― Back Like That (makeitpop), Thursday, 29 October 2009 17:57 (10 months ago) Permalink
What. Is that the Death Cab guy? He should try to make songs that sound more like Kylie or whatever. None of this halfway stuff.
― bamcquern, Thursday, 29 October 2009 18:03 (10 months ago) Permalink
yeah but this is currently the #1 song on the Billboard chart
― ADVANCED CHORD CHANGES (HI DERE), Thursday, 29 October 2009 18:03 (10 months ago) Permalink
No shit. Never heard it before.
― bamcquern, Thursday, 29 October 2009 18:04 (10 months ago) Permalink
xp Ha, no, but:
Iain Forrester: True story: I got one of those “sorry you were out” cards through the letterbox yesterday, saying that I had missed a recorded delivery. I got up early today to collect it at the depot, but they couldn’t find it! Apparently postal workers are on strike and we have to make do with unskilled and inadequate substitutes.[2]
― jaymc, Thursday, 29 October 2009 18:04 (10 months ago) Permalink
Also lol @ Wikipedia page:
Numerous neophytes are initially confused over the band's members. Contrary to expectations Owl City does not include the likes of Ben Gibbard.
― jaymc, Thursday, 29 October 2009 18:06 (10 months ago) Permalink
hahahahaha
― itsybitsyspiderMk2 (some dude), Thursday, 29 October 2009 18:07 (10 months ago) Permalink
http://www.billboard.com/artist/owl-city/998477#/charts/hot-100
...yeah
― ADVANCED CHORD CHANGES (HI DERE), Thursday, 29 October 2009 18:08 (10 months ago) Permalink
Miley covering Jonathan Richman.
― bamcquern, Thursday, 29 October 2009 18:15 (10 months ago) Permalink
Wonder if dude dotted his i's with hearts when he wrote the lyrics to this.
― Sean Carruthers, Thursday, 29 October 2009 18:16 (10 months ago) Permalink
Didn't someone post about postal servicio album number 2 going to number one?
― le hague, Saturday, 31 October 2009 05:40 (10 months ago) Permalink
I like the video (and the melody)
― curmudgeon, Saturday, 31 October 2009 15:36 (10 months ago) Permalink
"cuz i'd get a thousand hugs / from ten thousand lightning bugs / as they teach me how to dance"
so deep, y'all.
― akaky akakievich, Saturday, 31 October 2009 16:01 (10 months ago) Permalink
sweet little tune. reminds me a little of electric president
― nicky lo-fi, Saturday, 31 October 2009 16:07 (10 months ago) Permalink
― nicky lo-fi, Saturday, 31 October 2009 16:08 (10 months ago) Permalink
― akaky akakievich
It's just a pop song not an entry in a poetry competition. But yeah you are kinda right, but I do not usually let lyrics steer me away if I like the rest of the elements of the song.
― curmudgeon, Sunday, 1 November 2009 15:08 (10 months ago) Permalink
"cuz i'd get a thousand hugs / from ten thousand lightning bugs"
this doesnt make sense UNLESS each bug gives him 1000 hugs. so, ten million hugs. that just seems like too many i dont know.
― rent, Sunday, 1 November 2009 15:17 (10 months ago) Permalink
no I uh think it takes ten bugs to make one hug but we should ask someone
― robertwolf8080, Sunday, 1 November 2009 16:29 (10 months ago) Permalink
TS: this pap vs. "100,000 Fireflies"
― Josh in Chicago, Sunday, 1 November 2009 16:36 (10 months ago) Permalink
So after seeing this song at #1 on the Billboard chart, I have suddenly started hearing this song EVERYWHERE. Huh.
― (oh PORRIDGE) (HI DERE), Sunday, 1 November 2009 16:37 (10 months ago) Permalink
yeah, i think this is a situation where iTunes purchases led the charge, and then radio stations immediately went "huh? OK, put it on the playlist"
really funny finally hearing this, btw. this is an admittedly ridiculous question, but is this the most stereotypically 'indie' vocal ever on a US #1?
