Castles In The Air

My fav line is "But how can words express The feel of sunlight in the morning in the hills, Away from city strife" it just reminds me of me, I love camping, and eveything about nature, even when you run out of toilet paper and you have to use pinecones, and I love when I'm in the mountins and I just sit and watch the sun rise

I love Don McLean and I’d rather move to the country too but this song makes me a bit mad… why is he having someone else break up with his girlfriend for him? He should grow some courage and do it himself. And it even seems a bit presumptuous that whoever he’s telling this to is going to be willing to take on that responsibility. Just tell her yourself. That part just really annoys me. Sure maybe he can’t take the city life for one more minute but that’s a lame excuse not to tell her himself in my opinion. He could at least give her a phone call. He’s not in middle school, he’s a grown man. It’s a pretty song otherwise, and I hope I get to move out of the city someday.

This is one of my all time favrite songs! The melody and the lyrics are just magnificently matched. Typical elegance by one our premiere singer song writers.

yeah i love this song

Favorite Line: "For I Will Not Be Part Of Her Cocktail Generation, Partners Waltz, Devoid Of All Romance, The Music Plays, Everyone Must Dance, I'M Bowing Out, I Need A Second Chance"

My favorite line is "away from city strife I need a country woman for my wife I'm city born but I love the country life"

This song speaks about Don McLean's disenchantment with high society. The girl he's referring to may be an upper-class socialite with whom he had a relationship, or possibly even describing his dalliances in high society as an affair he had with materialistic, consumerist city life. Either way, he no longer wants for the dream of more. The song reminds me a little of "The Great Gatsby" by F. Scott Fitzgerald, in which Jay Gatsby seems to be ever in search for the elusive American Dream, where he can finally be accepted into the old money world. However, after Daisy refuses him yet again, he realizes that perhaps his fruitless efforts to fit in are a blessing in disguise, in that he doesn't have to live a life of immorality and superficiality. The lines: "For I will not be part Of her cocktail generation, partners waltz Devoid of all romance the music plays And everyone must dance..." remind me of Gatsby's sparkling parties, as well as the character of Jordan, who epitomizes the philosophy during that cultural paradigm. The end of the novel sees Gatsby's death, as well as the narrator, Nick Carraway, leaving the East and West Eggs. Nick's casual and barely imperceptible relationship with Jordan, coupled with his subsequent departure from the Eggs corresponds with McLean's need take leave of the relationship with the city life and woman. Don McLean is rejecting modern life, in all its mundanity, with its trinkets and conveniences, for the beautiful simplicity of nature and the "country life".

Also, however romantic "castles in the air" may seem, it is unattainable and ultimately, he becomes disillusioned with its impossibility. What was a dream, turns nightmarish, as "castles walls just lead [him] to despair." Instead of trying to obtain the unrealistic fantasy, he recognizes the beauty and romance that had always existed in nature and his very foundations for life. Though "Castles in the Air" may be a dream for most, the narrator instead, ironically, finds "Hills of forest green/Where the mountains touch the sky, a dream come true".

Very intuitive, svenschborsteinheim. I think the thing I like most about this song is that he's getting someone else to break up for him. An interesting way to frame the song. I wonder what the significance of that is? At any rate, it makes me smile for some reason!

I love this song

It is just one of the most beautiful songs ever written

And so underrated...why is this song not more popular than it is

Its a shame but at least i know it and love it