Cloud Zero

Cloud Zero - another Zero reference - is, of course, a reworking of the idea of Cloud 9.

The phrase to be on cloud nine, meaning that one was blissfully happy, started life in the United States and has been widely known there since the 1950s; it’s since spread worldwide. It’s said to have been popularised by the Johnny Dollar radio show of that period, in which every time the hero was knocked unconscious he was transported to Cloud Nine. But that wasn’t the origin of the phrase. It’s been around since the 1930s, though early examples show a lot of numerical variability, with the cloud sometimes being as low as number seven or eight or as high as thirty-nine, though seven and nine were most common.

Cloud Zero, then, is to be in an awful place, most likely from the addiction in the comment by Nexus7.

The unamed character (the song seems to be speaking to the audience) had lost all their money, their friends, and their home. They are seeing aeroplanes fly and wish that they too could fly amongst the clouds. They want to "fly", in the way that Edward seems to use the word a lot, which is in a broader sense it seems - as in to ride a wave of self-made good fortune, perhaps? But they can't - they are "high" in the sense of being in a drug assisted state of euphoria, but are really going nowhere - destination zero.

Interesting that this song is on the same album as "Waiting for the Cloud". The diminshed chords used by Jason on piano and Patrick on violin so perfectly capture the kind of desperate lonely situation the character seems to be in. Watching the aeroplanes could also be a small reference to "Waving at the Aeroplanes" from the album "Curse". Edward certainly has an interest in the number Zero and concepts of nowhere and nothingness. More on that later.

Cloud Zero, being a place on the way to nowhere, makes it interesting (and perhaps with a glint in the eye) that this was chosen as the name of one of their main websites.

Addiction.

I agree with the interpretations regarding addiction (especially in light of the lines of the addressed person losing their money and friends - spending all their money on whatever it is they're addicted to and having the addiction and behavior alienate the people they know).

An interesting thing, though, is the title of this song and its placement on the album ("Any Day Now"). It comes right after "Waiting For the Cloud", and its title is "Cloud Zero". What's even odder is that, to me, "Cloud Zero" sounds like a musical and atmospheric sequel to "Waiting For the Cloud" (well, the first and last parts, not so much its middle part). And yet, the lyrics to this one don't in any way make me think of "Waiting For the Cloud". There's probably no relation between the two songs - after all, I have noticed that Edward Ka-Spell has (or had; more in the past, I think) a habit of using clouds as symbolism or lyrical imagery.

At any rate, it's a very pretty song, in a sad and wistful sort of way. It's relaxing to listen to, and it has calmed me down many a time from intense and unpleasant emotion.