umbrella beach

i forget whether i've mentioned this specific tidbit or not, but i've loved owl city's music since i was three or four, closely after the release of ocean eyes. my sister got the cd, and i listened to it every. day. at some point, i memorized the lyrics to every song-- or, at least, the lyrics i heard as a tiny child.

my favorite song back then was umbrella beach. i don't really remember what i loved about its sound. maybe i loved how exciting it was that i could dance and run around to it; or the way his voice would rise and fall; or maybe the notion of flying; or even that break in the middle of the song where you can hear the tide along this cute little melody, and then it's dance mode again!!! it's sweeping and huge, and hopeful, and happy. 

though, when i got older, i instead fell in love with the saltwater room. and of course, i must point out it's the ocean eyes version. (the maybe i'm dreaming version has quite a few differences, and unfortunately i never got used to it enough to like it/listen to it regularly.) in fact, i even loved the way umbrella beach would fade into it, as they were right next to each other. from the excitement and thrill, to tranquility and comfort. i fell in love with how and cute and sweet it was, as a duet. i wanted to dedicate it to a lover, and imagined listening to it while laying down together, or even singing it together. it's a little bittersweet, haha.

that sort of coincides with how i gradually built my understanding of the lyrics. originally, i thought it was just about a long-distance relationship, how they'd connect and love each other despite the distance. but then i thought about it harder. most of owl city's sweeter songs are actually sad. the girl never sings much beyond her questions, and it begins to seem as if she's more of a distant memory.

that era is now a distant memory. i don't listen to owl city as much anymore, though i still remember and long for the whimsy within his songs. but, somehow, i can't... it doesn't feel as right as it used to.