Vanilla Twilight

Album: Ocean Eyes (2009)
Charted: 72
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • This is the follow-up single to synthpop act Owl City's chart-topper "Fireflies."
  • This touching ode to love lost is about Adam Young's (a.k.a. Owl City) high school girlfriend who moved away. In an interview with Buzzgrinder on August 20, 2009, Young explained: "I met the most charming girl imaginable when I was in high school and most of my 'cozy' songs are about her. She moved away to college for a few years and we kind of lost touch. She and I recently started talking to each other again and life has a way of reshaping sometimes. I'm absolutely crazy about her."
  • Young told The Sun February 12, 2010: "That song is probably the oldest on the album. I wrote it when I first started in 2007 and I kept on tweaking it. When I need a ballad for the album, I switched some words around and it fitted perfectly."

Comments: 8

  • Fizzo_24 from Dar Es SalaamOne of the best songs ever!! I love it
  • Ryan from San Jose, Ca@Ariana: This is what I think about the "pour me a heavy dose of atmosphere" line: The first line of this song is "The stars lean down to kiss you / And I lie awake and miss you," so in this song I think he's saying that the stars, sky, atmosphere, etc. provide some kind of closeness and intimacy to the speaker's lost love. In that sense, I believe the speaker, in his longing and loneliness, is wanting that same closeness and intimacy since his love is gone, so he wants someone to "pour me a heavy does of atmosphere." He wants that same comfort since he can't be with her. Maybe since the stars (atmosphere) do it for her, if they do it for him, it may provide some kind of connection to his lost love. He says right after, "'Cause I'll doze off safe and soundly," meaning the comfort from the "atmosphere" will help him to sleep, but of course he'll still "miss your arms around me." I think the line is the speaker's way of trying to find comfort, closeness, and intimacy so he can ease his loneliness and longing for his lost love.
  • Nichelle from Novi, MiI Love Him!
  • Devin from Santa Cruz, CaJohn that made me smile! That's the sweetest thing ever. I wish the best for you guys!
    This song is absolutely amazing. My favorite line is "the silence isn't so bad, til I look at my hands and feel sad cuz the spaces between my fingers are right where yours fit perfectly"
  • Ariana from Hooper, Neah! that is really sweet! i wish you guys the best to!
  • Ariana from Hooper, Newhat does "poor me a heavy dose of atmosphere mean?
  • Jessica from Gaithersburg, MdJohn..that is the sweeeeetest thing ever!! wish you and your highschool sweetheart the best!
  • John Slatton from Concord, Nhmy highschool girlfriend wanted to be a police officer,so she went to college, as i was in boot for the marine corps. i wrote her everyday, and she normally would write back... i gaduated boot, and went to visit her at her college in my Marine Dress Blues. Though it was the wrong, college, she graduated. I was deployed, stationed in afghanistan, and when i had got back, she was there with my family, in her police officer uniform. And man, did she look good?!?! She works for NCPD. We live together now, living and enjoying our lives. So, baby, if you read this, I'm in love with you Soooooo much. And I can honestly say... that I missed you in Afghanistan. I dedicate this song to you, hun. This is our wedding song!!
see more comments

Editor's Picks

Allen Toussaint - "Southern Nights"

Allen Toussaint - "Southern Nights"They're Playing My Song

A song he wrote and recorded from "sheer spiritual inspiration," Allen's didn't think "Southern Nights" had hit potential until Glen Campbell took it to #1 two years later.

Richard Marx

Richard MarxSongwriter Interviews

Richard explains how Joe Walsh kickstarted his career, and why he chose Hazard, Nebraska for a hit.

Commercials

CommercialsFact or Fiction

Was "Ring Of Fire" really used to sell hemorrhoid cream?

John Doe of X

John Doe of XSongwriter Interviews

With his X-wife Exene, John fronts the band X and writes their songs.

Yoko Ono

Yoko OnoSongwriter Interviews

At 80 years old, Yoko has 10 #1 Dance hits. She discusses some of her songs and explains what inspired John Lennon's return to music in 1980.

Loreena McKennitt

Loreena McKennittSongwriter Interviews

The Celtic music maker Loreena McKennitt on finding musical inspiration, the "New Age" label, and working on the movie Tinker Bell.