Back in the atmosphere.

Train-Drops of Jupiter

It's been 13 years since this song was released, and it still manages to capture me every time I hear it. I usually start to like a song once I get to know the lyrics, 'cause It feels good to know what the songs about, right?
So I was bored the other day and suddenly my Youtube playlist started playing this song, and I started singing to it, mind you, quite loudly >.< And then I kind of just realized, what am I really singing? I don't really know what this song is about, so I replayed the song and listened to the lyrics and I still didn't get it. It went on for 2 times until I just gave up and googled it. LOL
Honestly, I always thought this was a song about a guy singing to a girl whom he loved very much, but she wanted to explore the world and he let her go. But then she realizes that the world isn't what she pictured it to be, thus we hear him singing,
"Tell me did you sail across the sun Did you make it to the milky way to see the lights all faded And that heaven is overrated"

And believe it or not, I wasn't the only one who thought so! From my search results, I actually found an article which similarly states what I presumed this song was about. But then, Youtube proved me wrong. I found a video on Youtube entitled 'Meang behind Drops of Jupiter'. Turns out, there was an interview between the lead singer Pat, where he revealed what Drops of Jupiter was really about.

It was about his mom. Believe it or not. She passed away due to lung cancer when he was busy on the road producing songs. After she passed away, he had a dream and woke up with only 'back in the atmosphere' in his head. He took it as a way of saying, people actually never leave. Their here. Their in the atmosphere. Thus we hear him singing,

"Now that shes back in the atmosphere

With drops of jupiter in her hair"

After watching that video, every time I heard Drops of Jupiter, it felt different. I also lost my mother to cancer when I was 16. And I know how much it hurts to convince yourself that their gone, and their never gonna come back. But I've never thought of it as, Hey, yeah their gone, but maybe a part of them is still here. Here in the atmosphere. When you think of it that way, it makes you feel better, doesn't it?

I wonder, what would you think of me now?

So lucky, so strong, so proud?I never said thank you for that.

Now I'll never have a chance.

-Hear You Me, Jimmy Eat World