Boeing 737

Album: Smart Flesh (2011)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • The Low Anthem is a folk rock trio from Providence, Rhode Island comprising Ben Knox Miller, Jeff Prystowsky and Jocie Adams. This song from the band's fourth album, Smart Flesh, begins with the line: "I was in the air when the towers came down, in a bar on the 84th floor,"and is set to a tune borrowed from Springsteen's "Racing In The Street." In an interview with Mojo magazine, Miller refuted the suggestion that it is about America's response to 9/11, saying it instead refers to the album's inspirational hero, Philippe Petit, the French high-wire artist who walked between New York's Twin Towers in 1974. "That song is a fictional bar-stool moment with Philippe Petit as the narrator, Miller explained. "9/11 recontextualised this iconic building that Petit had done something beautiful with and that is what this song is about. There's no political agenda for this album."

Comments: 1

  • AnonymousThis song has to be about 09/11. The fact that the song's subject was in the 84th floor cannot be coincidence. It references both the great Phillipe Petit and the 9/11 atrocity juxtaposing great beauty and endeavour, with great evil and destruction of the human soul and body. It one of the most moving songs I have ever heard both lyrically and sonically especially the live version here. The sheer fury of the drummers pounding is astonishing.
see more comments

Editor's Picks

Mark Arm of Mudhoney

Mark Arm of MudhoneySongwriter Interviews

When he was asked to write a song for the Singles soundtrack, Mark thought the Seattle grunge scene was already overblown, so that's what he wrote about.

Spooner Oldham

Spooner OldhamSongwriter Interviews

His keyboard work helped define the Muscle Shoals sound and make him an integral part of many Neil Young recordings. Spooner is also an accomplished songwriter, whose hits include "I'm Your Puppet" and "Cry Like A Baby."

16 Songs With a Heartbeat

16 Songs With a HeartbeatSong Writing

We've heard of artists putting their hearts into their music, but some take it literally.

Charles Fox

Charles FoxSongwriter Interviews

After studying in Paris with a famous composition teacher, Charles became the most successful writer of TV theme songs.

Dave Pirner of Soul Asylum

Dave Pirner of Soul AsylumSongwriter Interviews

Dave explains how the video appropriated the meaning of "Runaway Train," and what he thought of getting parodied by Weird Al.

Ian Gillan of Deep Purple

Ian Gillan of Deep PurpleSongwriter Interviews

Deep Purple frontman Ian Gillan explains the "few red lights" in "Smoke On The Water" and talks about songs from their 2020 album Whoosh!