The band were founded at the University of Dundee in 1994 by Lightbody, Mark McClelland, and Michael Morrison of Shrug. After briefly using the name Polarbear, releasing the EP Starfighter Pilot (1997) and losing Morrison as a member, the band became Snow Patrol in 1997 and added Quinn to its lineup. Their first two studio albums, Songs for Polarbears (1998) and When It's All Over We Still Have to Clear Up (2001), released by the independent record label Jeepster Records, were commercially unsuccessful. The band then signed to the major record label Polydor Records in 2002.
Connolly joined Snow Patrol in 2002, and after their major-label debut album, Final Straw, the following year, with "Run", the album's biggest hit, the band rose to national fame. The album was certified 5x platinum in the UK. Their next studio album, Eyes Open (2006), and its hit single, "Chasing Cars"—reported in 2019 to be the most-played song of the 21st century on UK radio—propelled the band to greater international fame. The album topped the UK Albums Chart and was the best-selling British album of the year. In 2008, Snow Patrol released their fifth studio album, A Hundred Million Suns; then, in 2009, they released their first compilation album, Up to Now; and, in 2011, their sixth studio album, Fallen Empires, was published. The band released their seventh album, Wildness, on 25 May 2018.
During the course of their career, Snow Patrol have won seven Meteor Ireland Music Awards and been nominated for six Brit Awards and one Grammy. Final Straw, Eyes Open, and A Hundred Million Suns have sold ten million copies worldwide, combined.
Full Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snow_Patrol
Studio albums
Songs for Polarbears (1998)
When It's All Over We Still Have to Clear Up (2001)
Final Straw (2003)
Eyes Open (2006)
A Hundred Million Suns (2008)
Fallen Empires (2011)
Wildness (2018)
Starfighter Pilot
Snow Patrol Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
He can get high in his jet
Tells me about all his women
He can get any I'll bet
Andrew's a star fighter pilot
He knows all the girls in the world
He's better than James Kirk or Tweeky
I cradle his picture at night
Your picture on the wall
I would raise my drink to you
But I'll stay sober just for you
Andrew's a star fighter pilot
I watch him on TV each day
I've got all the toys from his program
And all of his past shows on tape
The lyrics of Snow Patrol's song "Starfighter Pilot" appear to be describing a fan's infatuation with a character named Andrew who is a star fighter pilot. The singer seems to envy Andrew's glamorous lifestyle, and possibly even romantic conquests. The line "I cradle his picture at night" suggests a certain level of obsession, as does the fact that the singer has "all the toys from his program" and "all of his past shows on tape." Despite this, there is a sense of distance between the singer and Andrew - they've never actually met or spoken, and the singer seems almost resigned to admiring him from afar.
There is a hint of melancholy in the song as well. The line "Your picture on the wall/I would raise my drink to you/But I'll stay sober just for you" suggests that the singer is perhaps nursing a broken heart, and that their infatuation with Andrew is a way to distract themselves from their own pain. Overall, the song seems to capture the bittersweet thrill of fandom - the rush of admiration and excitement that comes with following someone you admire, but also the frustration and loneliness of never really being able to connect with them.
Line by Line Meaning
Andrew's a star fighter pilot
Andrew is a renowned pilot of a fighter jet.
He can get high in his jet
Andrew is capable of flying his jet very high in the sky.
Tells me about all his women
Andrew brags about his capability of attracting women.
He can get any I'll bet
Andrew is confident of attracting any woman he desires.
He knows all the girls in the world
Andrew claims to be familiar with all the women around the globe.
He's better than James Kirk or Tweeky
Andrew considers himself superior to James Kirk or Tweeky (characters from popular sci-fi shows/movies).
I cradle his picture at night
The singer fondles Andrew's picture at night, indicating their admiration for him.
You know I'll think of you
The artist assures Andrew that they will think of him fondly.
Your picture on the wall
The artist has put Andrew's picture on their wall as a form of worship.
I would raise my drink to you
The artist would drink to Andrew's success and health.
But I'll stay sober just for you
The singer would choose to remain sober as a form of respect for Andrew.
I watch him on TV each day
The artist watches Andrew's TV shows regularly.
I've got all the toys from his program
The singer has collected all the merchandise related to Andrew's TV show.
And all of his past shows on tape
The singer has recorded all of Andrew's previous TV shows for future viewing.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: GARY LIGHTBODY, JONATHAN QUINN, MARK MCCLELLAND
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Frantzen79
I love Gary and Snow Patrol... this is them... showing what they are and have always been. An honest an personal rock/pop experience. Respect.
Jurica Babić
this band is so underrated it hurts me :(
jusrwa estanga
i feel that
Diamond Dust
He says, five years ago, where they were probably more relevent than right now or at anytime around when this song came out 🤣🤣🤣🤣
Emily Hall
Their early stuff is
Enjoy Life
Love Snow Patrol !!
Jéssica França
Love this band :)
Andrew Glover
I'm 69 young and this is the first time using YouTube and this is the first song I've listened to 😀
ElephantRage
Welcome to contemporaneity, sir! Never too late.
Diamond Dust
How the fuck you landed on this song I do not know. Welcome though.