Music Review: Owl City "Fireflies"

Owl City

Fireflies

Album: Ocean Eyes

Year: 2009

              Adam Young likes to observe the world at night in the kooky “Fireflies.”

              Popping synths open the single, setting an animated tone. His friend comments how tired he looks. He explains he was up late last night that he completely lost track of time. While he was sitting on his porch, he say what must have been a ten million fireflies buzzing around a streetlight. He continues to say that his neighbors probably thought he was on something but he was really fascinated. (“You would not believe your eyes/If ten million fireflies/Lit up the world as I fell asleep/'Cause they'd fill the open air/And leave teardrops everywhere/You'd think me rude, but I would just stand and stare.”)

              In the chorus, he says the world changes at night. There’s a whole different feel. (“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.”)

             He comments that the fireflies’ movements were like a dance. Each one would take a turn, with another seemingly take the lead. (“'Cause I'd 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.”)

                    An extended chorus is sung. (“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 (When I fall asleep.”)

                In the bridge, watching the fireflies helps him sleep. It relaxes him and lets his mind rest. (“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.”)

                He rubs his arms. The weather is beginning to get cool. Soon, the fireflies won’t be around. He’ll miss gazing at them. They kept him company for many nights. However, he made sure to pick a few and harbors them in a container he got the dollar store. It’ll allow him to relive the nights. (“To ten million fireflies/I'm weird 'cause I hate goodbyes/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 (A jar.”)

              The extended chorus is sung twice.

               In the final chorus, he confesses the content of his dreams are disturbing him. The images are far too real. He doesn’t want to sleep. (“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.”)

                  Young is wide-eyed and seemingly unaware of how unhinged he is. It’s as though he’s a tiny hair away from cracking up. His strange behavior is bound to bring up some red flags.

               The   peculiar  “Fireflies” needs to invest in some therapy.