretation has been marked as poor. view anyway
2. anonymous

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   Oct 11th 2009 !⃝

   The song is basically about a grown man who wishes that he could go back to childhood innocence, which is why in his video he has a roomful of toys. "That planet earth turns slowly..." means that to him time is moving way too fast for simple things like catching fireflies. When he says that he doesn't want to fall asleep basically is saying that he wishes he cold stay up so that he can live life to the fullest and fill each day with childlike things, such as playing with toys and/or catching fireflies.
3. anonymous

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   Oct 9th 2009 !⃝

   This song is about wanting to slow time so to speak. And to have more of it. That's why he wants to believe the earth turns slowly. "It's hard to say that I'd rather stay awake when I'm asleep" implies he obviously should sleep but truthfully doesn't want to miss out on anything. It is definitely about childhood innocence and dreams, and also stopping to enjoy the small things. Just as a child in awe would "Cause I get a thousand hugs From ten thousand lightning bugs As they try to teach me how to dance A foxtrot above my head, A sock hop beneath my bed, A disco ball is just hanging by a thread (thread, thread)" Learning to "dance" would be an example of a sipmle pleasure. A foxtrot, a sock hop, disco balls- these things are all associated with times when there was more innocence, or happiness so to speak. "To ten million fireflies I'm weird 'cause I hate good-byes I got misty eyes as they said farewell (they said farewell) But I'll know where several are If my dreams get real bizarre 'Cause I saved a few and I keep them in a jar(jar, jar, jar)" This line is definitely a good example of clinging to areas of childhood as well. He's "saved a few and kept them in a jar" in case things get to "bizarre" as if to remind him of a simpler time. A time when things were beautiful. The lines about not sleeping and bizarre dreams could be symbolic to this face paced adult world being a bit of a nightmare and hence he has recreated his simplistic childhood as his reality. I think those are the moments he wants to slow- the simple ones, the beautiful ones- whether they are from childhood or just a simpler time. You can tell from the type of music used in their songs as well, it has a light feel to it. As if it's going to lift you off your feet and take you to a better place. It's not sure exactly what this particular song means but it's certainly evident the directions it points in and what it implies.
4. Flaginham

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   Sep 18th 2009 !⃝

   In my interpretation, I believe that this song’s meaning is that the world is full of individuals with individual ideas and minds. The fireflies represent the individuals with the “bright” ideas. In the video, the magic button showed that only magic could turn on shut off these ideas, which means that there is no physical way to take away any individual’s way of thinking. Also, from the video, it showed the crystal ball dropping to the ground and then had shown many more lights throughout the room. I interpreted this as one big idea (the crystal ball) had failed and fell. In turn, that one big idea made many new smaller, individual ideas because of the failure. I also believe that when he said “I’d like to make myself believe that planet earth turns slowly,” that he wants time itself to go slower, giving all of these minds and ideas a chance before they die off.
5. Jordanb

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   Sep 18th 2009 !⃝

   When the song starts up he hits a button with “magic” printed under it. When he hits the button “Magic” things around him (toys such as robots and trains as well as lights) all turn on. Fireflies are likely meant to represent magic because while he’s singing about fireflies and what they’re doing the toys that came on when he pressed the “magic” button are doing those actions. Everything turns off when he says “I’d like to make myself believe that planet earth turns slowly” the second time, symbolizing the world turning slowly, or in other words, the progression of time slowing down or it halting completely.
   
   He says he would rather stay awake when he’s asleep making it sound like the interesting things (or the magic) happens at nightfall. However, to contradict that is the fact the entire video was during the day, meaning that can’t be correct. If you read the 4th through 6th paragraph the lines “It’s hard to say that I’d rather stay awake when I’m asleep Cause everything is never as it seems (when I fall asleep)”, “Cause I feel like such an insomniac”, and “But I’ll know where several are If my dreams get real bizarre Cause I saved a few and I keep them in a jar” due to feeling like an insomniac it might be because he can’t fall asleep because of the magic or he doesn’t want to fall asleep because of it.

   This interpretation has been marked as poor. view anyway

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