A Firm Handshake was a band formed by Zach Sobiech, Sammy Brown and Reed Re… Read Full Bio ↴A Firm Handshake was a band formed by Zach Sobiech, Sammy Brown and Reed Redmond. The band is from Stillwater, Minnesota.

They released one album, Fix Me Up in 2013. The single Clouds was released as a video to youtube, and was met with great popularity.

Sobiech died in May 2013 from cancer.

Star Hopping
A Firm Handshake Lyrics

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Stars are nice they
Make my nights lighter
As we sit upon this roof,
Looking for Mars and
The Truth.
I take out my telescope hoping
It would maybe help me cope with
The misaligning stars in my life.

As I stand here waiting, wishing, wanting
To take off and go star hopping.
Start the count down: three, two, one. Let's go!

I spy a lightning bug, not a very frightening one.
(At least, not especially.)
Just flies up in the sky doesn't ask who, what, when, or why.
Why can't I be more like that?
And I feel bad for Pluto;
He doesn't get much kudos for his size,
Being a little guy.
Sometimes I feel like that inside.

As I stand here waiting, wishing, wanting
To take off and go star hopping.
Start the count down: three, two, one. Let's go!

You get the pencil and I will get the paper we'll sketch us up a plan and we'll make it out together. You get the pencil and I will get the paper we'll sketch us up a plan and we'll make it out together.

But for now we'll stand here waiting, wishing, wanting

To take off and go star hopping.
Start the count down: three, two, one. Let's go.

Overall Meaning

The song "Star Hopping" by A Firm Handshake is a beautiful tribute to the night sky and the contemplation it can inspire. The lyrics describe a moment of reflection as the singer sits on a roof with a friend, looking at the stars and trying to find meaning in their alignment. The stars, which "make my nights lighter," offer a sense of hope and possibility in the midst of the singer's struggles. The telescope that the singer takes out becomes a tool for coping with the "misaligning stars" in their life, as if the act of observing something larger and more cosmic can help put their problems in perspective.

The second verse of the song takes on a more whimsical tone, as the singer observes a lightning bug and reflects on their own shortcomings. They feel a kinship with Pluto, the dwarf planet that has been the subject of scientific debate and controversy – just as Pluto is often overlooked and underestimated, the singer feels small and insignificant in the grand scheme of things. But despite these feelings of self-doubt, they are determined to take action and make a plan. The repeated refrain of "You get the pencil and I will get the paper we'll sketch us up a plan and we'll make it out together" echoes this sense of collaboration and hope.

Overall, "Star Hopping" is a song that celebrates the beauty of the night sky and the sense of wonder and possibility it can inspire. It is a reminder that even in moments of hardship and uncertainty, there is always something larger to contemplate and aspire to.

Line by Line Meaning

Stars are nice they
Stars make the night lighter.

Make my nights lighter
Stars brighten up the night.

As we sit upon this roof,
We are sitting on the roof of a building or house.

Looking for Mars and
Searching for planet Mars and

The Truth.
the truth about life.

I take out my telescope hoping
I bring out my telescope and hope that

It would maybe help me cope with
it could help me deal with

The misaligning stars in my life.
my own problems and challenges.

As I stand here waiting, wishing, wanting
I stand here desiring, yearning to

To take off and go star hopping.
explore the stars and outer space.

Start the count down: three, two, one. Let's go!
Count down to take off into space.

I spy a lightning bug, not a very frightening one.
I see a small, harmless lightning bug.

(At least, not especially.)
(At least, it doesn't seem that way.)

Just flies up in the sky doesn't ask who, what, when, or why.
It just flies around without questioning anything.

Why can't I be more like that?
Why can't I be carefree and spontaneous like the bug?

And I feel bad for Pluto;
I feel sympathy for planet Pluto;

He doesn't get much kudos for his size,
it is not celebrated for its small size.

Being a little guy.
It is considered small and insignificant.

Sometimes I feel like that inside.
Sometimes, I feel small and insignificant on the inside.

You get the pencil and I will get the paper we'll sketch us up a plan and we'll make it out together.
We will make a plan together and overcome obstacles.

But for now we'll stand here waiting, wishing, wanting
For now, we wait and hope to

To take off and go star hopping.
explore space and the stars.

Start the count down: three, two, one. Let's go.
Count down to take off and get excited to venture into outer space.

Writer(s): Zach Sobiech, Samantha Brown

Contributed by Avery J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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