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.
Rugs From Me To You
Owl City Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It refused to stay as it all turned grey
Or William Shakespeare's receding hair
Please excuse the pun, it's hair today, gone tomorrow
So be thankful for what precious locks you have
Toupee, or not toupee, that is the question
Thank the Lord I'm not going bald
And if I may quip, my curls and I
Are just like heaven
And rest assured, there'll be no parting there
But should my head get bare like Frier Tuck
Hard taste to swallow
It makes me smile, 'cause I know just what I'd do
Yeah if I had more wigs, than I knew what to do with
I'd open a second hand store
And if you ever went bald, you'd recall it
'Cause I'd cleverly call it 'Rugs from me to you'
The first stanza of these lyrics from Owl City's song Rugs From Me To You uses the word playfully “pay” instead of “pray” in reference to the phrase “to be or not to be” from Shakespeare’s Hamlet. However, the lyrics do not explicitly refer to Hamlet, but rather to “William Shakespeare’s receding hair,” which plays on the idea that Shakespeare himself may have struggled with hair loss. The second line, “It refused to stay as it all turned grey,” may be interpreted in two ways. The first can be seen as a nod to the idea that as one ages, hair loss is quite common - this refers back to both Shakespeare and the earlier reference to Hamlet. The second way that this line can be interpreted is in reference to the sense of melancholy that can set in when one is experiencing hair loss or going grey.
Line by Line Meaning
To pay or not to pay that is the question
The decision to invest in a toupee or not is the conundrum
It refused to stay as it all turned grey
The hair began to fall out as it started to turn grey
Or William Shakespeare's receding hair
Or could it be a reference to William Shakespeare's own balding
Please excuse the pun, it's hair today, gone tomorrow
Apologies in advance for the wordplay, as hair may not last forever
So be thankful for what precious locks you have
Appreciate the hair you have while it lasts
Toupee, or not toupee, that is the question
The decision to wear a toupee or not still remains
And by the way, I just gotta say,
By the way, I just have to mention
Thank the Lord I'm not going bald
Grateful that I am not experiencing hair loss
And if I may quip, my curls and I
If I may make a joke, my curls and I
Are just like heaven
They are wonderful and heavenly
And rest assured, there'll be no parting there
My hair is not going anywhere anytime soon
But should my head get bare like Frier Tuck
But if my hair vanishes like Frier Tuck's
Hard taste to swallow
Difficult to accept
It makes me smile, 'cause I know just what I'd do
Despite the hardship, I can still find humor, as I have a plan
Yeah if I had more wigs, than I knew what to do with
If I owned numerous toupees
I'd open a second-hand store
I would create a business selling them
And if you ever went bald, you'd recall it
If you ever experienced hair loss, you would remember it
'Cause I'd cleverly call it 'Rugs from me to you'
Because I would give my business the catchy name 'Rugs from me to you'
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: ADAM R. YOUNG
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind