Plant Life

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

Songfacts®:

  • Minnesota native Adam Young, the man behind Owl City, has lived through many freezing Januarys. He wrote this track about longing for the end of winter during one of his home state's bitterly cold weather spells. "There's this lack of life in Minnesota and I wanted to sort of play off that," he told Spin magazine. "It got my mind thinking: What would life be like for a person trapped in a haunted house, where all these daisies are popping up through the floorboards, and there's ghosts and bears and stuff. It's about a likable guy living in a melancholy world."
  • The song revolves around a bouncy piano riff that calls to mind Paul McCartney's Beatles tunes. "It took a little bit of doing," he told Spin magazine. "I wanted the song to be written like a B-side — not this quote-unquote radio single. I wanted to take people on this rollercoaster by using key changes, but still trying not to make listeners feel too jolted."

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Hawksley Workman

Hawksley WorkmanSongwriter Interviews

One of Canada's most popular and eclectic performers, Hawksley tells stories about his oldest songs, his plentiful side projects, and the ways that he keeps his songwriting fresh.

U2 Lyrics

U2 LyricsMusic Quiz

How well do you know the lyrics of U2?

Experience Nirvana with Sub Pop Founder Bruce Pavitt

Experience Nirvana with Sub Pop Founder Bruce PavittSong Writing

The man who ran Nirvana's first label gets beyond the sensationalism (drugs, Courtney) to discuss their musical and cultural triumphs in the years before Nevermind.

The Girl in That Song

The Girl in That SongFact or Fiction

Billie Jean, Delilah, Sara, Laura and Sharona - do you know who the girls in the songs really are?

The Untold Story Of Fiona Apple's Extraordinary Machine

The Untold Story Of Fiona Apple's Extraordinary MachineSong Writing

Fiona's highly-anticipated third album almost didn't make it. Here's how it finally came together after two years and a leak.

Petula Clark

Petula ClarkSongwriter Interviews

Petula talks about her hits "Downtown" and "Don't Sleep In The Subway," and explains her Michael Jackson connection.