― some dude, Sunday, 1 November 2009 16:42 (10 months ago) Permalink
guilty pleasure music
― cutty, Sunday, 1 November 2009 17:45 (10 months ago) Permalink
is this the most stereotypically 'indie' vocal ever on a US #1?
looking back over the last twenty years, I'd say most definitely
― da croupier, Sunday, 1 November 2009 18:00 (10 months ago) Permalink
All-American Rejects didn't hit #1?
― (oh PORRIDGE) (HI DERE), Sunday, 1 November 2009 18:15 (10 months ago) Permalink
Or REM?
Stipe's voice isn't that 'indie' to me.
― Drag Me to Hull (Noodle Vague), Sunday, 1 November 2009 18:27 (10 months ago) Permalink
yeah me either...
― k3vin k., Sunday, 1 November 2009 18:28 (10 months ago) Permalink
no and no, dan
― da croupier, Sunday, 1 November 2009 18:35 (10 months ago) Permalink
closest competition i really saw was EMF and Plain White T's, though I don't know if I'd call either's subcultural affectations "indie" anyhow.
― da croupier, Sunday, 1 November 2009 18:36 (10 months ago) Permalink
there are shitty indie songs that sound like Hey Delilah
― billstevejim, Sunday, 1 November 2009 18:39 (10 months ago) Permalink
that's probably why i brought them up
― da croupier, Sunday, 1 November 2009 18:40 (10 months ago) Permalink
oh i thought you meant the opposite... my mistake
― billstevejim, Sunday, 1 November 2009 18:41 (10 months ago) Permalink
i just meant that, while certainly close on the pop family tree, hot topic whines and effete British sighs aren't quite as stereotypically 'indie' as an outright impersonation of ben gibbard.
― da croupier, Sunday, 1 November 2009 18:46 (10 months ago) Permalink
"It's just a pop song not an entry in a poetry competition. But yeah you are kinda right, but I do not usually let lyrics steer me away if I like the rest of the elements of the song."
fair enough, but in this case i don't like any elements of the song. and the vocal delivery probably annoys me more than the cringe-inducing lyrics.
― akaky akakievich, Sunday, 1 November 2009 19:00 (10 months ago) Permalink
The vocal more resembles a clean metalcore reject than "indie."
Also, I wrote a bit about the track because I worry over how much it has permeated my head. I fear it may never leave, and I am certain that it does not deserve me as its host.
― Brad Nelson (BradNelson), Sunday, 1 November 2009 19:01 (10 months ago) Permalink
Well, it's at #1, but way down at #28 on the radio play chart (#42 last week). Its ascent to the top had to have been in spite of a lack of radio play.
― timellison, Sunday, 1 November 2009 19:36 (10 months ago) Permalink
Very much so -- Chris Molanphy at Idolator has a great piece up detailing what happened.
― Ned Raggett, Sunday, 1 November 2009 20:12 (10 months ago) Permalink
lol @ this cover
― umadeus grozart (Curt1s Stephens), Sunday, 1 November 2009 21:55 (10 months ago) Permalink
lol @ the star wars font
― GEDDY LEE JAZZ MINT (Future_Perfect), Sunday, 1 November 2009 23:53 (10 months ago) Permalink
"Such Great Hoots" = A++ headline writing
― uninspired girls rejoice!!! (Hoot Smalley), Monday, 2 November 2009 00:19 (10 months ago) Permalink
says hoot smalley
― cutty, Monday, 2 November 2009 00:29 (10 months ago) Permalink
Again, I can’t front: on a Top 40 radio dial awash in Black Eyed Peas’ faux-hop and Miley Cyrus’s shrill Autotunage, “Fireflies” is a nice contrast. But it’s basically The Postal Service for Dummies, Chris Molanphy from his nicely done Idolator piece
I can go with this.
Oh, my kid says I-Tunes was giving this song away for awhile, many months back (he does not like it btw).
― curmudgeon, Monday, 2 November 2009 15:21 (10 months ago) Permalink
garbage
― goole, Monday, 2 November 2009 16:10 (10 months ago) Permalink
i don't mind the postal service or ben gibbard in small doses but this guy's voice and delivery grates for a reason i can't quite pinpoint since it's pretty much a carbon copy.
