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.
thesaltwaterroom
Owl City Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And saw you in the low light
Walking down by the bay
On the shore,
Staring up at the stars, that aren't there anymore
I was feeling the night grow old
And you were looking so cold
So like an introvert
Around my arms and began, to shiver violently before
You happened to look
And see the tunnels all around me
Running into the dark
Underground
All the subways around, create a great sound
To my motion fatigue
Farewell
With your ear to a seashell
You can hear the waves in underwater caves
As if you actually were inside a saltwater room
Time together isn't never quite enough
When you and I are alone, I've never felt so at home
What will it take to make or break this hint of love?
Only time, only time
Can you believe that the crew has gone
And wouldn't let me sign on?
All my islands have sunk
In the deep,
And I can hardly relax or even oversleep
But I feel more with your hand
In mine
When we walk on the shore line
I guess we'll never know, why sparrows love the snow
We'll turn off all of the lights and set this ballroom aglow
So tell me darling do you wish we'd fall in love?
(Yeah all the time) all the time
Time together isn't never quite enough
When you and I are alone, I've never felt so at home
What will it take to make or break this hint of love?
Only time, only time
When we're apart whatever are you thinking of?
If this is what I call home, why does it feel so alone?
So tell me darling, do you wish we'd fall in love?
All the time, all the time
Time together isn't never quite enough
When we're apart whatever are you thinking of?
What will it take to make or break this hint of love?
So tell me darling do you wish we'd fall in love?
All the time,
All the time
The lyrics to Owl City's song "The Saltwater Room" tell the story of a couple spending time together in a peaceful place by the bay, enjoying each other's company but also questioning where their relationship is going. The opening lines describe the singer waking up at night to see their partner walking by the bay under the stars, but feeling a sense of distance as if the stars are no longer there. The singer then describes feeling cold and introspective, drawing their shirt around themselves to shiver before their partner notices and brings them back to the present moment. The entire experience is compared to being in a saltwater room, where one can hear the waves while inside an underwater cave.
Throughout the rest of the song, the singer questions what it will take to make or break their relationship, admitting that they never feel quite satisfied with the time they have together. The couple walks along the shoreline, and the singer muses about the mysterious reasons why sparrows love the snow. But even as they turn off the lights and dance in the ballroom, there is a sense of unease about whether their love is enough to sustain them.
Overall, the lyrics to "The Saltwater Room" capture the beauty and uncertainty of being in a relationship, where every moment together is fleeting and there's always a risk of losing what you have. It is a poignant and introspective reflection on the nature of love.
Line by Line Meaning
I opened my eyes last night
I woke up from sleep and became conscious
And saw you in the low light
I saw you in the dim light
Walking down by the bay
You were walking along the shore
On the shore,
You were on the edge of the water
Staring up at the stars, that aren't there anymore
You were gazing at the sky where the stars used to be
I was feeling the night grow old
I noticed that the night was getting late
And you were looking so cold
You seemed cold and distant
So like an introvert
I acted like a shy person
I drew my over shirt
I pulled my shirt over my arms
Around my arms and began, to shiver violently before
I wrapped myself tightly and started to shiver
You happened to look
You happened to glance at me
And see the tunnels all around me
You noticed the shadows around me
Running into the dark
The shadows seemed to disappear in the dark
Underground
The shadows seemed like they were below the surface
All the subways around, create a great sound
The sound of the subways was loud and all-encompassing
To my motion fatigue
The noise made me feel tired
Farewell
Goodbye
With your ear to a seashell
You were listening to the sound of the sea in a seashell
You can hear the waves in underwater caves
The sound of the waves could be heard in the caves under the water
As if you actually were inside a saltwater room
It seemed like you were actually inside a room filled with saltwater
Time together isn't never quite enough
The time we spend together is never enough
When you and I are alone, I've never felt so at home
I feel most comfortable when we're alone together
What will it take to make or break this hint of love?
What will cause our budding love to succeed or fail?
Only time, only time
Only time will tell
Can you believe that the crew has gone
I can't believe that the crew has left
And wouldn't let me sign on?
They refused to let me join them
All my islands have sunk
All my safe havens are gone
In the deep,
They're lost in the depths
And I can hardly relax or even oversleep
I can't sleep or relax
But I feel more with your hand
I feel more comfortable when you're holding my hand
In mine
And I'm holding yours
When we walk on the shore line
I feel happiest when we're walking by the water
I guess we'll never know, why sparrows love the snow
We may never understand the mysteries of nature
We'll turn off all of the lights and set this ballroom aglow
We'll create a warm, romantic atmosphere
So tell me darling do you wish we'd fall in love?
Are you ready for us to become romantically involved?
(Yeah all the time) all the time
Yes, I think about it all the time
When we're apart whatever are you thinking of?
What do you think about when we're not together?
If this is what I call home, why does it feel so alone?
My life with you feels like home, but I feel lonely without you
So tell me darling, do you wish we'd fall in love?
Would you like us to be in love?
All the time, all the time
I'm always thinking about the possibility of us being in love
What will it take to make or break this hint of love?
What will cause our budding love to succeed or fail?
So tell me darling do you wish we'd fall in love?
Do you want us to take the next step and fall in love?
All the time,
I'm always wondering
All the time
It's always on my mind
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: ADAM R. YOUNG
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind