This song is written as the perspective of the boys in the street, as a whole, and what path they are going to choose as they get older and grow into men. (This is why the music video takes place in an orphanage.) The seen, and unseen collective suffering is imbedded in the boys’ mind, consciously or subconsciously, and is haunting them. Which path will the boys choose? Issac Hayes is the voice of reason, maybe God, the angel on his shoulder, or the voice of his forefathers from beyond the grave who can see the big picture and are pleading with the boys not to continue the violence and pattern of killing their brothers, but to rise above. The most beautiful song and has so many levels. Racism towards African Americans in America would not exist if everyone sat down and listened to this song and understood the history behind the words. The power, fear, pleading in RZA and Ghostface voices are genuine and powerful. Issac Hayes’ strong voice makes the perfect strong father figure, who is possibly from beyond the grave.
Our fires high and the airbags tight
Food's low but the skies are bright
Props spinning all through the night
We're low on cash but seen another target
Goggles down and the cannons up
My blood starts pumping as I drain my cup
I give the wheel a spin and I turn this girl around
We're way above ground but we're closed in on our target
Flying Jib is filled with air
East India ships filled with despair
We even up, her broadsides bare
Our cannons flair but it's just a show of muscle
Steady on, she doesn't need to burn
She tries to flee and she tries to turn
Grappling fire, we latch her hull
She's starting to roll, but we've got her on a leash
With a crew of drunken pilots
We're the only airship pirates
We're full of hot air and we're starting to rise
We're the terror of the skies, but a danger to ourselves now
Expendable crew starts to reel her in
Our swords are sharpened and we're ready to sin
I'm three miles up, we're about to swing aboard
My tether's made of leather so I'm not about to fall here
A swish of air and my boots hit deck
No cash, no fuel, no not a speck
Our grape shots made this bird a wreck
And a glance below deck shows a crew of nuns and orphans
With a crew of drunken pilots
We're the only airship pirates
We're full of hot air and we're starting to rise
We're the terror of the skies, but a danger to ourselves
(repeats)
Food's low but the skies are bright
Props spinning all through the night
We're low on cash but seen another target
Goggles down and the cannons up
My blood starts pumping as I drain my cup
I give the wheel a spin and I turn this girl around
We're way above ground but we're closed in on our target
Flying Jib is filled with air
East India ships filled with despair
We even up, her broadsides bare
Our cannons flair but it's just a show of muscle
Steady on, she doesn't need to burn
She tries to flee and she tries to turn
Grappling fire, we latch her hull
She's starting to roll, but we've got her on a leash
With a crew of drunken pilots
We're the only airship pirates
We're full of hot air and we're starting to rise
We're the terror of the skies, but a danger to ourselves now
Expendable crew starts to reel her in
Our swords are sharpened and we're ready to sin
I'm three miles up, we're about to swing aboard
My tether's made of leather so I'm not about to fall here
A swish of air and my boots hit deck
No cash, no fuel, no not a speck
Our grape shots made this bird a wreck
And a glance below deck shows a crew of nuns and orphans
With a crew of drunken pilots
We're the only airship pirates
We're full of hot air and we're starting to rise
We're the terror of the skies, but a danger to ourselves
(repeats)
Lyrics submitted by amnesiaclyric
Add your thoughts
Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.
Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!
More Featured Meanings
I Can't Go To Sleep
Wu-Tang Clan
Wu-Tang Clan
Magical
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
How would you describe the feeling of being in love? For Ed Sheeran, the word is “Magical.” in HIS three-minute album opener, he makes an attempt to capture the beauty and delicacy of true love with words. He describes the magic of it all over a bright Pop song produced by Aaron Dessner.
Blue
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Blue” is a song about a love that is persisting in the discomfort of the person experiencing the emotion. Ed Sheeran reflects on love lost, and although he wishes his former partner find happiness, he cannot but admit his feelings are still very much there. He expresses the realization that he might never find another on this stringed instrumental by Aaron Dessner.
Punchline
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran sings about missing his former partner and learning important life lessons in the process on “Punchline.” This track tells a story of battling to get rid of emotions for a former lover, whom he now realized might not have loved him the same way. He’s now caught between accepting that fact and learning life lessons from it and going back to beg her for another chance.
Head > Heels
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Head > Heels” is a track that aims to capture what it feels like to experience romance that exceeds expectations. Ed Sheeran dedicates his album outro to a lover who has blessed him with a unique experience that he seeks to describe through the song’s nuanced lyrics.
Ha! This song is INGENIUS.
I just noticed that the entire song is sexual innuendo about a flying ship. Ingenious indeed.
This is a very in depth song about a man who loves... (Just Kidding)
It's just a song about how they're steampunk pirates fighting other ships and living their lives. Great song :D
:D
I am in love with this song. Airship pirates indeed.
I got the impression that this song is largely a playful story but partly about being in a band, touring, and preforming before audiences.
I'd also like to bring attention to a bit of clever wordplay in this song (like in most AP songs).
"We're full of hot air and starting to rise" - Drinking and lying.
A jib is a sail or more cleverly, a refusal to comply. The refusal is filled with yet more "hot air".
Can someone explain why my comment is receiving down thumbs for pointing out the hilarious genius of Airship Pirate?