What Is The Story Behind "Vanilla Twilight" By Owl City?

I keep hearing it's about death but Adam said in an interview that it was about a girl he was in love with in high school and when she moved away they lost touch. Hence, he wrote the song. I think anyone can take the song and/or video and interpret them the way it fits for them personally; whether that is thru death, unrequited love, missing someone or what have you, it all works.

Everyone let me get everything straight. The story behind Vanilla twilight is his girlfriend whether it was in high school or not she got hit by a car and died, so everytime they look in the sky at the vanilla twilight they smile because it reminds them of something or someone they loved! How do I know this well for one at the beginning it's obvious that she got hit by a car because they show her than cars, next I knew it reminded them of something because I have seen a vanilla twilight in the sky today and if you looked at one you'd understand! Vanilla twilight's only come out in spring and summer rarely in fall or winter and they come in variety if colors like red, orange yellow, blue and purple etc. Oh and clouds are usually around the vanilla twilight rarely there are no clouds around it!  And it mainly uses the rainbow colors. So theres your answer!

I didn't even think of looking up what it was about but when I heard the end it made me think of going to heaven.   Even if he says he would send her a postcard he said he WOULD he didn't say he will or he could just would. I keep hearing that she died. I don't know how. Even if he said it was about a past relationship or a girl moving away it could be because he didn't want to say anything or talk about.I don't mean to tell anyone that they are wrong because I don't know for sure but that's what it makes me think of.

Regardless of what this song means, it's beautiful.
I think it makes it more special when everyone has a different personal meaning to it.
I believe it's about someone special and definitely about missing this person.
It could be an extreme like death, or just not being able to see them for a certain amount of time.
- Cinn

"I'll send a postcard to you, dear"
Someone even got the lyrics wrong... Seriously. It's "I'd send a postcard to you, dear"
That means he would, but he can't. If his girlfriend were alive, there is no way he can't send a postcard, this isn't stone age.

Yeah. It is about his girlfriend passing away. It talks about what he is trying to do to stay "connected" with her. He has yet to say how she passed but he really only talks about it in his songs. This is the first song he talks about his insomnia. Poor adam    :/

This song is about his high school relationship being ripped apart because she moved away, nothing about death

Adam Young is so cool. His songs are so calm. Vanilla Twilight makes me sad, you can tell that it's not just about an ex, it's about a death. I wonder what happened. :(

I was pretty sure it was about the death of his gf. And thanks guys for answering my question! This is the one I asked!

Poor adam. Is girlfriend had to be touched is she cud hear the song :*( its sweet he sang that though.

The song Vanilla Twilight says "I'd send a postcard to you dear" and "if my voice could reach back into the PAST" and he says "when heavy wings grow lighter I'll taste the sky and feel alive again... 

I'll forget the world that I knew, but I wont forget you." He says "I'd" which means "I would" and that implies that he can't, and you only cant send postcards to dead people, and if they had just broken up he wouldn't be able to send a postcard only if she hated him, but he sings so fondly of her I doubt thats the case. 

He also says he'd whisper in her ear in the PAST. If she was alive he would say like "if my voice could reach over the ocean to you" or something if he could whisper to her now. And he talks about being able to fly into the sky and forgetting the world he knew, which kinda sounds like he'd be happier when he died, when he died he'd finally "feel alive again" because he'd remember her and see her and "forget the world he knew". 

At least thats what the song sounded like to me-

I think it's about a past relationship or a fake one I don't know but, I think it's about his girlfriend passing away. I mean if he wants her that bad he could just run up and get her again. But as I said passing away. And he sings about his feeling because he has insomnia. But, he says "IF he could reach past I'd whisper in your ear oh, darling I wish you were here. So that's what I think about it as...

Sincerely,
Rachael

I don't know the meaning of the song but when I hear it, it reminds me of some very close to my heart (even if he does not know it) and the part about holding hands is the part that reminds me because my crush and I have held hands before (: And 'I'll think of you tonight' part. I'm all ways thinking of him (: That's my side of the song-For my crush ("

4 me 8s about the broke up of  the 2 lovers and the guy can't move on easily with the girl, so he wrote this pretty song.2 be able to move on easily. .the girl stay away from the guy and so he felt regret everything he di...actually I was so hit by that song it is the song between me and my ex....he...he...he....

No it's about his girlfriend moving away probably (well to me it is) because in the beginning he's like "I'll send a postcard to you, dear" and that line has no connection to death, just moving away. If it was about death then it would have been prayer instead of postcard. The "heavy wings go lighter" part does seem to represent his girlfriend becoming an angel, but that would contradict the other line. So I think it means when his sorrow starts to lift up a bit so it's like a weight off his shoulders.

It dosnt really matter what the song is about it is just him expressing him self through music and it really only matters to him if he wants people to know or not he just wants to get used to it and making a song is just a step closer I know how he feelsa and I don't think he wants pitty from people that don't know him because I know I hate people feeling sorry for me.

His girlfriend died in a car crash. Thats why the lyrics "Oh if my voice could reach back to the past, I'd whisper in your ear, oh darling I wish you were here" were in the song. She died, so he wants to go back to the past to see her

Hey, this is the question I asked as a guest! Thanks guys for all your contributions, they helped so much :D I'm really glad you could help me out! I kinda thought that it was about his girlfriend passing away and all, but I wanted to see what other people thought. Thanks again!

~kcrandle

Well I've heard that its about his wife passing away and how much he misses her, and wishes she was there with him.

I've been on youtube all over looking at this song and it said something about his girlfriend passing away....Rachael (from above comment) does have a point that he (Adam Young) could get the girl back so I too think she passed away,

sincerely,
Jeremy

His girlfriend got hit by a bus and died in the Hospital and he missed her so he wrote this song

Thanks guys!! I thought it was about his gf dying and I just wanted to know other peoples opinions.
~ Elena

Ugh, It's actually about the Death of Adam's girlfriend. She got hit by a bus and then she died in the hospital.

I though vanilla twilight was a scent (perfume..?) he says "drenched in vanilla twilight" oh I wish he would just explain it!! Haha

It was real. His girlfriend died. He dosen't like to talk about it because it was so tragic for him so we don't know how she died. He has insomnia now as you said and that part was true.