I can only hope that this has happened to other music lovers out there…but, you know when you hear a song and immediately think to yourself: well oh my freaking god! This song was practically written for me that’s how much it relates to what I’m going through!
Whether it’s the chorus or a random verse in the song, you just love it to the point that it stays on replay for a week straight because it just speaks to you and the situation you’re in.
And then, like a week later you read a review or listen to the band talk about the song in an interview and realize: oh…oh okay. Yah… well shit, I was totally off on what this song was about!
Yeah…that happened to me when first hearing the truly fantastic song that is “Airplanes” by the Local Natives.
It’s fine though; it didn’t make me love the song any less. In fact, it only made me love it more. Besides, I truly believe that a musician would prefer I interpret his/her song according to my life and all it entails so that I can connect with it in my own personal way.
Like I said, I had this song on replay for about 1-2 weeks straight. Here’s why:
To put it simply…the song is straight up catchy. Not annoyingly catchy like a jingle on the radio… but the kind of catchy where you find yourself wanting to listen to it over and over because you just want that sound serenading your every thought and move. For example: whenever my ipod is on shuffle, I find myself having to skip over a dozen songs that I’m not in the mood to listen to. Yet, every time I hear this song’s intro of the keyboard and incessant drumbeat, my only reaction is to remove my hand from the button and place it on the volume, turning it up to its max and allowing it to completely hypnotize me. There is something about that initial melody that causes me to fall in love with it even before the words are heard.
But, when the words do arrive 0:33 in, everything just gets that much better. Maybe it’s the echo of the clattering percussion mixed with the strumming of Andy Hamm’s bass guitar. Or, maybe it’s the high pitched yet oh so delicate voice of Kelcey Ayer that causes me to reflect and enter such a deep sentimental state.
It’s at 1:02, the first chorus where we are shown the true greatness this song has to offer. For starters, anyone who reads this blog regularly knows that nothing gets me more than a good harmony. Well, this band is built on harmonies seeing as how they all share the position of front man. That’s right. There’s no lead singer. They individually spread their talent throughout each song and through every humble harmony.
So, not only is this chorus heavily packed with harmonies but it’s also bursting with true raw emotion.
As the second verse (with its drum line type beat and memories as verses) slides into its chorus we hear mainly Kelcey’s fragile voice cry out:
“I love it all. So much I call
I want you back back back, you back.”
These lyrics are directed to his grandfather whom he never got a chance to meet. But in general, the song talks about loss. It’s a topic we can all relate to. And, let’s be honest with ourselves here… who hasn’t at some point or another wanted to cry aloud (with that much emotion) for something or someone to be back in our lives. We don’t actually do it, but this chorus manages to strike a chord in us, making us feel as though we are.
The musical interlude approaches at 2:18, which is when we get to listen intently to the heartfelt emotions that illuminate during the most intimate verse of the entire song:
“It sounds like we would have had a great deal to say to each other
I bet when I leave my body for the sky, it will be worth it.”
And then, without a moment of hesitation, the orgasm unexpectedly hits us as 3:02 as the music builds in sound and the yearning harmonies begin to rise with passion. The gorgeously truthful, heart-wrenching words fill our ears one more time
“I love it aaaaaaall. So much I caaaaaaaall,
I want you baaack baaaack baaaack, you baaaaaack”
All you can do at this point is feel you heart lose itself in emotion with the sound of the keyboard, percussion, and drums taking over absolutely every part of your body. And then, we are left with just a few short smacks on the drum, completing the song.
So why has this song changed my life? Well, the song is brilliant. For so many reasons. But, mainly it’s because this song has several faces to it. It’s a memoir for Kelcey Ayer. It’s a coping song for me and it’s probably so many other things for so many other people. I’m sure there are countless ways to interpret these words, but it’s just the best feeling knowing that they will always mean the most the way I see and understand them. This song in particular teaches us to not only open our eyes to these lyrics but to all the others that could be or are already so complex and multifaceted with deeper meaning.
I know… you’re all thinking to yourselves “Yikes, this girl is emo right now.” Maybe I am, maybe I’m not…
But bottom line?
- These men wear skinny jeans, which means I’d be down to date all of them.
- Don’t listen to the song once and say “yeah, its okay.” You must listen to it three or four times in a row to really get how freaking fabulous it is.
- Julia B, I tried to make this post shorter… I’m workin on it! I swear!
Oh and 4, listen to the song… it’ll change your life.
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