The song lyrics were written by the band Van Halen, as they were asked to write a song for the 1979 movie "Over the Edge" starring Matt Dillon. The movie (and the lyrics, although more obliquely) are about bored, rebellious youth with nothing better to do than get into trouble. If you see the movie, these lyrics will make more sense. It's a great movie if you grew up in the 70s/80s you'll definitely remember some of these characters from your own life. Fun fact, after writing the song, Van Halen decided not to let the movie use it.
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"
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
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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.
agreed! :)
I completely agree. Your interpretation is exactly what I thought of, too.<br /> <br /> "When heavy wings grow lighter" is probably one of my favorite lines in a song. It's like that person that always seemed too good to be true, to sweet to be human, is now an ACTUAL angel. <br /> <br /> Definitely one of Owl City's best!
fully agree. the cold nostalgia line kinda made it for me, especially after all the "I would" lines.<br /> <br /> and after i'd got that meaning, i found out that Adam did actually write this song about his dead girlfriend so i guess we were right lol.<br /> <br /> i love this song, especially the song change for the last verse.
i agree also at the end of the song where it says <br /> <br /> "Oh darling, I wish you were here" <br /> <br /> could also be seen as what you said
You guys are looking at the lyrics to literally, he was in rehab when he wrote this. He's talking about how he misses crystal meth.
This is exactly how i felt...<br /> <br /> also wanted to add:<br /> <br /> "The stars lean down to kiss you"<br /> <br /> the start in the open sky over her grave perhaps?
i agree. the spaces in between my fingers are right where yours fit perfectly.that could mean she's not there anymore. <br /> and it takes two to whisper quietly;he misses her, and has no one else to talk to. <br /> violet eyes get brighter, she could be going into the light, and her eyes get brighter.
true... :'(<br />
@twilightdancer it's actually "Heavy wings grow lighter."
the stars lean down to kiss you = take her from the earth? kiss her human form goodbye?
i think its about the shine. maybe.. anyone have their own preception. haha
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!
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.
Oh hahaha! <br /> Me too!
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.
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?
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
"Vanilla twilight" refers to the pain resulting from the loss of someone you love a lot. This song is definitely about his girlfriend who died.
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
after reading all of the comments posted, i'm almost certain it's about her death,<br /> but i used to think the exact same thing.<br /> because my boyfriend moved to saudi arabia.<br /> long distance DOES suck in high school, so so much.<br /> i miss him more than anything.<br /> when the part "the silence isn't so bad, till i look at my hands and feel sad, 'cause the spaces between my fingers are right where yours fit perfectly" would play it would always make me cry.<br /> because it's so true.<br /> i'm just like you, except on the girl side.<br /> i hope things work out for you and your girlfriend, i know she probably misses you terribly.
i know what you mean about long distance relationships and being in high school it totally does suck ecspecially when you look around and see all the couples holding hands and meeting up after class and going out and you know that the person that you want to be with the most is to far away and you cant be with them and you dont know when you will its really hard. <br /> Even though the song relates to me in the same way that it relates to you there are just soo many lines in the song that makes me believe that its not about along distance relationship and in fact that its about his girlfriend that has died but even if thats the case it still makes me cry when i hear it.
"-it totally does suck ecspecially when you look around and see all the couples holding hands and meeting up after class and going out and you know that the person that you want to be with the most is to far away and you cant be with them and you dont know when you will its really hard."<br /> -Yes! I know! I'm working on letting that not bother me, but I think I will just continue to be jealous. But that's okay; if a relationship is very stable, it will last and make you real happy on that special day that you can hold them in your arms<3<br />
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.
@Madgey I feel sad if thats true<br />
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.
(: