“100, 000 Fireflies” is the first single by American indie pop band The Magnetic Fields, taken from their debut studio album, Distant Plastic Trees. The song was written by frontman Adam Young about seeing fireflies in his hometown of Owatonna, Minnesota while he was awake with insomnia. The song is built around a “bleepy” synthline and includes lyrics about insomnia, fireflies, and summer.
The song is considered awkward to dance to at prom but remains a lasting gem of the 2000s. The line “Cause I’d get a thousand hugs from ten thousand lightning bugs” has been confounding, as it suggests that Owl City, aka Adam Young, would receive a thousand total hugs from ten thousand lightning bugs.
Susan Anway, the singer on The Magnetic Fields’ early albums, died this month. For many, her legacy is the remarkable “100, 000 Fireflies”, the band’s first ever single, released in September 1991. The song appeared on the band’s debut album, Distant Plastic Trees.
The song is also featured in Superchunk’s 1993 song “The Question Is How Fast”, which includes unlimited streaming via the Bandcamp app and download in mp3, FLAC, and more. The song is a testament to the power of music and the power of imagination in capturing the beauty of nature.
| Article | Description | Site |
|---|---|---|
| 100000 Fireflies – song and lyrics by The Magnetic Fields | Listen to 100000 Fireflies on Spotify. Song · The Magnetic Fields · 2004. | open.spotify.com |
| 100000 Fireflies – The Magnetic Fields | Слушай трек «The Magnetic Fields — 100000 Fireflies». The Magnetic Fields на Shazam: тексты песен, клипы, даты выступлений, билеты и многое другое. | shazam.com |
| The Magnetic Fields – 100000 Fireflies Lyrics | “100,000 Fireflies” was the Magnetic Fields’ first ever single, released in September 1991. The song appeared on the band’s debut album, Distant Plastic Trees, … | genius.com |
📹 Owl City – Fireflies (Official Music Video)
REMASTERED IN HD!! Official Music Video for Fireflies performed by Owl City. Watch more remastered videos!
📹 100,000 Fireflies
Provided to YouTube by Merge Media Ltd 100000 Fireflies · The Magnetic Fields The Wayward Bus / Distant Plastic Trees …
To the one reading this before 2024 ends: You are now paying bills and have responsibilities. Your friends are no longer active on games and lobbies are empty. Life is getting harder and harder each day! Some may have their own kids while some may still be lost or have already passed. Before, the planet Earth seems to turn slowly. Now it seems fast phased and always in a rush. All will be well. No matter what challenge you are going through. Wishing that you receive a thousand hugs from ten thousand lightning bulbs. Nostalgia is depressing. But we must live in the present. Hugs everyone!
I’m turning 19 soon, this will be the last care free summer I get to spend with my best friend, before I leave for college. I’m so scared and sometimes I want to cry my eyes out, I realize that after this summer its over, and I will never get that back. I would give anything to go back in time when we were younger and there wasn’t so much to worry about, this song brings back all those carefree times; road trips with my parents and sister, playing COD till 3am with the boys, getting my first guitar, new lego sets on Christmas, playing my favorite songs over and over, laying in the grass with my best friend perusal 4th of July fireworks. I could go on and on, I’ll never forget those memories. I never understood when adults told me “don’t grow up too fast, its not what you think,” I was always like why wouldn’t I want to be an adult? I get it now. If there are any younger kids seeing this, don’t be in a rush to grow up, treasure your childhood (including teens) you only get to be a kid once, you will never ever get that back, so enjoy it and hang on tight to those memories.
My god is it been that long. I remember first listening to this song on the Family website when I was just 10 years old I also remember listening to this on the bus ride to school with my friends. You never realize it but man does the years go by. I miss being a kid. Everything was happy then have to worry about a lot of things completely innocent. So now we have to worry about getting your college plumber your high school diploma or get your job and paying taxes.
Damn, I was 13 when this came out listening to this on my iPod on the bus going home. I felt like the whole world was ahead of me I couldn’t wait to grow up. Life was simpler back then no covid, but everyone freaked out over swine flu (lol), the family was together, etc, still young. Now I’m 25 and still in college and it’s taking forever, but I’m getting finished. I feel old and washed up sadly, but this song takes me back to a time when I wasn’t, and I can still feel the same feeling it gave me in the winter of 2009 where everything felt hopeful.
I love this song because of a very specific and special person, I met in the 3rd grade, after I moved to a new state. She was werid, and I loved it. No one else did, like everyone hated her. If you know what the “Cheese Touch” is from my diary of a wimpy kid, this entire school had decided that she was just as bad and named a similar “game”(more like bully mechanism) after her. It was bad, and I had no idea when I first came to that school, but I was in the same class as her younger brother who I had a crush on at the time, so naturally I was nice to her from the beginning and like the second day of school I sat with her on our hour long bus ride and everyone getting on was being jerks saying stupid shit, but I didn’t care, I was just curious to know what she was actually like, regardless of what others had said….and about 20ish mins into the ride, she pulls out her mini MP3 player and ear buds, then the first song she shows me, she goes,” Thanks of being my friend even when it might make no one like you, so I wanted to show you my favorite song “, then on comes this beautiful symphony of the song. To this day, i sing this song with pride and remembrance, knowing that it meant something to her, and even though we will never meet again, She will always mean something to try.
