The music video for "Fireflies" premiered on July 21, 2009 and was directed by Steve Hoover. It features Adam Young playing the song on a Lowrey spinet organ in a toy-filled bedroom, where most of the toys (including Robie Sr.; a Tyrannosaurus rex; a Speak & Spell; toy cars, including one based on the UK children's TV character Brum; and a blimp) come to life. Most of the toys are older model toys, with most of them from the 1970s and 1980s (the exceptions being a RoboSapien and a Roboraptor). There are also vintage household devices such as a black-and-white television and a record player. As the song begins, Young presses a "magic" button on the organ's control panel, turning on various lamps and lanterns throughout the room, some shaped uniquely (e.g., one shaped like a lemon, and one like a hot-air balloon). The toys become sentient during the second verse, moving faster and more erratically as the song progresses towards the end. Once Young presses the "magic" button again, the toys deactivate and the room goes dark. The video ends with Young turning off his organ as the camera fades to black. The music video gained rotation on VH1 and MTV and as of 2024, the music video has over 500m+ views and 4 million likes on YouTube.
"Fireflies" was generally well received by music critics and was an inescapable hit; Spin columnist Rob Arcand wrote that the tune "cascaded throughout the world, inescapable in public spaces in the years that followed. Something about its mawkish, saccharine lyrics were so flawlessly inoffensive as to make it the perfect song for light-rock radio, and the track rippled through airwaves in malls, airports, commercials, and public transit until even the most earnest fans grew a little tired."
American electronic producer James Ferraro, commonly credited with pioneering the electronic genre vaporwave, called "Fireflies" the best song of the 21st century, interpreting it on Twitter as having themes of mass surveillance and "circadian rhythm disorder from ever present [sic] devices".
In May 2017, the song was repurposed as an Internet meme, usually involving the song being played at an extremely loud volume or being remixed to fit a certain theme. Another variant of the meme involved writing a pun for the line "You would not believe your eyes, if ten million fireflies". The song received further notability in June when Owl City was asked to interpret the lyric "I get a thousand hugs from 10,000 lightning bugs." Following its virality as an internet meme, the song re-entered the Billboard charts at number eight on the US Rock Streaming Songs chart.
The song topped the Billboard Hot 100 for two non-consecutive weeks. Internationally, the song also topped the charts in Australia, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, the Netherlands, Norway, Ireland, Sweden and the United Kingdom. "Fireflies" was Owl City's only top forty hit in the United States until three years later when "Good Time", a duet with Canadian singer Carly Rae Jepsen, charted at No. 8. It has been covered by Christina Grimmie, Cheryl Cole and others.
"Fireflies" is featured in the video game Disney Sing It: Party Hits, and was used in the promotional video for EyePet. It is available as downloadable content for Guitar Hero 5, Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock and Rock Band 3. The song was released as a free download on the game Tap Tap Revenge 3 by Tapulous.
Fireflies
OWL CITY Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
If ten million fireflies
Lit up the world as I fell asleep
'Cause they fill the open air
And leave teardrops everywhere
You'd think me rude but I would just stand and stare
I'd like to make myself believe that planet Earth turns slowly
'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 (thread, thread)
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 (when I fall asleep)
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 said farewell (they said farewell)
But I'll know where several are
If my dreams get real bizarre
'Cause I saved a few and I keep them in a jar (jar, jar, jar)
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 (when I fall asleep)
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 (when I fall asleep)
(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)
(Because my dreams are bursting at the seams)
Owl City's song "Fireflies" is a song about escapism and attempting to find peace in a chaotic world. The lyrics, "You would not believe your eyes if ten million fireflies lit up the world as I fell asleep" imply a sense of wonder and childlike innocence in the face of the world. However, the lyrics also hint at a restless spirit, captured in the lines "I feel like such an insomniac," and "why do I tire of counting sheep?" indicating that the singer is struggling to find a sense of calm in their life.
The chorus of "Fireflies" serves to emphasize the escapism the singer is looking for, using the repetition of "I'd like to make myself believe that planet Earth turns slowly" to suggest that the singer is searching for a way to slow down the world and feel more in control. The next line, "It's hard to say that I'd rather stay awake when I'm asleep" implies that the singer is searching for a way to escape the anxieties of reality and find solace in their dreams.
The final verse of the song captures the sense of bittersweetness that comes with escapism, tying the song together neatly. The line, "I'm weird 'cause I hate goodbyes, I got misty eyes as they said, 'Farewell'" suggests that the singer feels a sense of loss at leaving their dreams behind to return to reality. However, the singer also reveals that they have been able to hold onto a few fireflies in a jar, indicating that they are able to keep some of the wonder of their dreams with them even after they wake up.
