Released: 2003
AFI’s ‘Paper Airplanes’ is a hard-hitting critique of the fleeting nature of fame and the emptiness that often accompanies it. The song uses powerful imagery to convey its message, contrasting the superficial allure of fame with the harsh reality of its impermanence.
The opening lines, ‘Raise high monolithic statues, so fragile as they fall’ and ‘Gaze, lie and smirk in time, your arrogance will suit you well’ speak to the ego and arrogance that often come with fame. These ‘monolithic statues’ represent the larger-than-life personas that celebrities often project, which are, in reality, as ‘fragile’ as they are grand.
The repeated lines, ‘As waves of plastic fame go out of fashion, You’re going out, going out forever unknown’ underline the transient nature of fame. The ‘waves of plastic fame’ refer to the superficial, manufactured nature of celebrity culture, which is as disposable as plastic and goes ‘out of fashion’ just as quickly.
The ‘rain of ashes’ that ‘descends from above’ symbolizes the downfall of those who chase after this fleeting fame. The singer positions himself as an ‘anathema’, a pariah, choosing to remain unknown rather than partake in this hollow pursuit.
The phrase ‘Look up to the sky to see paper wings and watch them burn’ paints a vivid picture of the downfall of those who fly too close to the sun on ‘paper wings’ – a reference to the Greek myth of Icarus. The paper wings symbolize the fragility and vulnerability of those who seek fame.
The lines ‘Dancing in the rain of descending ash, Dancing on your grave, I’ll see you all falling’ suggest a sense of schadenfreude, taking pleasure in the downfall of those who have pursued fame at any cost.
The final lines, ‘I’d stop it, had you a heart’ express a sense of regret and empathy. Despite the harsh critique of fame-seekers, there’s a hint of compassion here, suggesting that if these individuals had shown genuine heart or sincerity, their fate could have been different.
