# "I get a 1000 hugs from 10,000 lightning bugs..." **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 28, 2010, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-get-a-1000-hugs-from-10-000-lightning-bugs/534071 "2010-03-28T01:11:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![statsman1982](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e79b87/32.png) [@statsman1982](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/statsman1982)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2010, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-get-a-1000-hugs-from-10-000-lightning-bugs/534071/21 "2010-03-29T21:19:28Z")
There is some good that came from all this, however. I had never heard of “twee” until just this very moment. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2010, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-get-a-1000-hugs-from-10-000-lightning-bugs/534071/22 "2010-03-29T21:53:17Z")
This seems more like a Cafe Society thread. Moved from MPSIMS. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2010, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-get-a-1000-hugs-from-10-000-lightning-bugs/534071/23 "2010-03-29T21:58:11Z")
> [@statsman1982](#): > > Ah! That does make sense. The lightning bugs are acting as a _collective_! Clearly the lightning bug Tea Party Movement lost its valiant struggle against socialism. ---
**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2010, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-get-a-1000-hugs-from-10-000-lightning-bugs/534071/24 "2010-03-29T21:58:24Z")
Holy mother of fuck, that has got to be one of the worst songs I’ve ever heard. It’s right up there with Fergilicious, Holla Back Girl, and the one that goes “feel the rain on YOUUURR SKIN!” ---
**Author:** ![Risha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/5fc32e/32.png) [@Risha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Risha)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2010, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-get-a-1000-hugs-from-10-000-lightning-bugs/534071/25 "2010-03-29T23:00:25Z")
I don’t hate the song, though I’m not a fan either. But [the video](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=psuRGfAaju4) is terrifying. ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Amazing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@Captain\_Amazing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Amazing)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2010, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-get-a-1000-hugs-from-10-000-lightning-bugs/534071/26 "2010-03-29T23:09:01Z")
> [@An\_Gadai](#): > > _Post about how Owl City are a frail Postal Service rip off._ What is the zip code for Owl City? ---
**Author:** ![Jules\_Andre](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jules_andre/32/9334_2.png) [@Jules\_Andre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jules_Andre)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2010, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-get-a-1000-hugs-from-10-000-lightning-bugs/534071/27 "2010-03-29T23:10:51Z")
I’m angry right now. I’m actually angry. I hate that song. ---
**Author:** ![Perciful](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/b38774/32.png) [@Perciful](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Perciful)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2010, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-get-a-1000-hugs-from-10-000-lightning-bugs/534071/28 "2010-03-30T02:27:16Z")
The song is terrible. UTube’s comments were pretty funny to read. ---
**Author:** ![KarlGrenze](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/dbc845/32.png) [@KarlGrenze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KarlGrenze)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2010, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-get-a-1000-hugs-from-10-000-lightning-bugs/534071/29 "2010-03-30T03:21:39Z")
I don’t dislike them so much. I do think their soothing, calming music has a place in life. It’s “emo lullabies”, after all… Perhaps while you’re in traffic… or waiting for the doctor, or coming back home… ---
**Author:** ![statsman1982](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e79b87/32.png) [@statsman1982](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/statsman1982)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2010, 4:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-get-a-1000-hugs-from-10-000-lightning-bugs/534071/30 "2010-03-30T04:45:44Z")
I don’t dislike Owl City that much either, to be honest. I just over-analyze song lyrics sometimes. I know most of his/their lyrics are emotive and evocative, but that one stuck out. I got to thinking about it and realized that the math didn’t fit (but if the fireflies are viewed as a collective, maybe it does). Here’s another one: [Break Down Here](http://www.lyricstop.com/b/breakdownhere-julieroberts.html), a country song that I used to have to play when I was DJ. Our station’s version was 4:15 long. At the beginning of the song, she notes that she’s at mile marker 203. At the end of the song, she’s at mile marker 215. That means she’s covered 12 miles in, let’s say, 4 minutes. Then she’s driving 180 mph. In the song, she notes that she has another 50 miles to go before the nearest town. Having gone 12, she has 38 miles left. She can cover 38 miles in x = (38/180)\*60 = 12.67 minutes. ---
**Author:** ![iftheresaway](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/ecae2f/32.png) [@iftheresaway](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iftheresaway)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2010, 5:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-get-a-1000-hugs-from-10-000-lightning-bugs/534071/31 "2010-03-30T05:06:40Z")
> [@jayjay](#): > > Plus the Auto-Tune. My GOD, the Auto-Tune! I’ve heard references to Auto-Tune before, but I really don’t listen to much music so I only had a vague idea of what it was. But the second the actual singing started in that video, I was like, “Ah, so THAT’S Auto-Tune.” It really doesn’t do it for me, but I guess I can see why some people might like the effect. > [@statsman1982](#): > > Here’s another one: [Break Down Here](http://www.lyricstop.com/b/breakdownhere-julieroberts.html), a country song that I used to have to play when I was DJ. Our station’s version was 4:15 long. At the beginning of the song, she notes that she’s at mile marker 203. At the end of the song, she’s at mile marker 215. That means she’s covered 12 miles in, let’s say, 4 minutes. Then she’s driving 180 mph. In the song, she notes that she has another 50 miles to go before the nearest town. Having gone 12, she has 38 miles left. She can cover 38 miles in x = (38/180)\*60 = 12.67 minutes. Haha, I thought I was the only nerd who thought about lyrics in that way. Love it. ---
**Author:** ![Mahna\_Mahna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e47c2d/32.png) [@Mahna\_Mahna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahna_Mahna)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2010, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-get-a-1000-hugs-from-10-000-lightning-bugs/534071/32 "2010-03-30T13:36:57Z")
Ben Gibbard already beat you to that observation. Or as he puts it: > [@](#): > > “I’d get a thousand hugs/From ten thousand lightning bugs.” Hah! That’s only a 10% bug-to-hug rate, pathetic. It’s funny mostly because Ben Gibbard really shouldn’t talk smack about stupid twee lyrics set to blorpy IDM beats. Not when he’s responsible for lyrical WTF-ery like this: > [@](#): > > I am thinking it’s a sign that the freckles > In our eyes are mirror images and when > We kiss they’re perfectly aligned ---
**Author:** ![Lucky\_13](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lucky_13/32/13209_2.png) [@Lucky\_13](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucky_13)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2010, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-get-a-1000-hugs-from-10-000-lightning-bugs/534071/33 "2010-03-31T02:34:38Z")
I guess I’m some kind of pathetic loser, because I actually like this song. It reminds me of being a kid and actually seeing fireflies on warm nights in the outskirts of San Salvador. I would like to go back, or at least travel somewhere in the U.S. where you can still see fireflies. Yes, I admit, the song is rather twee, but it gives me a magical, nostalgic feeling. Still, it’s pretty telling when even Ben Gibbard makes fun of it. ---
**Author:** ![torie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/77aa72/32.png) [@torie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/torie)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2010, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-get-a-1000-hugs-from-10-000-lightning-bugs/534071/34 "2010-03-31T16:18:04Z")
Is it just me, or are the fireflies pills? He uses them to sleep but would rather stay awake because the pills give him fantastical lucid dreams? Or am I overthinking it? ---
**Author:** ![WolfpackJeep](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpackjeep/32/2921_2.png) [@WolfpackJeep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WolfpackJeep)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2010, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-get-a-1000-hugs-from-10-000-lightning-bugs/534071/35 "2010-03-31T16:31:20Z")
> [@DigitalC](#): > > If you want to complain about current pop lyrics how about “boys keep coming up to us because they know we got swagger, but we kick them to the curve unless they look like Mick Jagger”. Wow, someone needs to introduce that poor girl to google image search. Given that the song is from the standpoint of an extremely intoxicated girl, I imagine that she did check out Google image search…while wearing beer/vodka/whiskey/etc. goggles. So far, I’ve managed to only hear the tiniest amount of the Firefly song on the radio. I don’t care for it at all…the lyrics are flat out dumb, and the song itself sounds terrible (is that autotune?). ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2010, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-get-a-1000-hugs-from-10-000-lightning-bugs/534071/36 "2010-03-31T16:46:59Z")
> [@WolfpackJeep](#): > > (is that autotune?). Yes. It’s _one_ of the reasons I hate the song. The dumb lyrics are another. Now I can safely add the video to that list. Owl City (:dubious:) is not moving up my favorability scale with extended experience… ---
**Author:** ![Taomist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/53a042/32.png) [@Taomist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Taomist)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2010, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-get-a-1000-hugs-from-10-000-lightning-bugs/534071/37 "2010-03-31T23:05:22Z")
Here’s a good article for those who are irritated by the song, artist, or the music in general. 😛 [http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/give-up/Content?oid=3709183](http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/give-up/Content?oid=3709183) ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2010, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-get-a-1000-hugs-from-10-000-lightning-bugs/534071/38 "2010-04-02T01:50:28Z")
> [@Lucky\_13](#): > > I guess I’m some kind of pathetic loser, because I actually like this song. It reminds me of being a kid and actually seeing fireflies on warm nights in the outskirts of San Salvador. I would like to go back, or at least travel somewhere in the U.S. where you can still see fireflies. Yes, I admit, the song is rather twee, but it gives me a magical, nostalgic feeling. Still, it’s pretty telling when even Ben Gibbard makes fun of it. I like it too. But I’m very silly, prone to bizarre dreams, and like bugs, so YMMV. ETA: I don’t know what ‘‘twee’’ means. ---
**Author:** ![EvilTOJ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee59a6/32.png) [@EvilTOJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EvilTOJ)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2010, 8:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-get-a-1000-hugs-from-10-000-lightning-bugs/534071/39 "2010-04-02T08:48:19Z")
Is no one squicked out about the thought of 10,000 fireflies swarming all over your body? bah gha aaah get em off me get em off me! Also, Andy Hildebrand needs a swift punch in the nuts for inventing Auto Tune and somehow making crap music _even more crappy!_ I’m fine with it when it’s used as a style or comedic effect, but when non-singers use it to make themselves better it’s just irritating. ---
**Author:** ![Kenngo1969](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e8c25b/32.png) [@Kenngo1969](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kenngo1969)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2013, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-get-a-1000-hugs-from-10-000-lightning-bugs/534071/40 "2013-09-27T02:06:45Z")
I was thinking, “What’s up with the other 9,000 lightning bugs? Are they stuck up, or something?” [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-get-a-1000-hugs-from-10-000-lightning-bugs/534071.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-get-a-1000-hugs-from-10-000-lightning-bugs/534071.md?page=3)