Airplanes
B.o.B/Forekast Lyrics

Can we pretend that airplanes in the night sky are like shootin' stars
The singer wants to imagine that airplanes flying in the night sky are like shooting stars, which are often wished upon.

I could really use a wish right now, wish right now, wish right now
The singer is expressing a strong desire for something positive to happen, and he wishes that he could make a wish to help make it come true.

Yeah, I could use a dream or a genie or a wish
The singer is expressing his desire for something positive to happen, and he wishes that he had some kind of magical or supernatural help to make it come true.

To go back to a place much simpler than this
The artist wants to go back to a time in his life when things were less complicated and stressful.

'Cause after all the partyin' and smashin' and crashin'
The artist has been engaged in a lot of wild and crazy behavior that has led to turmoil and chaos in his life.

And all the glitz and glam and the fashion
The singer has been caught up in the glamorous and fashionable lifestyle that often accompanies success as a musician.

And all the pandemonium and all the madness
The singer has been through a lot of tumultuous and chaotic experiences, both in his personal life and in his career as a musician.

There comes a time where you fade to the blackness
The artist is expressing his sense that there are times in life where things feel dark and hopeless, and it's hard to see a way out of those moments.

And when you're starin' at the phone in your lap
The artist is depicting a moment of loneliness and sadness, where he is sitting alone and staring at his phone, hoping for someone to reach out to him.

And you hopin' but them people never call you back
The artist is expressing his disappointment and frustration that the people he is hoping to hear from never call him back.

But that's just how the story unfolds
The singer is acknowledging that life has its ups and downs, and that sometimes things don't work out the way we want them to.

You get another hand soon after you fold
The artist is expressing his belief that even when things don't go the way we want them to, there is always the possibility of another opportunity or chance to come our way.

And when your plans unravel in the sand
The singer is acknowledging that sometimes the plans we make for our lives don't work out, and they fall apart like sand.

What would you wish for, if you had one chance?
The singer is posing a rhetorical question, asking his listeners to consider what they would wish for if they had the chance to make a wish for something positive to happen in their lives.

So airplane, airplane sorry I'm late
The singer is addressing an airplane, apologizing for being late to catch his flight.

I'm on my way so don't close that gate
The artist is urging the airline not to close the gate on his flight, as he is on his way to catch it.

If I don't make that, then I'll switch my flight
The artist is indicating that if he misses his original flight, he will switch to a different one.

And I'll be right back at it by the end of the night
The singer is expressing his determination to make it to his destination, even if he has to take a different flight to get there, and he believes he will be able to get back on track by the end of the night.

Yeah, yeah, somebody take me back to the days
The singer is expressing his desire to go back in time, to a simpler time in his life.

Before this was a job, before I got paid
The artist is wishing to go back to a time in his life when making music was something he did for fun, and before he was paid for it.

Before it ever mattered what I had in my bank
The artist is wishing to go back to a time when he didn't worry about money or material possessions, and when he was focused on making music for the sake of making music.

Yeah, back when I was tryna get a tip at Subway
The artist is reminiscing about a time in his life when he was working at Subway and trying to earn tips from customers.

And back then I was rappin' for the hell of it
The singer is remembering a time in his life when he made music simply because he enjoyed it, not because he was trying to achieve success or fame.

But nowadays we rappin' to stay relevant
The artist is acknowledging that the music industry has changed, and many musicians feel pressure to produce music that will be popular and profitable, rather than making music for the love of it.

I'm guessin' that if we can make some wishes out of airplanes
The singer is expressing the idea that if they can use their imagination to think of airplanes as shooting stars, then perhaps they can make wishes that will come true.

Then maybe, oh maybe, I'll go back to the days
The singer is expressing the hope that if he can make a wish, he will be able to go back in time to a simpler and more joyful time in his life.

Before the politics that we call the rap game
The singer is expressing his disdain for the business side of the music industry, which he sees as full of politics and manipulation.

And back when ain't nobody listened to my mixtape
The artist is reminiscing about a time in his life before he gained popularity as a musician, when very few people listened to his music.

And back before when I tried to cover up my slang
The artist is remembering a time in his life when he tried to modify his language and slang to fit in with the mainstream, rather than staying true to himself.

But this is for Decatur, what's up Bobby Ray?
The singer is referencing his hometown of Decatur, and addressing himself by his real name, Bobby Ray Simmons.

So can I get a wish to end the politics?
The singer is expressing his desire to use his wish to bring an end to the political and business aspects of the music industry that he dislikes.

And get back to the music that started this shit
The artist is expressing his desire to return to his roots as a musician, and make music for the love of the art, rather than for the sake of success and profitability.

So here I stand and then again I say
The artist is positioning himself as a determined and resilient figure who is willing to stand up for what he believes in, and fight for his dreams.

I'm hoping we can make some wishes out of airplanes
The artist is reiterating his hope that by imagining airplanes as shooting stars, they can make wishes that will come true.

I could really use a wish right now
The singer is emphasizing his desire and need for something positive to happen in his life.

I, I, I could really use a wish right now
The artist is repeating himself to emphasize the depth of his desire for something positive to happen.

Like, like, like shooting stars
The singer is once again evoking the image of shooting stars, which are often thought of as something magical and significant.

I, I, I could, I could really use a wish right now
The singer is expressing his wish once again, emphasizing that he really needs something positive to happen in his life.

A wish, a wish right now
The singer is making it clear that he wants to make a wish in this moment, and he hopes that it will come true.