Fireflies

"Fireflies" peaked at #1 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 Chart in the Autumn of 2009. Adam Young told the story behind the song to AntiMusic: "It was 2AM and I was sitting on the floor in my parent's basement with a MicroKorg on my lap. I built this synthy legato, 'ping' sound routed through a lowpass filter and ran it through a bunch of guitar pedals. I come up with a little cascading part that wound up as the intro and verses of a song called 'Fireflies.' I have insomnia and I've always had a tough time falling asleep for as long as I can remember. I wanted to sing about my inability to sleep in a whimsical way that portrayed the condition as lighthearted and almost more of a 'blessing' than a curse. It's ironic that when sleep and I cannot bring ourselves to meet is often when inspiration strikes hardest. I'd just been on vacation to Iowa the week before I wrote the song and was amazed at how many fireflies came out at dusk. I didn't really have to think about making a connection between insomnia and lighting bugs, it just sort of happened and the song basically wrote itself. It was a lot of fun."

[Verse 1] You would not believe your eyes if ten million fireflies Lit up the world as I fell asleep 'Cause they'd fill the open air and leave teardrops everywhere You'd think me rude but I would just stand and stare [Chorus] I'd like to make myself believe That planet Earth turns slowly It's hard to say that I'd rather stay awake when I'm asleep 'Cause everything is never as it seems [Verse 2] 'Cause I'd get a thousand hugs from ten thousand lightning bugs As they tried to teach me how to dance A foxtrot above my head, a sock hop beneath my bed A disco ball is just hanging by a thread [Chorus] I'd like to make myself believe That planet Earth turns slowly It's hard to say that I'd rather stay awake when I'm asleep 'Cause everything is never as it seems (When I fall asleep) [Bridge] Leave my door open just a crack (Please take me away from here) 'Cause I feel like such an insomniac (Please take me away from here) Why do I tire of counting sheep (Please take me away from here) When I'm far too tired to fall asleep? [Verse 3] To ten million fireflies, I'm weird 'cause I hate goodbyes I got misty eyes as they said farewell (They said farewell) But I'll know where several are if my dreams get real bizarre 'Cause I saved a few and I keep them in a jar (Jar, jar, jar) [Chorus] I'd like to make myself believe That planet Earth turns slowly It's hard to say that I'd rather stay awake when I'm asleep 'Cause everything is never as it seems (When I fall asleep) I'd like to make myself believe That planet Earth turns slowly It's hard to say that I'd rather stay awake when I'm asleep 'Cause everything is never as it seems (When I fall asleep) [Outro] I'd like to make myself believe That planet Earth turns slowly It's hard to say that I'd rather stay awake when I'm asleep Because my dreams are bursting at the seams...