Line by Line Meaning
You would not believe your eyes
The sight of ten million fireflies is such an incredible experience.
If ten million fireflies
An enormous swarm of fireflies.
Lit up the world as I fell asleep
They are omnipresent and could turn any dark room into a sea of sparkling gold.
'Cause they fill the open air
These beautiful creatures occupy the atmosphere.
And leave teardrops everywhere
Their light seems to be creating a water-like effect.
You'd think me rude but I would just stand and stare
I would love to stand there and just watch the fireflies do their dance.
I'd like to make myself believe that planet Earth turns slowly
In my dream, I like imagining the way the world functions in a serene, tamed, and unhurried manner.
It's hard to say that I'd rather stay awake when I'm asleep
Occasionally, I would like to stay asleep and experience the serenity of my dream much longer.
'Cause everything is never as it seems
The world and the things I see are not always what they seem to be.
'Cause I'd get a thousand hugs
The fireflies seem so friendly and cheerful that they almost remind me of how hugs and embraces make me feel.
From ten thousand lightning bugs
An endless swarm of lightning bugs surrounded me, their warmth envelops me like a blanket.
As they tried to teach me how to dance
I felt a sense of bonding with the fireflies as they tried to teach me and make me feel like part of their community.
A foxtrot above my head
The way the fireflies swarmed above my head closely resembled a classic dance step.
A sock hop beneath my bed
Unexpectedly, the fireflies danced beneath my bed reminding me of an old-fashioned sock hop.
A disco ball is just hanging by a thread (thread, thread)
The dance floor resembles a disco ball just hanging by a thread, waiting to be ignited by the dancing lights of the fireflies.
Leave my door open just a crack
An invitation for the fireflies to come and play, even if that means leaving a door open just a bit.
Please take me away from here
The setting´s boredom invokes a desire for an escape.
'Cause I feel like such an insomniac
The restlessness overflowing from one's body into the surrounding space creates discomfort and might produce insomnia.
Why do I tire of counting sheep?
Counting sheep never works to induce sleep, and the thought of always relying on that method feels frustrating.
When I'm far too tired to fall asleep
Despite fatigue and the desire to rest, sometimes sleep just refuses to enter one´s mind.
To ten million fireflies
Dedicated to the many fireflies that have lit up my life.
I'm weird 'cause I hate goodbyes
Feeling odd for detesting goodbyes and wanting to hold on to special moments with the fireflies a little longer.
I got misty eyes as they said, "Farewell" (they said farewell)
Feeling emotional as the magical moment came to an end and the fireflies vanished upon bidding farewell.
But I'll know where several are
Having captured some fireflies in a jar prompts a belief that several more might be around to brighten up future nights.
If my dreams get real bizarre
A contingency plan to escape to an alternate reality to free oneself from the realities of life.
'Cause I saved a few and I keep them in a jar (jar, jar, jar)
Relying on memories kept safe, thus enabling them to visit the fireflies once again when in need of a magic boost.
Because my dreams are bursting at the seams
My imagination runs wild and refuses to be contained within reasonable boundaries.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Adam R. Young
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@YoutuberGamer1212
Welp, here’s the lyrics anyways:
You would not believe your eyes
If ten million fireflies
Lit up the world as I fell asleep
'Cause they fill the open air
And leave teardrops everywhere
You'd think me rude but I would 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 (thread, thread)
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 (when I fall asleep)
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 said farewell (said farewell)
But I'll know where several are
If my dreams get real bizarre
'Cause I saved a few and I keep them in a jar (jar, jar)
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 (when I fall asleep)
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 (when I fall asleep)
@YikesJK
“We didn’t know we were making memories, we were just having fun”
-Winnie the Pooh
@xNikitaValconix
aaaawwwww
@yourhentai1179
Judson McKenzie No it’s not, I never saw this kind of comment
@fordgalaxie3695
@@yourhentai1179 You aren't on the internet that much then.
@fordgalaxie3695
@@yourhentai1179 Doesn't mean it's uncommon lol
@Charlie-hv3dh
YikesJK I always listen to this song when I can’t sleep, my god I love fireflys
@okaysouls
still bopping eight years later
@neurotic3015
Exactly, this shit is the most lit thing I've listened to in a while. I get such a feeling of nostalgia when I hear it.
@bradendavids8633
9 years do the math
@martylovesu
oh hello same