The Real World

Album: All Things Bright & Beautiful (2011)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • The opening track from All Things Bright and Beautiful, the third album from synthpop act Owl City, finds Adam Young singing, "Reality is a lovely place, but I wouldn't want to live there." Young's Christian faith is an influence on many of his songs, and in our interview with Adam, we asked him if he was asking for trouble with this line, as Christians are sometimes accused of not living in the real world. Said Young, "Trouble isn't my forte but I like to stay off the radar and do my own thing to keep myself happy. That's what I've always done and the song isn't really meant to be taken literally. It's just a fun song with a quip in it. I like the idea of staying in my own reality and coming out only when I need to."
  • Speaking with Christianity Today magazine, Young said, "The line, 'Reality is a lovely place but I wouldn't want to live there' is a fun way of saying I appreciate life exactly as it is, and although I can't change the world by any means, I can touch it. It's merely my way of dealing with things by proclaiming I can't keep the dark days from happening or the frustrations from occurring, but I can fix my eyes on that one blue patch of sky and thus keep my eyes focused on what truly matters."

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Melanie

MelanieSongwriter Interviews

The singer-songwriter Melanie talks about her spiritual awakening at Woodstock, "Brand New Key," and why songwriting is an art, not a craft.

We Will Rock You (To Sleep): Pop Stars Who Recorded Kids' Albums

We Will Rock You (To Sleep): Pop Stars Who Recorded Kids' AlbumsSong Writing

With the rise of Kindie rock, more musicians are embracing their inner child with tunes for tots - here, we look at pop stars who recorded kids' albums.

Michael Franti

Michael FrantiSongwriter Interviews

Franti tells the story behind his hit "Say Hey (I Love You)" and explains why yoga is an integral part of his lifestyle and his Soulshine tour.

Tom Keifer of Cinderella

Tom Keifer of CinderellaSongwriter Interviews

Tom talks about the evolution of Cinderella's songs through their first three albums, and how he writes as a solo artist.

Lori McKenna

Lori McKennaSongwriter Interviews

Lori's songs have been recorded by Faith Hill and Sara Evans. She's performed on the CMAs and on Oprah. She also has five kids.

Stand By Me: The Perfect Song-Movie Combination

Stand By Me: The Perfect Song-Movie CombinationSong Writing

In 1986, a Stephen King novella was made into a movie, with a classic song serving as title, soundtrack and tone.