Vanilla Twilight
"Vanilla Twilight" | ||||
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Single by Owl City | ||||
from the album Ocean Eyes | ||||
Released | January 26, 2010 | |||
Genre | Synth-pop[citation needed] | |||
Length |
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Label | Universal Republic | |||
Songwriter(s) | Adam Young | |||
Producer(s) | Adam Young | |||
Owl City singles chronology | ||||
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Audio sample | ||||
Music video | ||||
"Vanilla Twilight" on YouTube |
"Vanilla Twilight" is a song by American electronica act Owl City. The song was released on January 26, 2010 as the second single from his second studio album Ocean Eyes.[1] "Vanilla Twilight" attained chart placement prior to the release date, following the success of Owl City's previous single "Fireflies".
Background
[edit]In an interview with Female First, Adam Young stated that the song is "about a girl."[2] He further explained the song's meaning in an interview with Buzzgrinder: "I met the most charming girl imaginable when I was in high school and most of my 'cozy' songs are about her. She moved away to college for a few years and we kind of lost touch. She and I recently started talking to each other again and life has a way of reshaping sometimes. I'm absolutely crazy about her."[3]
Composition
[edit]Written and produced by Young, the track runs at 166 BPM and is in the key of B major.[4] Young's range in the song spans from the notes F#4 to Gb5.[5] The song is one of the oldest tracks from Ocean Eyes as it was written in 2007. When the album needed a ballad, Young tweaked some lyrics and it "fitted perfectly."[6] According to Young via Twitter, he stated, "'Vanilla Twilight' is about telling the person you love the most, 'I wish you were here with me.'"[7]
Music video
[edit]The music video for "Vanilla Twilight" premiered on March 22, 2010. The video uses the album version of the song and features a cameo appearance by Shaquille O'Neal.[8] The video was directed by Steve Hoover and was filmed on location in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and at the Marblehead Lighthouse in Ohio.[9]
The video shows various people and a dog witness in awe, staring at a swirling mammatus cloud formation associated with a squall line.[10] It has a well-defined vortex which is lit by a veiled sun on an overcast day after a snowfall has blanketed the area, displaying a vanilla twilight. Midway through the video the storm and a lighthouse glimmer with aurora colors.[10] Towards the end of the video O'Neal lifts his arms towards the cloud and mouths "Take me with you."[11]
Chart performance
[edit]On the chart of November 7, 2009, the same week "Fireflies" hit No. 1, "Vanilla Twilight" debuted on No. 95 in the Billboard Hot 100.[12] It has since re-entered and peaked on the Hot 100 at No. 72.[13]
"Vanilla Twilight" first entered the Australian Singles Chart at No. 50 on the week ending January 11, 2010, which happened to coincide with "Fireflies" holding its reign as the No. 1 hit single.[14] The song later peaked at No. 44.[15]
Following the release of Ocean Eyes, "Vanilla Twilight" entered the UK Singles Chart at a current peak of No. 94, making it Owl City's second consecutive single to enter the UK Top 100.[16]
Track listing
[edit]No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
1. | "Vanilla Twilight" (radio version) | 4:04 |
2. | "Vanilla Twilight" (extended radio version) | 4:17 |
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
1. | "Vanilla Twilight" (radio edit) | 4:04 |
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
1. | "Fireflies" (UK radio edit) | 3:14 |
2. | "Vanilla Twilight" (US extended radio edit) | 4:20 |
Charts
[edit]
Weekly charts[edit]
|
Year-end charts[edit]
|
Certifications
[edit]Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
United States (RIAA)[33] | Platinum | 1,000,000‡ |
‡ Sales streaming figures based on certification alone. |
Release history
[edit]Region | Date | Format | Label | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|
United States | January 26, 2010 | Contemporary hit radio | Universal Republic | [1] |
Various | Digital download | [34] | ||
Australia | February 15, 2010 | CD single | [15] |
References
[edit]- ^ a b "FMQB: Radio Industry News, Music Industry Updates, Arbitron Ratings, Music News and more!". Archived from the original on November 6, 2012. Retrieved June 10, 2023.
