Meaning

The song is mainly about his insomnia.

I think thats the reason he wanted old toys to come alive in his music video, just as if all those impossible things happen in his dreams.

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 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."

Lyrics

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

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

'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

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

(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

To ten million fireflies
I'm weird 'cause I hate goodbyes

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

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

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
Play with the song, fill the gaps
Legend
  • The video player plays from the time specified
  • Chorus
  • People Talking

Vocabulary

foxtrot

The foxtrot is a smooth, progressive dance characterized by long, continuous flowing movements across the dance floor

sock hop

A sock hop or sox hop, often also called a record hop or just a hop, was an informal sponsored dance event for teenagers in mid-20th-century North America, featuring popular music.

hanging by a thread

dangling

lightning bugs

fireflies

Lit up

To light up means to illuminate or cause to illuminate

door open just a crack

crack the door (open) means to open the door or window a very small amount
Just crack the window a bit to let some air inside.

take me away

to make someone leave a place and go with you
Police came in the night and took him away.

weird

odd or very strange
She wears weird clothes.

bizarre

odd or very strange
a bizarre turn of events.

misty eyes as they said farewell

farewell means "parting wishes". misty-eyes means Having the eyes blurred, as with tears.
He made his farewells and left.

bursting

overfull, packed full
My suitcase is already bursting at the seams -- how can I pack my souvenirs?

far too

excessively
she was always far too pretty

beneath

Below, under
She kissed me beneath the trees
What I think adam's hiding beneath his mask?