Chris Laurent is a New York based musician, producer, multi-instrumentalist… Read Full Bio ↴Chris Laurent is a New York based musician, producer, multi-instrumentalist, and singer/songwriter, known for his textural soundscapes and shades of alternative indie. After slowly putting out short pieces in 2017, Chris has since released an independent EP and a handful of singles, making a name for himself as he returns from a hiatus in the indie, post-Soundcloud era.

Lighter Than Air
Chris Laurent Lyrics

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There's a light crawling under your door
From a height of a hundred or more
Too much time living up in the clouds
I could've sworn you were pulling me down
Fit yourself together, pick your head up
"Never better", just to take edge off
Too much time living up in the clouds
Tying up my ankles into the ground

You overwound your inhibitions
Too far this time
I've been stuck in conversation
At the door
Footsteps walk ahead of us
I can't feel the floor
It goes up in flames
Ascending softly
To the sky

When it's all so real
When it's all so real

Overall Meaning

In Chris Laurent's song "Lighter Than Air," the lyrics depict a sense of detachment and escapism from the troubles and burdens of life. The opening lines, "There's a light crawling under your door, from a height of a hundred or more," suggest a glimpse into another world or a higher realm. The singer perceives the person they are addressing as someone who spends too much time lost in their own thoughts, living in the clouds. This person seems to have a negative impact on the singer, pulling them down instead of lifting them up.

The phrase "Fit yourself together, pick your head up, 'Never better,' just to take the edge off" implies that the person is trying to put up a facade of being fine, while in reality, they are struggling with their inhibitions. The singer feels trapped in a conversation with this person, possibly an emotional or mental burden, unable to find solid ground. The line "Footsteps walk ahead of us, I can't feel the floor" reinforces this feeling of disconnection and uncertainty.

As the song progresses, there is a shift towards a metaphorical depiction of liberation and release. The image of things going up in flames and ascending softly to the sky suggests a transformation or a letting go of the weight that holds the singer down. The phrase "When it's all so real" could refer to the moments of clarity and authenticity when one transcends their troubles and finds a sense of freedom.

Overall, "Lighter Than Air" portrays the struggle to break free from the heaviness and constraints of life, seeking a higher plane of existence where the burdens become weightless.

Line by Line Meaning

There's a light crawling under your door
There is a glimmer of hope or possibility that is slowly entering your life

From a height of a hundred or more
From a significant distance or perspective

Too much time living up in the clouds
Spending too much time in a dream-like or unrealistic state of mind

I could've sworn you were pulling me down
I believed that you were dragging me down or holding me back

Fit yourself together, pick your head up
Get yourself organized and uplift your spirit

"Never better", just to take the edge off
Claiming to be fine, but actually trying to mask or alleviate some stress or discomfort

Tying up my ankles into the ground
Restraining or limiting my freedom or progress

You overwound your inhibitions
You have let your fears and doubts control you excessively

Too far this time
You have gone beyond a reasonable or acceptable limit

I've been stuck in conversation
I have been trapped or unable to break free from a discussion or situation

At the door
Right at the point of making a decision or taking action