Next up in my summer song series is ‘Airplanes’ by B.o.B. featuring Hayley Williams of Paramore. I am completely unfamiliar with B.o.B. (does he go by Bob? B?) so I don’t know what to expect from this one. Pressing ‘Play’ now…
Well, that was pretty good. Nice piano intro and the hook, performed by Williams, is catchy enough. Lyrically it’s a bit on the bland side though I like the metaphor of an airplane as a shooting star, fulfilling his wish of going back to where he started. As “Boo hoo, I’m rich and famous” whine songs go, this one is less obnoxious than most.
I think B.o.B. is one of a new generation of “positive” rappers, more interested in mining lyrical territory more commonly tread by singer-songwriter types. I’m all for that. The relentless focus of most rap songs on toughness and musical supremacy has worn extremely thin. I like the idea of emo rap.
In the night sky
Are like shooting stars
I could really use a wish right now (wish right now, wish right now)
Can we pretend that airplanes
In the night sky
Are like shooting stars
I could really use a wish right now (wish right now, wish right now)
Yeah
I could use a dream or a genie or a wish
To go back to a place much simpler than this
Cause after all the partyin’ and smashin’ and crashin’
And all the glitz and the glam and the fashion
And all the pandemonium and all the madness
There comes a time where you fade to the blackness
And when you’re staring at that phone in your lap
And you hoping but them people never call you back
But that’s just how the story unfolds
You get another hand soon after you fold
And when your plans unravel
And they sayin’ what would you wish for
If you had one chance
So airplane airplane sorry I’m late
I’m on my way so don’t close that gate
If I don’t make that then I’ll switch my flight
And I’ll be right back at it by the end of the night
Can we pretend that airplanes
In the night sky
Are like shooting stars
I could really use a wish right now (wish right now, wish right now)
Can we pretend that airplanes
In the night sky
Are like shooting stars
I could really use a wish right now (wish right now, wish right now)
Somebody take me back to the days
Before this was a job, before I got paid
Before it ever mattered what I had in my bank
Yeah back when I was tryin’ to get into the subway
And back when I was rappin’ for the hell of it
But now a days we rappin’ to stay relevant
I’m guessin that if we can make some wishes outta airplanes
Then maybe yo maybe I’ll go back to the days
Before the politics that we call the rap game
And back when ain’t nobody listened to my mix tape
And back before I tried to cover up my slang
But this is for the Cada, what’s up Bobby Ray
So can I get a wish to end the politics
And get back to the music that started this sh-t
So here I stand and then again I say
I’m hopin’ we can make some wishes outta airplanes
Can we pretend that airplanes
In the night sky
Are like shooting stars
I could really use a wish right now (wish right now, wish right now)
Can we pretend that airplanes
In the night sky
Are like shooting stars
I could really use a wish right now (wish right now, wish right now)
Meet Me In Montauk 
I’m curious what my daughter might think of this song, since she is a fairly big fan of Paramore.
For me, it’s not a bad song, though nothing all that memorable either. I agree that having rappers diversify the subject of their raps is a good thing. This is my biggest complaint about the new Eminem album— it’s very much focused on one anger filled topic of redemption. Give me some politics, some love songs, some breakup songs, something different, please.
This one I like quite a bit. I’ve heard of this song, but this is the first time I’m actually hearing it. It wins my vote out of the first two summer song contenders. And I agree that these lyrics are a refreshing change from the typical rap fare.
I thouht it was a really good song beause it had good chorus, but I think the rapper didn’t have to rap so much and that Hayley Williams should of gotten a bigger part. I usually don’t like rap songs, I usually like the more layed down singing. But this song I feel it had a little bit of both.