FIREFLYING WITH OWL CITY

I love the beginning of this song. The techno-melodic sounds accompanied by the "tings" of what sounded like a 'triangle' mesmerizes me every time I listen to it. It's like the rhythm teleports me through the tiny, blurring lights of the city and I love that feeling because it is an out of the world experience  - something you desperately need to get away from reality.

If I have to choose one word to describe this song, I'd go for 'innocence'.

I was on YouTube watching this video and there's a comment that brilliantly describe this song.

iluvmytwilight said:
I think it is that way (with the toys and what not) because the song is about being a kid. you know, watching fireflies and capturing them in a jar. And thinking that the world turns slowly when you're a kid. and falling asleep when you're a kid. Counting sheep, keeping your door open, wanting to be awake. that's my take on what it means.

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 tear drops everywhere
You'd think me rude
But I'll just stand and stare

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

'Cause I'd get a thousand hugs
From ten thousand lightning bugs
As they tried 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
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
To ten million fireflies,
I'm weird 'cause I hate goodbyes
I got misty eyes as they say farewell
But I know where several are
If my dreams get real bizarre
'Cause I saved a few and I keep them in a jar

This song successfully captures such a simple theme of childhood innocence in such beautiful rhythm. I agree with iluvmytwilight's interpretation in many ways:
The song is the lyricist expression of his innocence as a child...I'd say that he's in a dream where he enjoy the company of his ten thousand lightning bugs - the fireflies.

He reminisces his days as a child, mesmerized and staring at the wonders of the world. I don't know if you realized but children would just stand and stare at things for the longest time; it's like they are amazed and trying to figure out how things work. As adult, we are always doing things hurriedly, not savouring the moments and not taking the time to enjoy the simple things in life, well, for example checking out fireflies.

Children let their imagination run wild and I guess that's why our lyricist penned that the fireflies thought him how to dance. If seen from an adult's point of view, they are just flying. As a child, our planet seems to turn slowly, time moves slowly and we take our time to enjoy the things that surrounds us. As adults, we are caught in the fast pace of life. We rush through things because we want more time.

I also remember as a kid, I had problems sleeping too. Erm, maybe I was too excited about the adventures that awaits us. I guess in many ways we feel that there's so much more that can be done when we are awake that even when we are asleep, we can't get our brains off the adventures and the things that surrounds us. To me, I guess this song describes the author in his half sleeping mode - you know, when he's not completely sleeping and he's in his dreamy world.

The video clip itself is brilliant. Simple but again capturing the theme of the song. Just by editing the montages of the various toys that surrounds the room, adding with it the dark room effects, the artiste manage to enhance the meaning of the song and brings us back childhood memories and the innocence that comes with it. I even have some of the toys featured in the video. Well, it shows again that we don't need super cool effects to create a super cool video.

p/s: Thanks to King Kong who pointed out this song to me when we were at the shopping mall.