A Song For Milly Michaelson

This song is based of the movie "The Boy Who Could Fly."

Brief plot summary: The Michaelson family moves into a new town after the father of the family commits suicide. Each of the members of the family have trouble adjusting to some aspect of their life. The daughter Milly is trying to cope with the fact that her father is dead throughout. Anyway, Milly has some encounters with an autistic boy that lives next door with his drunken uncle. He seems to be more socially active around her but still never talks or even smiles unless he is mimicking her. One day on a field trip or something Milly is reaching over a balcony to grab a rose from a bush. She slips over the edge, hits her head on the railing and gets knocked out. The only witness to the event was Eric, the autistic boy. Milly wakes up in the hospital wondering how she escaped with just a bump in the head when she fell off a very high balcony. She starts forming this hypothesis that Eric can fly, has a dream about it, and realizes that he has done things before that would only be possible if he were able to fly or something. Then the government comes to take Eric away from his drunk uncle but Milly comes and gets Eric and they get chased to the top of a building where they are cornered at the edge of the roof. Eric takes her hand and they fall over the edge and begin flying. The town watches them and then they land on a roof where Eric proceeds to say his first words of the movie "I love you" and then he flies away.

Feel free to add details if I missed anything crucial.

Yeah this song is really quite brilliant. I love how Dustin uses really simple diction to show that Eric is autistic and not good at communicating. And how he rhymes "you" with "you" and uses slant rhymes and stuff. Oh and how he mixes up common phrases like "There's a way where there's a will." It completely gives off the feel that the person singing isn't good with words or communicating. All of it is perfect and completely fits the persona of the autistic boy.

I had never heard of the movie this song is supposed to be about when I first heard (and fell in love with) this song. I interpreted this song much differently than the above explanation, and while it obviously fits the song, I do think there is some parallel to it. It's obviously a love song, but I saw it as a love song from God to us.

Well you know I hardly speak. When I do it's just for you. I haven't said a word in weeks 'Cause they've been keeping me from you

God generally speaks through circumstance rather than actual words. Yet, if you listen there is that still small voice in the background. Still God is usually quiet when we are ignoring him. So, all of those things that separate us from God could be the "they".

There's a way where there's a will. You know I got no need for stairs. Step out on the window sill, Fall with me into the air

I took this to mean that everything becomes perfected by God's eternal plan for us, and that his will can make a way for any possibility. The rest it seemed to be was about faith, about taking a leap and trusting him to catch us when we fall.

So, here we go. Hold on tight and don't let go. I won't ever let you fall. I love the night. Flying o'er these city lights. But I love you most of all.

Man I love this chorus, so incredible. In the context of this being a love song from God to us, this is extremely touching. Heck in any context its incredible.

Well there's something you should know. Girl you should have died that day. You fell reaching for the rose Baby I was there to save you.

This, to me, was about what Christ did for us on the cross. I see this as the act of ultimate love for us by saving us from ourselves. Truly, the greatest thing that has ever happened on this earth.

It would be pretentious of me to say that this is really what the song is about. Honestly only Dustin and God know the truth. But to me this will always be more of a love song from God to Milly, then from Erik.

FightOffYourDemonsThrice, I think you heard the second meaning. Thrice songs are often multi-layered, I imagine that Dustin chose this movie to make into a song because he saw a religious allegory in it. Or maybe we're just two rabid christian maniacs who like to read into everything and somehow find Jesus in obscure circumstances. Except, I'm not christian and who knows if you are so, no.

I almost can't handle how amazing this entire project is. especially this song. ill comment again when i can think straight. haha

sabio - i had never heard that story before but it truly is beautiful. really gives me even more appreciation for this song which i thought was rather mediocre. never underestimate thrice!

untouchable song. i want to watch the movie haha

sabio - i had never heard that story before but it truly is beautiful. really gives me even more appreciation for this song which i thought was rather mediocre. never underestimate thrice!

the simplicity of both the music and the lyrics really makes sense now!

i know. i love the fact that it's a ballad too. as amazing as all their lyrics are, dustin doesnt usually write a stripped down love song. and it fits the somber yet hopeful tone of the movie perfectly, which i also loved.