Wanna know something cool? This song’s like a memory. You can remember bits and pieces, and it comes back to you now and then, but you can never remember the entirety of this song. Not until you hear it’s notes, not unless you keep visiting this memory over and over. It feels like it was only yesterday, but it’s been more than a decade. A tenth of a century. Maybe it’s because we all believe earth turns slowly, or maybe we just refuse to forget because we all hate goodbyes. I like to believe the earth turns slowly. Lets meet again some day and visit this memory for a little while longer.
This song came out when I was 16. I was just learning to drive at the time, was a little nerdy, my grandfather (who was my closest friend) had just passed away, and I got picked on for my interests and liking music such as this. I would drive by myself at night blasting this song without a care in the world, and briefly I’d forget all of my daily woes. I’m staring at 30 now, and it’s nice to return to those bygone days. I’d give anything to experience it just for one more day.
“Fireflies” Owl City Lyrics Follow Owl City on Bandsintown “Fireflies” You would not believe your eyes If ten million fireflies Lit up the world as I fell asleep ‘Cause they’d fill the open air And leave teardrops everywhere You’d think me rude But I would just stand and stare I’d like to make myself believe That planet Earth turns slowly It’s hard to say that I’d rather stay awake when I’m asleep ‘Cause everything is never as it seems ‘Cause I’d get a thousand hugs From ten thousand lightning bugs As they tried to teach me how to dance A foxtrot above my head A sock hop beneath my bed A disco ball is just hanging by a thread (Thread, thread…) I’d like to make myself believe That planet Earth turns slowly It’s hard to say that I’d rather stay awake when I’m asleep ‘Cause everything is never as it seems (When I fall asleep) Leave my door open just a crack (Please take me away from here) ‘Cause I feel like such an insomniac (Please take me away from here) Why do I tire of counting sheep? (Please take me away from here) When I’m far too tired to fall asleep (Ha-ha) To ten million fireflies I’m weird ’cause I hate goodbyes I got misty eyes as they said farewell (Said farewell) But I’ll know where several are If my dreams get real bizarre ‘Cause I saved a few and I keep them in a jar (Jar, jar, jar…) I’d like to make myself believe That planet Earth turns slowly It’s hard to say that I’d rather stay awake when I’m asleep ‘Cause everything is never as it seems (when I fall asleep) I’d like to make myself believe That planet Earth turns slowly It’s hard to say that I’d rather stay awake when I’m asleep ‘Cause everything is never as it seems (when I fall asleep) I’d like to make myself believe That planet Earth turns slowly It’s hard to say that I’d rather stay awake when I’m asleep Because my dreams are bursting at the seams
You would not believe your eyes If ten million fireflies Lit up the world as I fell asleep ‘Cause they fill the open air And leave teardrops everywhere You’d think me rude but I would just stand and stare I’d like to make myself believe that planet earth turns slowly It’s hard to say that I’d rather stay awake when I’m asleep ‘Cause everything is never as it seems ‘Cause I’d get a thousand hugs From ten thousand lightning bugs As they tried to teach me how to dance A foxtrot above my head A sock hop beneath my bed A disco ball is just hanging by a thread (thread, thread) I’d like to make myself believe that planet earth turns slowly It’s hard to say that I’d rather stay awake when I’m asleep ‘Cause everything is never as it seems (when I fall asleep) Leave my door open just a crack Please take me away from here ‘Cause I feel like such an insomniac Please take me away from here Why do I tire of counting sheep Please take me away from here When I’m far too tired to fall asleep To ten million fireflies I’m weird cause I hate goodbyes I got misty eyes as they said farewell (said farewell) But I’ll know where several are If my dreams get real bizarre ‘Cause I saved a few and I keep them in a jar (jar, jar) I’d like to make myself believe that planet earth turns slowly It’s hard to say that I’d rather stay awake when I’m asleep ‘Cause everything is never as it seems (when I fall asleep) I’d like to make myself believe that planet earth turns slowly It’s hard to say that I’d rather stay awake when I’m asleep ‘Cause everything is never as it seems (when I fall asleep)
HAPPY NOSTALGIAAA GUYS !!!!! You would not believe your eyes If ten million fireflies Lit up the world as I fell asleep ‘Cause they fill the open air And leave teardrops everywhere You’d think me rude but I would just stand and stare I’d like to make myself believe that planet earth turns slowly It’s hard to say that I’d rather stay awake when I’m asleep ‘Cause everything is never as it seems ‘Cause I’d get a thousand hugs From ten thousand lightning bugs As they tried to teach me how to dance A foxtrot above my head A sock hop beneath my bed A disco ball is just hanging by a thread (thread, thread) I’d like to make myself believe that planet earth turns slowly It’s hard to say that I’d rather stay awake when I’m asleep ‘Cause everything is never as it seems (when I fall asleep) Leave my door open just a crack Please take me away from here ‘Cause I feel like such an insomniac Please take me away from here Why do I tire of counting sheep? Please take me away from here When I’m far too tired to fall asleep To ten million fireflies I’m weird ’cause I hate goodbyes I got misty eyes as they said farewell (they said farewell) But I’ll know where several are If my dreams get real bizarre ‘Cause I saved a few and I keep them in a jar (jar, jar, jar) I’d like to make myself believe that planet earth turns slowly It’s hard to say that I’d rather stay awake when I’m asleep ‘Cause everything is never as it seems (when I fall asleep) I’d like to make myself believe that planet earth turns slowly It’s hard to say that I’d rather stay awake when I’m asleep ‘Cause everything is never as it seems (when I fall asleep)
ENJOY You would not believe your eyes If ten million fireflies Lit up the world as I fell asleep ‘Cause they fill the open air And leave teardrops everywhere You’d think me rude but I would just stand and stare I’d like to make myself believe that planet earth turns slowly It’s hard to say that I’d rather stay awake when I’m asleep ‘Cause everything is never as it seems ‘Cause I’d get a thousand hugs From ten thousand lightning bugs As they tried to teach me how to dance A foxtrot above my head A sock hop beneath my bed A disco ball is just hanging by a thread (thread, thread) I’d like to make myself believe that planet earth turns slowly It’s hard to say that I’d rather stay awake when I’m asleep ‘Cause everything is never as it seems (when I fall asleep) Leave my door open just a crack Please take me away from here ‘Cause I feel like such an insomniac Please take me away from here Why do I tire of counting sheep Please take me away from here When I’m far too tired to fall asleep To ten million fireflies I’m weird cause I hate goodbyes I got misty eyes as they said farewell (said farewell) But I’ll know where several are If my dreams get real bizarre ‘Cause I saved a few and I keep them in a jar (jar, jar) I’d like to make myself believe that planet earth turns slowly It’s hard to say that I’d rather stay awake when I’m asleep ‘Cause everything is never as it seems (when I fall asleep) I’d like to make myself believe that planet earth turns slowly It’s hard to say that I’d rather stay awake when I’m asleep ‘Cause everything is never as it seems (when I fall asleep)
It’s interesting reading all these comments about nostalgia. Sometimes, songs acquire nostalgic quality because they were released a long time ago and are connected with a certain part in your life. With Fireflies though, I recall the song sounded just as nostalgic to me in 2009 as it does today. Just the 0:47 line. Wouldn’t we all like to make ourselves believe that time doesn’t whizz by the way it does? And on top of that, there’s all this imagery in the article that is connected with childhood and its inherent sense of wonder.
I remember vividly when I went to meet with my ex girlfriend on the very first date I listened to this song. I think I was 16 or 17 back then. I listened to this song before I met her. It was winter, and snow was laying on the ground and there was christmas lights everywhere and all the tall buildings and skycrapers were glowing like fireflies literally. We broke up 4 years later, but I sill think about that time, because it was a beautiful and very simple time. I am 32 now with two kids and she is also married with a kid. I wish her all the best.
I’m throwing a part and playing Gen Z throw back songs, everyone’s invited. invite your Gen Z friends y’all it’s gonna be a V I B E Let’s be honest, you’re like what…9? You get home from school, do your homework, watch some OG nickleodeon, and then go to your room to blast this song until dinner, you’re laying on your bed blasting this through your earbuds on your iPod, just vibing, not worrying about homework, due dates, and all that.
I have a mandolin I play it all night long It makes me want to kill myself I also have a Dobro Made in some mountain range Sounds like a mountain range in love But when I turn up the tone On my electric guitar I’m afraid of the dark without you close to me I’m afraid of the dark without you close to me I went out to the forest and caught 100,000 fireflies As they ricochet round the room They remind me of your starry eyes Someone else’s might not have made me so sad But this is the worst night I ever had ‘Cause I’m afraid of the dark without you close to me I’m afraid of the dark without you close to me Always was You won’t be happy with me But give me one more chance You won’t be happy anyway Why do we still live here In this repulsive town?
I have a mandolin I play it all night long It makes me want to kill myself I also have a dobro Made in some mountain range Sounds like a mountain range in love But when I turn up the tone On my electric guitar I’m afraid of the dark without you close to me I’m afraid of the dark without you close to me I went out to the forest and caught A hundred thousand fireflies As they ricochet ’round the room They remind me of your starry eyes Someone else’s might not have made me so sad But this is the worst night I ever had ‘Cause I’m afraid of the dark without you close to me I’m afraid of the dark without you close to me (Always were) You won’t be happy with me But give me one more chance You won’t be happy anyway Why do we still live here In this repulsive town? All our friends are in New York Why do we keep shrieking When we mean soft things? We should be whispering all the time