Song of the Day-"On The Wing" by Owl City

As long as I've got Owl City on the brain, I want to share one of his songs that I've come to fall madly love with. As you probably guessed, it's called "On The Wing", a song from his sophomore album, 2009's "Ocean Eyes". There are several reasons why I feel the need to talk about this specific song because, more than anything he's every recorded, "On The Wing" has syrupy sentimental lyrics and heavily synthesized, electronic music; but it clicks. Also, Adam Young brings the melody to the foreground, while adding more harmony and background effects with each passing minute. It's the kind of song that's equally affecting as it is musically enriching. Coming from Adam Young, this is quite an accomplishment. It stands as a highlight from his entire discography because it's the type of melancholy let peppy music that Adam tries to make, but never quite achieves. Everything about "On The Wing" works, and at some point during the middle, it sucks you into its sway, making you feel that you too are above the ground in a giddy sense of wonder. 

So, with all song dissections, let's start from the beginning. The background harmony is introduced first, and then the melody arrives, followed by Owl City's signature glitchy effects. The music subsides for the opening verse.

"Breathe and I'll carry you away

Into the velvet sky, and we'll stir the stars around

And watch them fall away, into the Hudson Bay

And plummet out of sight and sound

The open summer breeze, will sweep you through the hills

Where I live in the Alpine heights, below the northern lights

I spend my coldest nights alone awake and thinking of

The weekend we were in love"

So it looks like Adam has love in mind. It's not surprising, seeing as how that's his main source of inspiration. He once again uses pastoral imagery as a metaphor of sorts, describing the high you can feel when you're truly in love. After this, the melody and harmony collide again, and this leads into the next verse.

"Home among these mountain tops, can be so awfully dull

A thousand miles from the tide

But photos on the walls, of New York shopping malls

Distract me so I stay inside

I wish the rocket stayed, over the Promenade

Cause I would make a hook and I

Would fish them from the sky, my darling she and I

We're hanging on so take us high, to sing the world goodbye"

More images, more metaphors, more stream of consciousness lyrics that don't really add up to anything specific. They only emphasize the feeling Adam wishes he could have once more, to feel that giddy whirl when his girlfriend and he were so madly in love. This verse then leads directly into the chorus.

"I am floating away, lost in a silent ballet

I'm dreaming I'm out in the blue, and I am right beside you

Awake to take in the view

Late night and early parades, still photos and noisy arcades

My darling we're both on the wing, look down and keep on singing

And we can go anywhere, are you there?"

Probably the most concrete part of this song (yes really), Adam cuts to the chase (sort of), and tells his girl that they're still in love, he's still filled with joy and that they can do anything. In the end, however, he wants to know if she agrees, if she feels the same way. The question "are you there?" is fully explained as we're segued into the bridge.

"Are you there? Or are you just a decoy dream, in my head?

Am I home? Or am I simply tumbling all alone?"

So it's not that simple. "Are you there" is essentially asking if his girlfriend is there at all. Was he just dreaming of spending more time with her? Is he with her, or is he just dreaming of her and in actuality, he's all alone? This is definitely the hardest verse to decipher, since it really could mean anything. But then again, the good majority of Adam's music is based on vague topics and words that don't seem to be connected to each other, thus leading the listener through a song that could have any number of meanings. 

Now for the next 46 seconds, we're treated to a symphony of sounds. Strings, synths, percussion, all building upon each other moment by moment until it leads to a triumphant overture of joy and sound. Needless to say, this is the best part of the entire song, it's aural candy that can pleasure just about anyone. Best of all, it's where Adam succeeds in making music that's other-worldly, beautifully sculpted and wonderfully cheesy. 

The rest of the song repeats the chorus and ends on that same question: "Are you there?". This time, though, it's more of a happy note. Adam's basically inviting his girl for the ride, the journey of love and its dizzying peaks. The music ends on a reprieve of that digital symphony, fading to black as it twirls into nothing. 

I've heard many well written, well produced songs, but I've never witnessed a song as gorgeous as "On The Wing". It definitely takes a few spins to sink in, but as I said before, eventually, you get sucked into its grand, sweeping emotions and feel like you're above the world with Adam. Definitely check this one out, it's one of my favorite songs ever recorded, really.