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.
The_Airway
Owl City Lyrics
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I dream and see you floating high above me
And I awake at dawn
Before the rays of morning paint the front lawn
From on the bedroom floor
I watch you sailing far above the seashore
In deep Atlantic skies
You float as I look aft to watch the moon rise
I search above the clouds, trying to see you
But you are just a blur
In the sky when you parachute over the harbor
I can see
You above with the ocean around me
If I could only stay
Overhead in the airway
You sail through
Endless sky with the evening around you
When I'm out on the bay
You're aloft in the airway
When I'm alone at night
I dream you paint the stars against the twilight
Suspended in the air
I wish your silhouette would always stay there
When I am on the beach
I watch you held aloft way out of my reach
But I can not take flight
Or float upon the air the way that you might
When I am in the sea
You gazed down from the sky, trying to see me
But I am just a blur
Through the waves, as I scuba dive below the harbor
The airway
You and I in the airway
Aloft in the airway
In love in the airway
I can see
You above with the ocean around me
If I could only stay
Overhead in the airway
You sail through
Endless sky with the evening around you
When I'm out on the bay
You're aloft in the airway
The lyrics to Owl City's song The Airway describe a dream-like state where the singer dreams of a loved one floating high above them. The lyrics express a longing to stay in this dream-like state where the two of them can exist together in the sky, referred to as the "airway". The song taps into the human desire for escape and companionship, with the metaphor of flying together representing a desire to break free from the mundane and experience something magical with someone special.
The lyrics create a vivid image of the ocean and sky, with the singer watching their loved one float above them as they lay in bed, sit on the beach, and even scuba dive below the harbor. The contrast between the expanse of the sea and the vastness of the sky highlights the immense sense of freedom that being in the airway brings. This song serves as an ode to the beauty of dreaming and the power of imagination to transport us to another world, even if only for a little while.
Line by Line Meaning
When I am fast asleep
During my unconscious state
I dream and see you floating high above me
I imagine you levitating over my body
And I awake at dawn
I regain consciousness as the sun rises
Before the rays of morning paint the front lawn
Before sunlight illuminates the greenery outside
From on the bedroom floor
Located on the floor of my sleeping quarters
I watch you sailing far above the seashore
I observe you sailing high above the beach
In deep Atlantic skies
Up in the sky over the Atlantic Ocean
You float as I look aft to watch the moon rise
You rise while I face the stern to see the moon ascend
Above the avenue
Up in the sky over the road
I search above the clouds, trying to see you
I scour beyond the clouds in an attempt to observe you
But you are just a blur
Your appearance is vague
In the sky when you parachute over the harbor
When you skydive over the port
I can see
I can perceive
You above with the ocean around me
You levitating over me with the sea below
If I could only stay
If only I had the ability to remain
Overhead in the airway
Up high in the airspace
You sail through
You glide through
Endless sky with the evening around you
The endless sky surrounding you during the evening
When I'm out on the bay
When I'm situated in the bay
You're aloft in the airway
You're high up in the airspace
When I'm alone at night
When I'm by myself during nighttime
I dream you paint the stars against the twilight
I envision you creating stars in the midst of the evening
Suspended in the air
Hovering in the sky
I wish your silhouette would always stay there
I desire for your outline to remain there forever
When I am on the beach
When I'm located on the shoreline
I watch you held aloft way out of my reach
I observe you positioned high up where I can't touch
But I can not take flight
However, I can't fly
Or float upon the air the way that you might
Nor can I drift in the sky like you could
When I am in the sea
When I'm submerged in the sea
You gazed down from the sky, trying to see me
From the sky, you peered downwards, attempting to glimpse me
But I am just a blur
However, I'm only an indistinct shape
Through the waves, as I scuba dive below the harbor
As I scuba dive beneath the port's waves
The airway
The airspace
You and I in the airway
Both you and I in the sky
Aloft in the airway
Up high in the airspace
In love in the airway
In a state of romantic affection while in the airspace
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: ADAM R. YOUNG
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind