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

John Lee Hooker

John Lee HookerSongwriter Interviews

Into the vaults for Bruce Pollock's 1984 conversation with the esteemed bluesman. Hooker talks about transforming a Tony Bennett classic and why you don't have to be sad and lonely to write the blues.

Dave Edmunds

Dave EdmundsSongwriter Interviews

A renowned guitarist and rock revivalist, Dave took "I Hear You Knocking" to the top of the UK charts and was the first to record Elvis Costello's "Girls Talk."

Alan Merrill of The Arrows

Alan Merrill of The ArrowsSongwriter Interviews

In her days with The Runaways, Joan Jett saw The Arrows perform "I Love Rock And Roll," which Alan Merrill co-wrote - that story and much more from this glam rock pioneer.

Facebook, Bromance and Email - The First Songs To Use New Words

Facebook, Bromance and Email - The First Songs To Use New WordsSong Writing

Where words like "email," "thirsty," "Twitter" and "gangsta" first showed up in songs, and which songs popularized them.

Movie Stars In Music Videos

Movie Stars In Music VideosSong Writing

Johnny Depp, Angelina Jolie, Mila Kunis and John Malkovich are just a few of the film stars who have moonlighted in music videos.

Adam Duritz of Counting Crows

Adam Duritz of Counting CrowsSongwriter Interviews

"Mr. Jones" took on new meaning when the song about a misguided view of fame made Adam famous.