- ^ "Owl City : Ocean Eyes Track by Track". Female First. February 15, 2010. Retrieved July 14, 2024.
- ^ "Interview: Owl City". Buzzgrinder. August 20, 2009. Archived from the original on March 5, 2016. Retrieved July 14, 2024.
- ^ "Key and BPM of Vanilla Twilight by Owl City". Musicstax.com. January 1, 2009. Retrieved April 2, 2023.
- ^ "Owl City "Vanilla Twilight" Sheet Music". musicnotes.com. December 7, 2009. Retrieved April 2, 2023.
- ^ "Vanilla Twilight by Owl City". Songfacts. Retrieved July 14, 2024.
- ^ @owlcity (May 11, 2017). "Vanilla Twilight is about telling the person you love the most, 'I wish you were here with me.'" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
- ^ Chris Ryan (March 25, 2010). "WTF: Shaquille O'Neal's Cameo In Owl City's 'Vanilla Twilight' Video". MTV. Archived from the original on January 28, 2023. Retrieved January 27, 2023.
- ^ Becky Bain (March 24, 2010). "Owl City Wants You To Look Up At The Vanilla Twilight And Do Little Else". Retrieved January 27, 2023.
- ^ a b Becky Bain (March 24, 2010). "Owl City Wants You To Look Up At The Vanilla Twilight And Do Little Else". Idolator. Retrieved April 20, 2023.
- ^ Trey Kerby (March 25, 2010). "Why is Shaquille O'Neal in the new Owl City video?". Yahoo! Sports. Retrieved April 20, 2023.
- ^ "Billboard Hot 100: Week of November 7, 2009". Billboard. Retrieved July 17, 2023.
- ^ a b "Owl City Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard.
- ^ "Australian Single Top 50: 17/01/2010". australian-charts.com. Hung Medien. Retrieved July 17, 2023.
- ^ a b c "Owl City – Vanilla Twilight". ARIA Top 50 Singles.
- ^ a b "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
- ^ "Vanilla Twilight (Radio Edit) - Single by Owl City". Apple Music. Retrieved March 5, 2023.
- ^ "Owl City – Vanilla Twilight" (in Dutch). Ultratip.
- ^ "Owl City – Vanilla Twilight" (in French). Ultratip.
- ^ "Owl City Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)". Billboard.
- ^ "ČNS IFPI" (in Czech). Hitparáda – Radio Top 100 Oficiální. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: Select 41. týden 2010 in the date selector.
- ^ "Owl City – Vanilla Twilight". Tracklisten.
- ^ "Vanilla Twilight - Owl City". EarOne. Retrieved June 22, 2024.
- ^ "EHR Top 40". Archived from the original on May 27, 2010. Retrieved February 2, 2023.
- ^ "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 19, 2010" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40.
- ^ "Owl City – Vanilla Twilight". Top 40 Singles.
- ^ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 14 March 2018.
- ^ "Owl City Chart History (Dance Singles Sales)". Billboard. Archived from the original on August 25, 2019. Retrieved January 31, 2024.
- ^ "Owl City Chart History (Pop Songs)". Billboard.
- ^ "Owl City Chart History (Rock Digital Song Sales)". Billboard. Archived from the original on October 3, 2021. Retrieved May 22, 2023.
- ^ "Jaarlijsten 2010" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved January 26, 2023.
- ^ "Rock Digital Songs Sales – Year-End 2010". Billboard. Retrieved May 22, 2023.
- ^ "American single certifications – Owl City – Vanilla Twilight". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved January 25, 2023.
- ^ "Vanilla Twilight (Radio Edit) - Single by Owl City". Apple Music. Retrieved March 2, 2024.
External links
[edit]- "Vanilla Twilight" at Discogs (list of releases)
- "Fireflies/Vanilla Twilight" at Discogs