Owl City: Fireflies Meaning
Song Released: 2009
Fireflies Lyrics
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...
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The guy wants more time. He want's to live his life and experience it all, and not dream away his life, because he never has enough time.
On the flip side, is the fact that his dreams are amazing, they are bright and vibrant and exciting, and they are an important part of his happiness, but when he's awake he never wants to lose the time sleeping, but when he's asleep, he'd rather be there, enjoying the wonders of his dreams. -
A song about fireflies.
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The generic consensus on the interpretations are relevant and likely to be correct.
However, after considering the song quite a few times (as I was making a music video of it at the time), it is quite possible that the artist was talking about the effects of psychedelic drugs.
The fireflies may in this case represent hallucinations produced by some types of drugs when used.
The idea of being an insomniac may refer to the withdrawal symptoms one gets (with insomnia being a very common one).
The desire to believe the Earth turns slowly can be interpreted to mean that the rational part of the user's mind wants to believe the logical (i.e. the slow speed of the Earth's turning) while the drug wants the user to believe otherwise.
Other references exist as well. These are just the most "obvious" ones to me.
Of course it's very possible I could be wrong on this, but this is also one of the deeper and less "innocent" interpretations. -
It is a song about Astral Projection.
°
You would not believe your eyes
If ten million fireflies
Lit up the world as I fell asleep
when you do Astral Projection your body falls a sleep, and everything in the astral plane sparkles and is vibrating. -
He is talking about ALL of the possibilitys of dreams. how a dream is whatever you make it. -Tomoya
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I hate to be the end-all buzzkill here, but this song is most certainly NOT about one's childhood, innocence, or other vague principles. This is a very specific song about insomnia caused by restlessness due to serious medical disorders, and nothing else. Hear me out:
"You would not believe your eyes
If ten million fireflies
Lit up the world as I fell asleep"
Note that these lines are clearly grammatically incorrect. "YOU would not believe your eyes ... lit up the world as IIII fell asleep" What this entails is that the author is speaking to someone who doesn't suffer insomnia, and would not see the "ten million fireflies" (stars), as their eyes would be closed.
"'Cause they'd fill the open air
And leave teardrops everywhere"
For the record: "10 million fireflies" "[filling] the open air" in the shape of "teardrops" which are "everywhere" is clearly symbolic of stars.
"You'd think me rude
But I would just stand and stare"
What's rude about staring at fireflies? Nothing. That's why looking at the word "fireflies" here too literally is problematic. Now let's run with a different idea... "Rude" is really just another word for "taboo", or here, "Unlike what other's do". This person the author is speaking to doesn't suffer insomnia, and thus, it seems weird, even "rude" that the author would simply stare at the stars when one should be sleeping.
"I'd like to make myself believe
That planet Earth turns slowly
It's hard to say that I'd rather stay
Awake when I'm asleep
'Cause everything is never as it seems"
Perhaps the chorus makes more sense to you now. This person is pained by their insomnia. They want the world to turn slowly so that they may get more rest, or at the very least, to trick themselves into thinking the night is longer than it is. It pains him ("It's hard to say") that his body constantly wishes to wake him up in the midst of sleep (Nightmares. More on this later), "Cause everything is never as it seems", which is understandable, as things always seem scary in nightmare, but alas, upon waking up, it's found that everything wasn't as it seemed, and now the only thing left is the regret of waking up.
"'Cause I'd get a thousand hugs
From ten thousand lightning bugs
As they tried to teach me how to dance"
This is a reference to either RLS (restless-leg syndrome) and hypnic jerks. The author here said "lightning bugs" in place of fireflies, not only because it rhymes with "hugs", but because of the shooting sensations like lightning of the RLS symptoms. RLS gives a sensation that one's skin and muscles are crawling, often specifically described like "bugs" are squeezing at their legs by RLS patients. The author used "ten thousand" over "ten million" here to help the listener avoid confusing lightning bugs on the body versus fireflies in the sky. For clarity, a more exact translation of, "'Cause I'd get a thousand hugs
From ten thousand lightning bugs
As they tried to teach me how to dance" is "[I'd awake from my sleep] 'cause I'd feel my skin crawl as I toiled in bed, and upon finally falling asleep, I'd jerk awake". NOTE: "[I'd awake from my sleep]" is drawn from the previous line for clarity.
