In regards to the meaning of this song:
Before a live performance on the EP Five Stories Falling, Geoff states “It’s about the last time I went to visit my grandmother in Columbus, and I saw that she was dying and it was the last time I was going to see her. It is about realizing how young you are, but how quickly you can go.”
That’s the thing about Geoff and his sublime poetry, you think it’s about one thing, but really it’s about something entirely different. But the lyrics are still universal and omnipresent, ubiquitous, even. So relatable. That’s one thing I love about this band. I also love their live performances, raw energy and Geoff’s beautiful, imperfectly perfect vocals. His voice soothes my aching soul.
You would not believe your eyes
If ten million fireflies
Lit up the world as I fell asleep
'Cause they fill the open air
And leave teardrops everywhere
You'd think me rude but I would just stand and stare
I'd like to make myself believe that planet Earth turns slowly
It's hard to say that I'd rather stay awake when I'm asleep
'Cause everything is never as it seems
'Cause I'd get a thousand hugs
From ten thousand lightning bugs
As they tried to teach me how to dance
A foxtrot above my head
A sock hop beneath my bed
A disco ball is just hanging by a thread (thread, thread)
I'd like to make myself believe that planet Earth turns slowly
It's hard to say that I'd rather stay awake when I'm asleep
'Cause everything is never as it seems (when I fall asleep)
Leave my door open just a crack
Please take me away from here
'Cause I feel like such an insomniac
Please take me away from here
Why do I tire of counting sheep?
Please take me away from here
When I'm far too tired to fall asleep
To ten million fireflies
I'm weird 'cause I hate goodbyes
I got misty eyes as they said farewell (they said farewell)
But I'll know where several are
If my dreams get real bizarre
'Cause I saved a few and I keep them in a jar (jar, jar, jar)
I'd like to make myself believe that planet Earth turns slowly
It's hard to say that I'd rather stay awake when I'm asleep
'Cause everything is never as it seems (when I fall asleep)
I'd like to make myself believe that planet Earth turns slowly
It's hard to say that I'd rather stay awake when I'm asleep
'Cause everything is never as it seems (when I fall asleep)
(I'd like to make myself believe that planet Earth turns slowly)
(It's hard to say that I'd rather stay awake when I'm asleep)
(Because my dreams are bursting at the seams)
If ten million fireflies
Lit up the world as I fell asleep
'Cause they fill the open air
And leave teardrops everywhere
You'd think me rude but I would just stand and stare
I'd like to make myself believe that planet Earth turns slowly
It's hard to say that I'd rather stay awake when I'm asleep
'Cause everything is never as it seems
'Cause I'd get a thousand hugs
From ten thousand lightning bugs
As they tried to teach me how to dance
A foxtrot above my head
A sock hop beneath my bed
A disco ball is just hanging by a thread (thread, thread)
I'd like to make myself believe that planet Earth turns slowly
It's hard to say that I'd rather stay awake when I'm asleep
'Cause everything is never as it seems (when I fall asleep)
Leave my door open just a crack
Please take me away from here
'Cause I feel like such an insomniac
Please take me away from here
Why do I tire of counting sheep?
Please take me away from here
When I'm far too tired to fall asleep
To ten million fireflies
I'm weird 'cause I hate goodbyes
I got misty eyes as they said farewell (they said farewell)
But I'll know where several are
If my dreams get real bizarre
'Cause I saved a few and I keep them in a jar (jar, jar, jar)
I'd like to make myself believe that planet Earth turns slowly
It's hard to say that I'd rather stay awake when I'm asleep
'Cause everything is never as it seems (when I fall asleep)
I'd like to make myself believe that planet Earth turns slowly
It's hard to say that I'd rather stay awake when I'm asleep
'Cause everything is never as it seems (when I fall asleep)
(I'd like to make myself believe that planet Earth turns slowly)
(It's hard to say that I'd rather stay awake when I'm asleep)
(Because my dreams are bursting at the seams)
Lyrics submitted by maxxa, edited by kalle234234234, Mellow_Harsher
Fireflies Lyrics as written by Adam R. Young
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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This isn't a song about insomnia. Quite the opposite. The songs meaning is about lucid dreaming or astral projection which is one in the same. For those that have never experienced it, it is absolutely wonderful. The song translates to exactly to what one experiences. You see lights everywhere and yes they look like fireflies. The verse "It's hard to say that I'd rather stay awake when I'm asleep" Means that because the experience is so wonderful you want to be in that state all the time and stay asleep. I know this all sounds like BS, I would have said it a year ago myself. I'm a 41 yo construction worker that just recently started lucid dreaming, and it's changed my whole outlook on life. listen or read the song again, and look at it from a perspective of someone that just saw and experienced something great, loving and wholesome for the first time. Check out patch parables and expand your minds.
@SGITU Indeed it is to me as well. astral projection "Please take me away from here" and "When i am too tired to fall asleep" and when in astral projection dreaming, "staying awake when im asleep cause everything isnt want it seems." usually in astral dreaming, i would always fly around and i see the "earth turns slowly" from outer space. And this song ended with "cause my dreams are bursting at the seas" reason being when you astral dream, i find myself flying touching the sea while going godspeed. So i do believe this song is explaining the wonders of astral dreaming. I looked it up on youtube and came across this, it also explains astral projection quite well :D youtube.com/watch <br />
@SGITU yea I see what you mean, but then how do you explain the 'cause everything is never as it seems' line? I think there's more to it than a song about lucid dreaming. I think there's also this idea that while you sleep, there might be incredible things happening around you. I think the imagery of many fireflies doing their thing while you sleep might have some metaphorical meaning - perhaps that there are complexities in the world that we don't know. We can only imagine, or dream about them.
@SGITU hippie<br />