Young also records under the names Sky Sailing, Port Blue, Color Therapy, Insect Airport, Seagull Orchestra and his own name, Adam Young.
Young started out making music in 2007 in his basement in his hometown of Owatonna, Minnesota, United States, later developing a following through his MySpace profile before being signed to Universal Republic. Young has released seven albums under the Owl City moniker: "Maybe I'm Dreaming" (2008), "Ocean Eyes" (2009), "All Things Bright and Beautiful" (2011), "The Midsummer Station" (2012), "Mobile Orchestra" (2015), "Cinematic" (2018), and "Coco Moon" (2023). Young's 2009 single "Fireflies" reached #1 in the United States, United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia and The Netherlands. His second major hit, 2012's "Good Time" featuring Carly Rae Jepsen reached #8 in the US and #1 in New Zealand.
He was also once a member of Windsor Airlift and Swimming with Dolphins, both of which he is no longer involved with.
Rainbow Veins
Owl City Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Bright eyes and subtle variations of blue
Everywhere is balanced there like a rainbow above you
Street lights glisten on the boulevard
And cold nights make staying alert so hard
For heaven's sake, keep me awake so I won't be caught off guard
Clearly I am a passerby but I'll find a place to stay
Small town hearts of the New Year
Brought down by gravity, crystal clear
City fog and brave dialogue converge on the frontier
Make haste, I feel your heartbeat
With new taste for speed, out on the street
Find a road to a humble abode where both of our routes meet
The silver sound is all around and the colors fall like snow
The feeling of letting go, I guess we'll never know
Cheer up and dry your damp eyes and tell me when it rains
And I'll blend up that rainbow above you and shoot it through your veins
Cause your heart has a lack of color and we should've known
That we'd grow up sooner or later cause we wasted all our free time alone
Your nerves gather with the altitude
Exhale the stress so you don't come unglued
Somewhere there is a happy affair, a ghost of a good mood
Wide eyed, panic on the getaway
The high tide could take me so far away
VCR's and motorcars unite on the Seventh Day
A popular gauge will measure the rage of the new Post-Modern Age
Cause somewhere along the line all the decades align
We were the crashing whitecaps
On the ocean
And what lovely seaside holiday, away
A palm tree in Christmas lights
My emotion
Struck a sparkling tone like a xylophone
As we spent the day alone
Cheer up and dry your damp eyes and tell me when it rains
And I'll blend up that rainbow above you and shoot it through your veins
Cause your heart has a lack of color and we should've known
That we'd grow up sooner or later 'cause we wasted all our free time alone
The Owl City song “Rainbow Veins” is a surrealistic tribute to the beauty of the city’s streets and creative impulses coursing through people’s veins that connects and energizes them. It is a poetic exploration of the sublime ecstasy bridled by the cold nights and the din of city life.
The song starts with an exultant description of the city's dazzling streets ("High rise, veins of the avenue") that seem to flow like a stream of rainbow colors. As the lyrics unfold, the song creates a vivid sense of the city by painting an impressively dreamy and magical picture of the world. Sometimes, this is achieved through straightforward imagery of streetlights and neon signs ("Street lights glisten on the boulevard) and the subtly mesmerizing beauty of everyday existence. As the song progresses, it transitions towards a more introspective path that contemplates how life is both filled with possibility and unpredictability, and the singer's role as a mere passerby in the grand scheme of things ("Clearly, I am a passerby, but I'll find a place to stay.") The song concludes with a plea to find meaning in life ("Cheer up and dry your damp eyes") and a realization that it is not too late to fill one's heart with wonder ("Cause your heart has a lack of color and we should've known / That we'd grow up sooner or later ‘cause we wasted all our free time alone.")
Line by Line Meaning
High rise, veins of the avenue
The tall buildings and streets create an intricate network of pathways.
Bright eyes and subtle variations of blue
The environment is full of color, and everything seems to be in balance.
Everywhere is balanced there like a rainbow above you
Everything is harmonious, like a beautiful rainbow in the sky.
Street lights glisten on the boulevard
The street is illuminated by the lights, which create a beautiful glow.
And cold nights make staying alert so hard
The weather is chilly and makes it difficult to stay awake.
For heaven's sake, keep me awake so I won't be caught off guard
Please keep me alert so that I don't miss anything important.
Clearly I am a passerby but I'll find a place to stay
I may be just passing through, but I'll make a home wherever I can.
Dear pacific day, won't you take me away?
I wish the peaceful day would take me away from my problems and stress.
Small town hearts of the New Year
People who live in small towns have a simplicity about them during the new year.
Brought down by gravity, crystal clear
The weight of their situation is crystal clear and a cause of sadness.
City fog and brave dialogue converge on the frontier
The city fog creates a mysterious atmosphere during a conversation on the edge of the town.
Make haste, I feel your heartbeat
Hurry up, your excitement is contagious and I can feel it.
With new taste for speed, out on the street
I have a new passion for speed, and I want to feel it on the road.
Find a road to a humble abode where both of our routes meet
Let's find a simple home for us to share, where our journey together starts.
The silver sound is all around and the colors fall like snow
The music is everywhere, and the colorful lights are like snowflakes falling from the sky.
The feeling of letting go, I guess we'll never know
The feeling of giving up control is something we will never truly understand.
Cheer up and dry your damp eyes and tell me when it rains
I want you to be happy and not cry, and let me know when you need me.
And I'll blend up that rainbow above you and shoot it through your veins
I'll make you feel better by injecting you with colors of the rainbow.
Cause your heart has a lack of color and we should've known
Your heart is lacking something important, and we should have realized it before.
That we'd grow up sooner or later 'cause we wasted all our free time alone
We knew we would grow up eventually, but we wasted too much time alone.
Your nerves gather with the altitude
As you go higher, you become more nervous and anxious.
Exhale the stress so you don't come unglued
Breathe out the stress to prevent a nervous breakdown.
Somewhere there is a happy affair, a ghost of a good mood
Somewhere there is a joyful gathering, even if it's just a faint memory.
Wide eyed, panic on the getaway
With wide-open eyes, we're frantically trying to get away from something.
The high tide could take me so far away
The tide is so high, it could carry me very far away.
VCR's and motorcars unite on the Seventh Day
TV and cars come together on Sundays.
A popular gauge will measure the rage of the new Post-Modern Age
This time period will be marked by a popular way to measure people's anger.
Cause somewhere along the line all the decades align
At some point in history, all the decades will have something in common.
We were the crashing whitecaps on the ocean
We were the waves crashing against the shore of the ocean.
And what lovely seaside holiday, away
What a beautiful vacation at the beach, away from everything else.
A palm tree in Christmas lights
A palm tree decorated with Christmas lights creates a unique and joyful atmosphere.
My emotion struck a sparkling tone like a xylophone
My feelings created a joyful sound, like a xylophone playing.
As we spent the day alone
We enjoyed a peaceful day together, just the two of us.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: ADAM R. YOUNG
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind