Synesthesia

"And my friends are in the news Collecting trophies for the songs they wrote When we lived in the shadow of the moon"

Could he be talking about the Format here? AKA Fun. I think so!

I love this song so much.

I've always been a huge Andrew McMahon fan, and I'm so happy I got to see this performed a few weeks ago.

Although it's stylistically a bit different from JM, the quality of the lyrics is equally incredible

I saw pictures from the space shuttle North America at night I could almost see my house I could almost see the rest of my life Now my mothers in the hospital And my friends are in the news Collecting trophies for the songs they wrote When we lived in the shadow of the moon

This first section seems to be a reflection about time and space. He uses every tense, reflecting on where he and everyone he loves are in past, present, and future. I noticed he uses a lot of the same metaphors in many of his songs, like references to space and airplanes. Pictures from a space shuttle are removed and only capture moments. Living in the shadow of the moon is a reminder that for most people; all the emotion of their accomplishments and trials are dwarfed when taken from the context of a larger world. And I have never been to mars But I’ve traveled ’round this world Shooting fireworks at falling stars No prison bars And my fathers got a decent job I hear he’s finally pulling through There’s more to life than singing songs we write When we are in the shadow of the moon

This verse seems like a very modest way of summing up his experience, but a line like "shooting fireworks at falling stars" connotes a power to add color to the scenery and affect a visible change. (reminds me of "down"). Saying there's more to life than the songs he writes (that most either won't hear or understand) is a foreshadowing of the next verses adding more to the equation with being in love. It doesn’t matter if you’re invisible to everyone else as long as there’s someone who can appreciate the emotions of your experience.

I see colors When I hear your voice Grab your wings they’re putting gravity on trial I see colors I don’t hear the noise Because we’re only flying for a while Because we’re only flying for a while

The idea of synesthesia, or hearing color in this case is a phenomena often associated with the use of psychedelics. My first DMT experience especially comes to mind, where the whole world came at me in this rainbow wave of soothing energy, assuring me that all the work I had done trying to find myself had led me right to this perfect moment. It's something very powerful, but I feel like Andrew captures it quite well with the emotion he puts into the chorus. Flying for a while is a reminder that life is temporary, a point emphasized repeatedly on “People and Things”, but the fleetingness shouldn't deter leaping for that ultimate sensation.

I saw a picture of my niece Twisting high above a narrow beam And my brother looked so proud Like he woke up in this perfect dream And I’ve know you all my life But I knew you long before that too Lets go dancing to the songs we wrote When we lived in the shadow of the moon

The first line about his brother living vicariously through his child's success makes a poignant point; like there’s this stage in your life where you're no longer dreaming and have finally settled down. The image of his niece flying above a beam is beautiful to me because it’s another picture, frozen in time; her youth and her grace and her momentary inability to fall. It seems like Andrew and friends are still celebrating the moment of their own success, which is an interesting contrast.

I see colors When I hear your voice Grab your wings They’re putting gravity on trial I see colors I don’t hear the noise Sometimes you’re only flying for a while I could love you In the falling rain Grab your wings This is a storm we’re meant to ride Like Synesthesia Aboard a stalling plane It’s like we’re only flying for a while

Riding in a storm reminds me of "hurricane", aboard a stalling plane is just like "bruised", and falling rain immediately brings to mind "kill the messenger". I love that only someone who knew his lyrics inside out would notice these trends, so he feels safe recycling and reinventing these old ideas behind the shadow of the moon with no spot light.

I see colors When I hear your voice Grab your wings They’re putting gravity on trial I see colors I don’t fear the choice Because we’re only flying for a while And I could love you In the falling rain Grab your wings This is the storm we’re meant to ride Like Synesthesia Aboard a stalling plane Sometimes we’re only flying for a while

The idea of not fearing choice is a strong implication that he has at least a few things about life figured out. Endings are not to be feared and falling from the air is essential to learning. We move through all these stages of life shielded from the view of all but those closest. Tracing out the colors of the most beautiful experience requires kinds of magic like flying and synesthesia, but it's the perceived impossibility that makes it all the more resonant.

I can see the colors running When I hear the music play