"A foxtrot above my head
A sock hop beneath my bed
A disco ball is just hanging by a thread"
Here, there is, "A foxtrot above [his] head", (the foxtrot is a type of ballroom dance characterized by alternating between rapid and slow steps, uneven in rhythm, but requiring a lot of grace) and "a sock hop beneath his bed", (a sockhop is when students at a school dance take their shoes off and dance, often UNgracefully, under the slippery action of their socks). What this means is that this author has a lot of things racing through his mind. He's trying to bury the ungraceful ones under his bed, and focus on the more gracefully orchestrated ones, with varying success. However, disco balls are appropriate for both the foxtrot and for sock hops, and while it's nice to dance the foxtrot, what he actually needs right now is sleep. If only he could cut what is merely the "thread" of thoughts and have his brain stop dancing altogether so that he may have this.
[Chorus, again, about being unable to sleep, and being awoken by nightmares] "When I fall asleep"
"Leave my door open just a crack
(Please take me away from here)
'Cause I feel like such an insomniac
(Please take me away from here)
Why do I tire of counting sheep
(Please take me away from here)
When I'm far too tired to fall asleep"
Leaving one's door open is a common defense mechanism against nightmares and fear of the dark. The little voice in the background saying, "Please take me away from here" exemplifies both the author's fears of his nightmares, and his progressive impatience with lying awake in the bed. He feels like an insomniac, because he is. Now he's feeling sorry for himself. His body aches so heavily with exhaustion, that the discomfort keeps him awake. Why does his mind grow tired of counting sheep when his body is this tired?
"To ten million fireflies
I'm weird 'cause I hate goodbyes
I got misty eyes as they said farewell"
Now he's describing the early hours of the morning. The stars couldn't possibly understand why this insomniac hates to see them go. At this point, his eyes are red and itchy, tearing at the sunlight which is eradicating the stars-
"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"
-and yet, as the author explains, if he HAD fallen asleep, he would have awoken to see the stars. He again emphasizes his "bizarre" nightmares.
[Chorus X2 and then:]
"I'd like to make myself believe
That planet Earth turns slowly
It's hard to say that I'd rather stay
Awake when I'm asleep
Because my dreams are bursting at the seams"
Here, he ends on a different sad note. This time, not a nightmare, but a dream. Yet, given his situation, he wasn't given the opportunity to see how this finally nice dream played out.
NOTE: Based on my medical experience, this author probably suffers from OCD. Racing thoughts, obsession, fear of the dark, RLS, hypnic jerks, and general restlessness tend to occur under this diagnosis. OCD is very common among artists, especially writers. Considering how thoroughly specifically orchestrated these lyrics are, it's fair to say that these lyrics may come from the mind of someone who may be obsessed with detail. This guy probably needs some Seroquel and Neurontin (and maybe one of the more mood-stabilizing types of antidepressant.) -
You guys aren't looking deep enough into the rabbit hole. The song does not depict childhood innocence or insomnia. It is about astral projection. "It's hard to say that I'd rather stay awake when I'm asleep" because when you astral-project, your body is asleep and your mind is awake. "Everything is never as it seems" because the astral plane is in the 4th dimension and your physical body is in the 3rd dimension. The fireflies and other random fantasies he sings about just show you the depth of his imagination, you can will anything into existence in the 4th dimension. The reference to the earth turning slowly, you wouldn't understand this unless you've projected. You can actually travel into space and remote-view the earth. Search astral projection on YouTube for tips on how to do it. You can make anything happen that you wish into existence, connect with your spirit guides, see your akashic records, understand your higher self and why you are experiencing your current realities. Kmosleyrda @ yahoo.com if you want to expand your mind and need more info on how.
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At the heart of this song there seems to be a yearning or a desire to escape back to childhood innocence. Upon first hearing the song, I was intrigued by the melody and simple lyrics; it wasn't until I actually questioned the artists intent that I began seeing the deeper meaning of Adam Young's lyrics. The song starts by telling us we would "not believe" our eyes, a statement that suggests the song will cover some sort of fantastic occurrence. Then the song progresses into a dream like quality. The speaker actually speaks of fireflies as if they were surrounded by them, but I can't help believe the fireflies are supposed to stand for a specific event or situation. Hence the question: Who would catch fireflies? The answer: innocent children. The song speaks about the innocence of youth and how quickly that innocence escapes us. The chorus says "I'd LIKE to make myself believe" suggesting a desire of something that can not be completely accomplished. The speaker wants to believe earth moves slowly; if he can't believe that simple statement, it must mean the opposite is true--planet Earth spins much too fast. In other words, time passes by much too quickly. The speaker then talks about the desire to remain to remain in that dream trance instead of waking up to reality, because within that dream trance is the innocence of youth. An innocence and naivety that allows a simple act--catching fireflies--to become a magical excursion into a wonderland of possibility and adventure. The point of the song seems to speak about the need to hold onto and embrace (maybe even slip back into) our child hood innocence so the reality of growing up does not completely take away the magic and joy the world has to offer. Simply put: We are all forced to give up our childhood too soon. We need more fireflies and rooms full of toys (video) to keep our lives simple and innocent.
tee hee! i'm funny like this. ;) -
watch this video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QqVV2u_1ADA&feature=player_embedded#!) and start it at 12:40 this video will show you the meaning of fireflies.
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Its about astral projection. Look it up.
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Basically, a very open-minded interp of this song is that he is actually "astral projecting". dont let the music video fool you.
firstly, the basis of the song, "fireflies". while astral projection is something of a mystery, many accounts claim that regular objects around you tent to sparkle, and glow in small/random locations, similar to fireflies. filling the open air meaning he has projected into the open.
"world turns slowly" refers to the "narrator" having a large scale view of earth while projecting his concious.
"rather stay awake when i'm asleep, 'cause everything is never as it seems." now it seems here like he's blatantly saying that he'd rather stay within astral projection (sleeping) due to it's mysterious and magnificent nature.
"hugs from lightingbugs, as they try to teach me how to dance". this is a very open line, but i believe it has to do with the spiritual guides one may encounter durring astral projection. on account, these guides teach you further ways to help channel your spiritual conciousness.
"leave my door open" section refers to the narrator being excited to experience astral projection once more, in addition to the "please take me away from here", further hinting his intentions/wishes.
now the "misty eyes" verse may have to do with his return to his body. refering to the fireflies as the spiritual guides, he wishes to stay, but they know (as higher concious beings) what is to come. "keep some in a jar" is a very loose line, but may refer to him remembering the experience, and could just as easily return to where he left off when he projects once again.
in the final chourus, he ends with "because my dreams are bursting at the seams." this is further hint towards astral projection, because most people consider astral projection to be a dream, unaware of what they are accomplishing. again, reminessing in the magic that is astral projection. -
Fireflies is really a song about wanting the innocence of the world to engulf you, wanting all those simple things to layer over these complicated troubles. "You'd think me rude, but I would just stand and stare." This lyric explains how he simply stares as his world changes around him. There's no sweet simplicity - everything's getting a little more complicated. The chorus talks about how he wants the world to stop, and let him sleep in his dreams, where everything is really just perfection. His dreams are his safe haven. The last part of the chorus (cause everything's never as it seems) that really means that he's facing a world of lies and fibs - what he's supposed to believe, he has no idea. "A disco ball is just hanging by a thread" that means he's on the verge of falling apart, which would happen when the disco ball drops, right?
He also says "please take me away from here" in the bridge, which means that he wants to be taken away from this world full of imperfections, this world full of cruelty. "I'm weird cause I hate goodbyes, I got misty eyes as they said farewell." This lyric tells us that Adam would rather live forever in the moment than say goodbye to everyone and everything that he knew. The last lyric "Because my dreams are bursting at the seams." - that means that his dream of perfection, his dream of a truly blissful world is crashing before his eyes, and his hopes for that dream are bursting, shattering.
Just my opinion. -
I think the fireflies represent the singers childhood because he says that he hates saying good-bye to them and he keeps them in a jar meaning he holds on to his childhood memories
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This guy wants to go back to childhood innocence, that's been given, but for me, he's lost somebody he loves, either through death or a break up. He misses them, and when he sleeps he sees them. It's super hard for him to say goodbye and realize he will never be with them again. He doesn't know if he wants to wake up and realize she's gone. To me, he uses fireflies to relate to her. He dreams about the memories they had together.
The cue key to this is when he says "I keep saying if you... and then I keep getting ajar" or something along these lines.
I know several of you have interpreted this song differently, and that's why I love this song so much, because it's universal to several people's pain. -
The opening of the song I think he is saying you wouldnt believe your eyes if 10 million fireflies lit up the nigh sky and as incredible as that would seem he would just get bored and fall asleep. They are leaving tear drops everywhere however he wouldnt have a reaction, just stare.
Basically I think its opposite of what you would think. He is actually awake to what most people make themselves believe that planet earth turns slowly and thus he is asleep to the majority vision of fireflies, sock hops and disco balls.
However at the end he hopes beyond hope to somehow see what they see so he keeps some of the flies in a jar and stays awake (alive?) far longer than he should in the hopes that he will see it the way he is supposed to.
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