“Airplanes” by Local Natives

“Airplanes” by indie rock band Local Natives describes one band member’s feelings regarding his grandfather who died when the musician was a young boy. A bit of research reveals that the song is about keyboardist Kelcey Ayer’s grandfather.

The lyrics begin with the songwriter describing a photograph and a bit of memorabilia:

The desk where you sit inside of a frame made of

Made of, of wood

I keep those chopsticks you had from when you taught abroad

Taught abroad in Japan

The imagery of a framed picture evokes feelings of longing to interact with his grandfather. The songwriter has stared into his grandfather’s face so many times and wishes he could see him again in the physical world. Chopsticks his grandpa brought home from Japan also seem to suggest that Ayer still feels a palpable connection to his grandfather.

The chorus of “Airplanes” follows with more direct language:

I love it all

So much I call

I want you back, back, back

You back

Ayer loves everything that reminds him of his grandpa. The trinkets and photographs remind him of a person that had a great influence on him as a boy. It appears that Ayer’s grandfather died before Ayer became an adult, though “Airplanes” doesn’t tell us how long ago that was.

“Airplanes” is about keyboardist Kelcey Ayer’s grandfather
Credit: zimbio.com

Two later stanzas further expand on this idea revealing as a clearer picture of their relationship:

I did not know you as well as my father

Father knew you

Every question you took the time to sit and look it up

Look it up in the encyclopedia

Here “Airplanes” tells us that Ayer’s grandfather was his dad’s dad. Of course, no grandchild will ever know their grandparents as well as their mom or dad did. But this lyric seems to suggest that his grandfather died while Ayer was young. He has vivid memories of his grandpa taking the time to look up answers to questions in the encyclopedia. You could imagine Ayer as a young boy sitting on his grandpa’s lap, the two of them poring over the encyclopedia for answers to endless questions a young boy might have.

A Parting Hope

The next stanza of “Airplanes” reveals longing that is well-known to many people who either never met a grandparent or only knew them as a child:

It sounds like we would’ve had a great deal to say

To say to each other

I bet when I leave my body for the sky the wait

The wait will be worth it

Credit: amoeba.com

The songwriter has evidently heard many stories about his grandpa. His father and other family members have probably told him countless tales about his grandfather and how similar they probably were.

That would certainly add to the singer’s wish that he could’ve had “real” (read: intellectual/adult) conversations and interactions with his grandfather before he died. The singer ends with a parting hope that perhaps in some way or another they will be rewarded with a meeting.

“Airplanes” by Local Natives is a touching tribute to one band member’s grandfather. It’s a song about longing to have more time with a loved one. The memories the songwriter has are still vivid in his mind. The bond between a grandparent and grandchild is a certain kind of special, and “Airplanes” is a great song that touches on that relationship.

You can watch Local Natives perform “Airplanes” live at the KEXP studio in Seattle below: