Jon McLaughlin is a U.S. pianist, guitarist, and pop/rock singer-songwriter… Read Full Bio ↴Jon McLaughlin is a U.S. pianist, guitarist, and pop/rock singer-songwriter.

McLaughlin was born on September 27, 1982 in Anderson, Indiana. Playing piano since early childhood, he was always finding ways to get out of piano lessons. While attending Highland High School, he shattered both wrists in an accident that interrupted his musical education. Nevertheless, McLaughlin attended Anderson University to study music. He released an independent album entitled Up until Now in 2003. This quickly led to McLaughlin becoming the first artist to sign on with the school's record label, Orangehaus Records. His self-titled album was released in 2004 to local and regional praise. He began touring, travelling throughout the U.S. Midwest, and working up a grassroots following.

He released Indiana in 2007, preceded earlier in the same year by the EP Industry, also known as Jon McL. In 2008, McLaughlin returned with lead single "Beating My Heart" from his album OK Now released in the same year. He gained fame with his cameo appearance in Disney's Enchanted. Released in early September 2011 in the U.S. Forever If Ever was McLaughlin's third major-label release. 2012's lead single "Summer Is Over" featured fellow singer-songwriter-pianist Sara Bareilles from Promising Promises which was a slightly reworked version of his 2011 album. There were no other singles released from the album. Jon released Holding My Breath on his website and iTunes on September 24, 2013. The mp3 version of the album is also available at Amazon.

The Atmosphere
Jon McLaughlin Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Before we lose the light of day
Before our words take their place
Before the mystery has been erased
Let's close our eyes

Before we are who we'll become
Before it's all been said and done
And the truth that we swear upon

Has faded to lies

Let's ignore the end growing near
Tell me things I wanna hear

If we're going down, baby don't tell me now
I just want to stay high up in the sky, flying around
We can watch all our fear burning up in the atmosphere
Tell me why is it hard to believe it will always be you and me

After we see the morning light
After a million sleepless nights
After us, after all this time
Let's close our eyes
And ignore the end growing near
Tell me things I wanna hear

If we're going down, baby don't tell me now
I just want to stay high up in the sky, flying around
So we can watch all our fear burning up in the atmosphere
Tell me why is it hard to believe it will always be you

And why is it so hard to do
Baby I still believe it will always be you and me

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Jon McLaughlin's song, "The Atmosphere," tell a story of two people who want to ignore the inevitability of their relationship's end by staying in the present moment. The song starts with a sense of urgency with the line, "Before we lose the light of day." This is an invitation to seize the moment and hold on to what they have before it slips away. The following line, "Before our words take their place," is an acknowledgment that their words have the power to destroy what they have built, and they must be careful with what they say.

The second verse continues with the same theme of ignoring the end and focusing on the present moment. The line, "Let's ignore the end growing near," is a defiant statement, refusing to accept what they know is coming. The following line, "Tell me things I wanna hear," shows that they would rather live in a fantasy where they can ignore the truth than face the harsh reality of their situation.

The chorus is a plea to stay in the moment and ignore the end that is growing near. The lines, "I just want to stay high up in the sky, flying around," and "We can watch all our fear burning up in the atmosphere," show that they want to escape reality and live in a world where their problems don't exist. The final line, "Tell me why is it hard to believe it will always be you and me," is a plea for hope, that what they have together will last forever.

Overall, the song is a beautiful and poignant reminder to cherish the present moment and to hold on to what we have while we have it. It's a call to ignore the inevitable end and to focus on the beauty of the present.

Line by Line Meaning

Before we lose the light of day
Before the day ends

Before our words take their place
Before our promises are made

Before the mystery has been erased
Before everything becomes clear

Let's close our eyes
Let us enjoy the current moment

Before we are who we'll become
Before we change and grow

Before it's all been said and done
Before it's too late

And the truth that we swear upon
Our promises

Has faded to lies
Have become untrue

Let's ignore the end growing near
Let's forget about the future

Tell me things I wanna hear
Say things that make me feel good

If we're going down, baby don't tell me now
Don't ruin the moment