― Roz, Monday, 2 November 2009 16:17 (10 months ago) Permalink
Here's a theory: "Cool" christian kids will buy anything, so when this guy comes along sounding like the Postal Service but talking about "I follow Jesus Christ wholeheartedly. He is my life, my strength, my all." on his myspace page (captioning a picture of fluffy white clouds no less), he mobilizes a huge market of jesus campers who want credit in the "indie" world without sacrificing their savior (a market that could be more likely to purchase music from itunes rather than rip it, what with that whole "thou shalt not steal" thing).
― fucking in the streets, Monday, 2 November 2009 16:57 (10 months ago) Permalink
those christian kids!
― goole, Monday, 2 November 2009 17:06 (10 months ago) Permalink
Alternate theory: deal with the devil.
― fucking in the streets, Monday, 2 November 2009 17:09 (10 months ago) Permalink
i knew the kid was from owatonna but i had no idea he was christian. he sounds like the postal service, there you go. i think your theory is crap.
― goole, Monday, 2 November 2009 17:12 (10 months ago) Permalink
if someone who supposedly built their whole following from MySpace prominently declares their faith on their MySpace page then yeah, I don't think it's terribly far fetched to suggest there's a CCM element to their success.
― retrunofthaghmac (some dude), Monday, 2 November 2009 17:16 (10 months ago) Permalink
hmm. yeah.
― goole, Monday, 2 November 2009 17:17 (10 months ago) Permalink
That's no way to talk to Big Jim Swells Hank Kingsley.
― ljagljana (kkvgz), Friday, 21 May 2010 17:54 (3 months ago) Permalink
Ned, wrong thread:
Why can't I get a copy of the Pop Group's 'Y' on CD?
― I just wish he hadn't adopted the "ilxor" moniker (ilxor), Friday, 21 May 2010 17:55 (3 months ago) Permalink
I don't understand; are you guys begrudging OC for making money?
That's not HIS choice - if people want to pay to hear "Fireflies," then that's THEIR decision.
It's not like we all stopped listening to Coldplay after they became the biggest band since the Beatles - far from it!
― Hank Kingsley, Friday, 21 May 2010 18:00 (3 months ago) Permalink
alright, ladies and gents, the game is SOCK OR TROLL...I trust you've all seen it before
― da croupier, Friday, 21 May 2010 18:03 (3 months ago) Permalink
As much as I detest "Fireflies" and find Hank's enthusiasm for it at best incomprehensible, can we not do the stupid bullshit meta attack nonsense?
― Have a slice of wine! (HI DERE), Friday, 21 May 2010 18:06 (3 months ago) Permalink
I moved out of my old house last weekend and the "it's weird cause I hate goodbyes" line kept running through my head, to which I had to keep telling myself "no, it's not!"
― ljagljana (kkvgz), Friday, 21 May 2010 18:10 (3 months ago) Permalink
Thanks, Have a slice of wine! I agree that there's no reason to cryptically abuse someone for having an opinion that differs from your own - especially when the vast majority of music listening Americans, clearly, agree with me
― Hank Kingsley, Friday, 21 May 2010 18:11 (3 months ago) Permalink
It's not like we all stopped listening to Coldplay
Well, to be fair, there are certainly those of us who never started...
― I just wish he hadn't adopted the "ilxor" moniker (ilxor), Friday, 21 May 2010 18:16 (3 months ago) Permalink
I agree that there's no reason to cryptically abuse someone for having an opinion that differs from your own - especially when the vast majority of music listening Americans, clearly, agree with me
i'll pretend this is a sentiment that would be expressed by someone who wasn't either a) familiar with ilx and/or b) trying to get a rise out of people, and say that earnest music fan hank kingsley is on the the pipe.
― da croupier, Friday, 21 May 2010 18:21 (3 months ago) Permalink
sorry, i meant on matt johnston's pipe
― Hank Kingsley, Friday, May 21, 2010 6:00 PM (22 minutes ago) Bookmark Suggest Ban Permalink
I love that there wasn't actually a post that provoked this
― dud rock (crüt), Friday, 21 May 2010 18:24 (3 months ago) Permalink
Has anyone ever studied the population of non-music-listening Americans? Like, just taken a head count...I'm curious.
