The stars lean down to kiss you
And I lie awake and miss you
Pour me a heavy dose of atmosphere
'Cause I'll doze off safe and soundly
But I'll miss your arms around me
I'd send a postcard to you, dear
'Cause I wish you were here

I'll watch the night turn light blue
But it's not the same without you
Because it takes two to whisper quietly
The silence isn't so bad
'Til I look at my hands and feel sad
'Cause the spaces between my fingers
Are right where yours fit perfectly

I'll find repose in new ways
Though I haven't slept in two days
'Cause cold nostalgia chills me to the bone
But drenched in vanilla twilight
I'll sit on the front porch all night
Waist deep in thought because when
I think of you I don't feel so alone

I don't feel so alone
I don't feel so alone

As many times as I blink
I'll think of you tonight

I'll think of you tonight

When violet eyes get brighter
And heavy wings grow lighter
I'll taste the sky and feel alive again
And I'll forget the world that I knew
But I swear I won't forget you
Oh if my voice could reach back through the past
I'd whisper in your ear,
"Oh darling I wish you were here"


Lyrics submitted by bonjouramigo

Vanilla Twilight Lyrics as written by Adam R. Young

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Songtrust Ave

Lyrics powered by LyricFind

Vanilla Twilight song meanings
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136 Comments

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  • +12
    My Interpretation

    i get the feeling that he is recovering from a wife/girlfriend's death.

    because he says that he misses her (a lot), and the part with the postcard in the begining: he said "I'd" as in "i would" but he cant send one. not to wherever she is. think about it: in the human world he could send one. but not in the afterlife/heaven/whatever you choose to call it. and he could talk to her over phone to whisper about the night turning into light. and he is stuck in cold nostalgia. mourning? plus he says "heavy wings grow wider" as in she was an angel already, but now she becomes a real angel. then finally at the end he says "if my voice could reach back through the past" as in back when she was alive.

    thats just how i read through the lines.

    twilightdanceron July 22, 2009   Link
  • +7
    General Comment

    the stars lean down to kiss you = take her from the earth? kiss her human form goodbye?

    twilightdanceron July 22, 2009   Link
  • +6
    General Comment

    This song is absolutely wonderful. The new album, Ocean Eyes, is truly brilliant! But by far, this and Saltwater Room are my favourite songs of the album!

    EluktricSprakon July 15, 2009   Link
  • +5
    My Opinion

    the melody after the first verse reminds me of elevator music. lol but if this song was played in an elevator, i would hit every button so i could stay on and listen to it.

    ahn TMon July 23, 2009   Link
  • +5
    General Comment

    I love this song so much. But I feel like because it's catchy and by Owl City, and sounds kinda happy, it's often regarded as a cute electronic pop song, when actually it is a brilliant, poetic, song about mourning. You can lighten it up and say it's about a long distance relationship, but the lyrics suggest the girl he misses has died. He longs to talk to her and hear her voice, and if she were across the country, he could just call her.

    My favorite part is: "When violet eyes get brighter And heavy wings grow lighter I'll taste the sky and feel alive again And I'll forget the world that I knew But I swear I won't forget you

    Oh, if my voice could reach back through the past I'd whisper in your ear "Oh darling, I wish you were here"

    It really is beautiful and captures the feeling of missing someone in a poetic, magical way. Adam Young is a silent genius. This is one of 3 songs that have ever made me cry, and the only pop/electronic song to effect me so much.

    ocie14on August 15, 2011   Link
  • +3
    General Comment

    One of my favorite songs of all-time. The song was probably about a girlfriend of Adam's who passed away. I think the term 'Vanilla Twilight' might refer to the feeling you get when you lose something close to you - He uses the concept of Vanilla Twilight' throughout the song.

    Twilight is the time the sun is below the horizon, but you can still see it's light on the sky, so the lines "Pour me a heavy dose of atmosphere" and "I'll taste the sky and feel alive again" might also refer to "Vanilla Twilight". In that case maybe it is the feeling of moving on?

    arin3on June 08, 2012   Link
  • +2
    General Comment

    i think its about him losing his gf "the stars lean down to kiss you" you know how ppl say that ppl that die are our shining stars? i think that, that means the angels came to get her "and i lay awake and miss you" i think that means that he cant sleep because shes constanly on his mind and he will continue to always think of her "I'D send a postcard to you dear" he would BUT unfortunantally u cant send post cards to heaven "ill watch the night turn light blue but its not the same without you" they possibly watched the night sky fall n now hes the only one to watch it "cause cold nastalgia chills me to the bone" hes LONGING FOR THE PAST when she was alive thats enough of my thoughts but thats wut i think it means i mean theres other interpretations buh i think that thats the obvivous meaning but i still dnt get the vanilla twilight lol

    summer4204lifeon October 23, 2009   Link
  • +2
    General Comment

    this song has special meaning for me, as the girl who showed it to me is so special to me. the song pretty much describes our relationship to the hilt. i think its about a long distance relationship, cause thats how its relevant to me btw long distance relationships suck in high school

    wintersun11on October 23, 2009   Link
  • +2
    General Comment

    Did you know that Adam Young wrote this song because his girlfriend was killed in a car crash. He was devistated. He wrote this song trying to find the antidote to his sadness. He would just stare at the stars in the middle of the night. The saddest part of the song for him was The silence isn't so bad 'Til I look at my hands and feel sad 'Cause the spaces between my fingers Are right where yours fit perfectly.

    Madgeyon February 25, 2010   Link
  • +2
    General Comment

    It is indeed revolving around the passing away of a lover...

    "pour me a heavy dose of atmosphere" implies that he feels he needs to let go and regain a firm grasp of reality.

    "I'd send a postcard to you, dear. Cause I wish you were here" ... one can obviously send a postcard to anybody on Earth. "I'd" i would... but he can't for Adam's past lover is not in Heaven.

    "I'll find repose in new ways" - he'll enter a state of peace at mind, but at some other day. This line somewhat links with "pour me a heavy dose of atmosphere.

    "And heavy wings grow lighter" indicates that his diseased lover is now an angel, although the verse altogether somewhat implies that he'd do anything to be next to her again and it is indeed his wings that grow lighter.

    It brings me utter bliss that a dismal concept such as the death of a loved one, can be depicted through such a bright and positive light.

    (:

    EscapeToWonderlandon June 09, 2012   Link

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