Songs for Flight
September 25th 2007 02:29
As I move about the country this week, it got me to thinking….to the pantheon of popular song subjects like love, sexuality, rebellion and the passing of time, one must now add flight. With musicians away from home so much, no wonder the airplane becomes a symbol of separation and reunion. In therapeutic circles, one of the most common fantasies of childhood is to be able to conquer gravity and fly around the bedroom or the block. In adulthood, psychologists say, dreams of flying represent freedom and the desire to rise above the limitations of day-to-day life. The intent of most good pop songs is the same: to enable the listeners, for three or four minutes, to transcend their problems, worries and concerns. (Except in the case of one of rock's most popular songs, Lynyrd Skynyrd's ''Freebird,'' in which case problems may be transcended for up to half an hour of lofty guitar solos.)
Pop songs are often described using the language of the skies: they are soaring, transcendent, uplifting and buoyant. Perhaps it is for this reason that not only are flying songs common in pop music, but they are predisposed to be hits as well. It is hard to write about flying without accompanying it with a soaring melody.
Here are some of my favs:
Learning to Fly Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
Eight miles High The Byrds
Flip Flop Fly Willie Dixon
Fly Sugar Ray
Learn to Fly Foo Fighters
Learning to Fly Pink Floyd
Fly Robin Fly Silver Convention
The Fly Chubby Checker
Fly Away Lenny Kravitz
Fly Me Home Veruca Salt
Little Wing Stevie Ray Vaughn
Time for Me to Fly REO Speedwagon
Wish I Could Fly Like Superman The Kinks
I Believe I Can Fly Me First and the Gimmie Gimmies
Jet Airliner Steve Miller
Pop songs are often described using the language of the skies: they are soaring, transcendent, uplifting and buoyant. Perhaps it is for this reason that not only are flying songs common in pop music, but they are predisposed to be hits as well. It is hard to write about flying without accompanying it with a soaring melody.
Here are some of my favs:
Learning to Fly Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
Eight miles High The Byrds
Flip Flop Fly Willie Dixon
Fly Sugar Ray
Learn to Fly Foo Fighters
Learning to Fly Pink Floyd
The Fly Chubby Checker
Fly Away Lenny Kravitz
Fly Me Home Veruca Salt
Little Wing Stevie Ray Vaughn
Time for Me to Fly REO Speedwagon
Wish I Could Fly Like Superman The Kinks
I Believe I Can Fly Me First and the Gimmie Gimmies
Jet Airliner Steve Miller
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Comment by Mr Nice Guy
Pop Culturist
Pop Rock Factory
You always seem to come up with the goods.
A couple to add to your list; LA International AIrport, Gonna Fly Now (from the Rocky Soundtrack), Leaving On a Jet Plane - Peter, Paul and Mary, Up Up and Away . . . In my Beautful Balloon - 5th Dimension, Fly Like and Eagle - Steve Miller Band, Come Fly with Me - Frank Sinatra - now there's one from left field.
I'm sure there's heaps of others - but best other Orblarians get in on the act.
Stay well, keep smiling.
MNG
Comment by James Rickard
unlucky_ fishermen.com
Angling Fish
Check this out...
Comment by Bo
Comment by Miswanderlust
Killer Beats
Ramble On
Hipnotherapy
You always seem to come up with the goods.
Thanks friend
LA International AIrport,
Wow I had forgotten all about that! Thanks for the reminder!
Leaving On a Jet Plane - Peter, Paul and Mary, Up Up and Away . . . In my Beautful Balloon - 5th Dimension,
My parents kept the two of these in continual rotation when I was growing up! We would all sing these songs with the LP
Fly Like and Eagle - Steve Miller Band,
I kept this one in continual rotation during high school!
Come Fly with Me - Frank Sinatra - now there's one from left field.
Saw old "Blue Eys" in concert perform this. He was quite the music stylist!
I'm sure there's heaps of others - but best other Orblarians get in on the act.
Stay well, keep smiling.
Will do! I like to keep it that way :0)
Mis
Comment by Miswanderlust
Killer Beats
Ramble On
Hipnotherapy
I have not heard that it. I will check it out and get back to you! Good to see ya!
Mis
Comment by Miswanderlust
Killer Beats
Ramble On
Hipnotherapy
You've flown with me. They have everything to do with it. ;0)
Comment by katyzzz
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katyzzz
Comment by Miswanderlust
Killer Beats
Ramble On
Hipnotherapy
Mis
Comment by KylieW
Celebrity Obsession
And I'm not happy with you MNG, I can't stop singing "up up and away in my beautiful ballon" to myself.....that's going to drive me mental!!!!!
Arrrghgghhh....I can't think of anything else thanks to that tune!
Oh, actually how about On Top of The World by The Carpenters...or did someone already say that??
Comment by Miswanderlust
Killer Beats
Ramble On
Hipnotherapy
HAHA I hate it when I get a tune stuck in my head!
Mis
Comment by Mrs M
Mum's Word
But I like Free Falling too!
Love & stuff
Mrs M
Comment by DuskDevi
Rugby World Cup 2007
You and MNG have covered most that I thought of...
(MNG...love 'Gonna Fly Now'!...didn't think of that though)
'Fly me To the Moon'
Um...'Broken Wings'?...'Wind Beneath My Wings'?
'Spread Your Wings' Queen
'Love Lift Us Up Where we Belong'...where the eagles fly...on a mountain high...
Sheesh. Can't think of any more.
Hope you're flying high Mis...in a legal way of course.
Dusk
Comment by Miswanderlust
Killer Beats
Ramble On
Hipnotherapy
Sorry about the Carpenters...... they are evil (in the sticking in your head all day kind of way!) See you soon!
Mis
Comment by Cibbuano
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Fat Cult
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Comment by Miswanderlust
Killer Beats
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'Spread Your Wings' Queen
Oh I love Queen so much....thanks for reminding me!
'Love Lift Us Up Where we Belong'...where the eagles fly...on a mountain high...
Great cheesball song....
Hope you're flying high Mis...in a legal way of course.
Yes friend I am (legally too!)
Mis
Have a great weekend hon!
Comment by Miswanderlust
Killer Beats
Ramble On
Hipnotherapy
I have no idea....Maybe someone can help us out.....
Mis
Comment by Ash
Australian Traveller
Flashes of memories
Flying songs? hhhmmm YouTube here we come
Roxette - Wish I could Fly
From Peter Pan - You can fly! ~hehehe~
U2 - Elevation
sssiiiggghhhh now I found Robbie Williams, I`ll have to come back in a few hours....
Hope you`re weekend is jammin'
ash
Comment by Miswanderlust
Killer Beats
Ramble On
Hipnotherapy
Can't wait to see what you come up with!
Mis
Comment by Miswanderlust
Killer Beats
Ramble On
Hipnotherapy
Glad you liked it!
Mis