― Doctor Casino, Friday, 21 May 2010 18:25 (3 months ago) Permalink
5,000,000 Owl City Fans Can't Wet The Bed At The Same Time Or We'd Drown
― da croupier, Friday, 21 May 2010 18:27 (3 months ago) Permalink
It seems to me like some of you are doubting my claims of the mass, cross-demographic appeal of OC.
I'd direct you here: http://i45.tinypic.com/14kg0ba.png
And, further, two of my facebook friends are fans of his. One is white guy straight guy from Albany, while the other is a black gay gentleman from Los Angeles.
So I think it's pretty clear OC is a cultural phenomenon!
― Hank Kingsley, Friday, 21 May 2010 18:45 (3 months ago) Permalink
uh, duh. no one disagrees with you.
― dud rock (crüt), Friday, 21 May 2010 18:48 (3 months ago) Permalink
One is white guy straight guy from Albany, while the other is a black gay gentleman from Los Angeles.this sounds like an awesome sitcom
― tylerw, Friday, 21 May 2010 18:54 (3 months ago) Permalink
i have to say i think hank has me thinking about owl city a whole new way
still, owl city is from owatonna
― i saw a necromancer at the buffalo wild wings in west st. paul (M@tt He1ges0n), Friday, 21 May 2010 18:54 (3 months ago) Permalink
Hank Kingsley, what other music do you enjoy?
― I just wish he hadn't adopted the "ilxor" moniker (ilxor), Friday, 21 May 2010 18:59 (3 months ago) Permalink
Welcome, btw.
This is my last.fm page info: http://i46.tinypic.com/a1mgpc.png
― Hank Kingsley, Friday, 21 May 2010 19:05 (3 months ago) Permalink
The Liars really fell off after this one, tbf.
― Doctor Casino, Friday, 21 May 2010 19:14 (3 months ago) Permalink
It's an amazing coincidence that such a (dare I say) naive music fan would share a name with a character from such a cynical, meta-tastic show like Larry Sanders.
― da croupier, Friday, 21 May 2010 19:27 (3 months ago) Permalink
Hank is open and (typically) genial. Unlike Larry, Hank is more than willing to lend his name to commercial products and tries to cultivate a cult of personality through his little-read newsletters, fan club, and so on. Hank tends to be dense and is frequently the butt of the jokes of others without realizing it.
He is generally disrespected among his co-workers because of his ego and dimness. Hank will often act humble and unassuming, especially on camera or in front of media executives and other influential persons; however, he is condescending and often quite nasty to anyone whom he perceives to be "below" him in status. Hank spends considerable time focused on furthering his career, often endorsing questionable products and working behind Larry's back to ensure his enduring presence on the show, even when Larry is being scrutinized.
― da croupier, Friday, 21 May 2010 19:29 (3 months ago) Permalink
Yeah, usually people don't even mention that show (cause no one watched it!) so I don't have to deal with this BUT...
Hank Kingsley is my real name.
Sorry to disappoint!
― Hank Kingsley, Friday, 21 May 2010 19:36 (3 months ago) Permalink
Hey now!
― tylerw, Friday, 21 May 2010 19:46 (3 months ago) Permalink
Months after this song has fallen off the charts (I think), my daughters are still obsessed with looking up youtube tributes to it: lipsynch versions, mega-weak bedroom covers, sped-up and slowed-down homemade videos, whatever's out there.
― a reprehensible gentility of trouser (staggerlee), Friday, 21 May 2010 23:20 (3 months ago) Permalink
i have tried twice to listen to this song on youtube, and twice failed to make it past the 1st chorus. i don't think i've ever heard it otherwise. and it is so awful. plus thanks.
― the other is a black gay gentleman from Los Angeles (contenderizer), Saturday, 22 May 2010 00:41 (3 months ago) Permalink
if u couldn't make it past the first chorus, then u missed the lyrical excellency that is "i'm weird cause i hate goodbyes"
fyi
― The Reverend, Saturday, 22 May 2010 00:46 (3 months ago) Permalink
line is up there w/ "my heart is bound to beat right out my untrimmed chest"
― ksh, Saturday, 22 May 2010 00:51 (3 months ago) Permalink
it isn't my favorite owl city line, which will forever and always be "i look at my hands and i feel sad"
― The Reverend, Saturday, 22 May 2010 05:48 (3 months ago) Permalink
― ksh, Saturday, 22 May 2010 05:51 (3 months ago) Permalink
it just makes me imagine that adam young is experiencing every situtation of someone realing their own futility that has ever happened, all at once. and that makes me smile.
― The Reverend, Saturday, 22 May 2010 05:54 (3 months ago) Permalink
― Josh in Chicago, Saturday, 22 May 2010 20:35 (3 months ago) Permalink
I can't believe I ever defended this shit.
― Sundar, Saturday, 22 May 2010 21:02 (3 months ago) Permalink
lol just came her to post that "electronic wuss" video
― da croupier, Sunday, 23 May 2010 15:19 (3 months ago) Permalink
the oceans constellations make me cry
― dud rock (crüt), Sunday, 23 May 2010 15:31 (3 months ago) Permalink
― uninspired girls rejoice!!! (Hoot Smalley), Monday, November 2, 2009 12:19 AM (1 month ago) Bookmark Suggest Ban Permalink
― cutty, Monday, November 2, 2009 12:29 AM (1 month ago) Bookmark
this cracks me up
― hear shart attack (latebloomer), Monday, December 28, 2009 9:48 AM (4 months ago) Bookmark
still
― LINGO FROM THE BURGER KING KIDS CLUB (latebloomer), Monday, 24 May 2010 04:59 (3 months ago) Permalink
lol Sundar!
― Have a slice of wine! (HI DERE), Monday, 24 May 2010 15:30 (3 months ago) Permalink
This song is remarkable. I don't think I've hears pop songcraft on this level since...probably fucking "Billie Jean," if I'm being honest here (AND I AM).
Ehh.... I mean..... WTF!!!!
And I am among those who consider Owl City better than a lot of what is on current hitlists otherwise.... :)
― Tied Up In Geir (Geir Hongro), Monday, 24 May 2010 16:42 (3 months ago) Permalink
hahahaha
― The Reverend, Monday, 24 May 2010 17:32 (3 months ago) Permalink
Oh no.
― Ned Raggett, Tuesday, 24 August 2010 20:48 (1 week ago) Permalink
"from the studio that brought you happy feet"
― underrated klaatu albums i have loved (upper mississippi sh@kedown), Tuesday, 24 August 2010 21:09 (1 week ago) Permalink
― ilxor has truly been got at and become an ILXor (ilxor), Tuesday, 24 August 2010 21:12 (1 week ago) Permalink
You laugh now, Matt, you'll be reading these books to your kid soon I'll bet:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guardians_of_Ga'Hoole
― Ned Raggett, Tuesday, 24 August 2010 21:15 (1 week ago) Permalink
ILM = A place for a bunch of 90s fans who still hate the fact that the 90s have ended, and even more the fact that the years after Y2K have been more musically similar to the 70s and 80s than to the 90s.
― Tied Up In Geir (Geir Hongro), Tuesday, 24 August 2010 21:17 (1 week ago) Permalink
Ga'ir Hoolegro
― Ned Raggett, Tuesday, 24 August 2010 21:20 (1 week ago) Permalink
Argh, was gonna make that joke. :(
― no gut busting joke can change history (polyphonic), Tuesday, 24 August 2010 21:20 (1 week ago) Permalink
oh phew. was worried for a minute that owl city had broken up or something.
― cajunsunday, Tuesday, 24 August 2010 21:28 (1 week ago) Permalink
what a disaster for owl city
― ilxor has truly been got at and become an ILXor (ilxor), Tuesday, 24 August 2010 21:35 (1 week ago) Permalink
I will <3 Geir forever if this becomes his new display name...
― ilxor has truly been got at and become an ILXor (ilxor), Tuesday, 24 August 2010 21:36 (1 week ago) Permalink