Now playing: Songs About Flying
08 September 2022
Song writers spend hours penning lyrics about life's emotions, whether that be love, time, angst, sadness, grief, or happiness.
Call us bias, but we believe there's no other metaphor in the world which can encapsulate life's rollercoaster of emotions more than flying. Indeed, some of the best songs from across all genres ever have been written with aeroplanes and flying in mind.
Here at FlyDays.co.uk, we've put our heads together to decide the best four songs about aeroplanes or flying. So, in Sinatra's words, let's take off in the blue!
- Frank Sinatra - "Come Fly With Me"
Talking of Sinatra, let's kick off with 'The Chairman of the Board' himself. The swing legend recorded two songs about flying - "Fly Me To The Moon" and "Come Fly With Me" - both of which are very worthy entrants into our exclusive list of the best songs about flying.
However, we've chosen the 1958 song "Come Fly With Me", which we believe captures the charm of travelling like no other song ever written. In his distinct tones, Sinatra sings about flying to exotic locales like Bombay, Peru and Acapulco Bay as the wondrous jet age began.
Back then, flying was very much a luxury, and it was said that the song was actually written by Jimmy Van Hausen with Sinatra in mind, because of his jet-setting lifestyle.
The only thing that eclipses its greatness is the iconic cover art for the song, an illustration of Sinatra beckoning you onboard the plane (who could say no?). Such is the song's enduring popularity that in the years since, it's been covered by everyone, from Robbie Williams to Michael Bublé.
We of course can't bring Frank Sinatra back from the afterlife to welcome you onboard our range of aviation adventures - but our friendly pilots will be more than happy to welcome you aboard!
- B.o.B featuring Hayley Williams - "Airplanes"
Do you ever wish you could turn the clocks back to go to simpler times? Well, B.o.B - alongside guest vocals from Paramore's Hayley Williams - did when he released this huge Transatlantic number one hit back in 2010.
In the song, he talks about how he's been through a wild night of partying, and his glamorous new lifestyle as a rapper all seems so… inauthentic.
He stops and considers how he could use a wish, a dream, a genie. In the end he settles for wishing on an airplane —so that he could return to a simpler time when he was working for tips for working at a sandwich shop and rapping for the fun of it!
He could use a wish right now, even if he has to wish on an aeroplane in the sky above. Luckily, if your wish is to head skyward in an aeroplane, get in touch as we at FlyDays.co.uk can make that wish come true!
- Bette Midler - "Wind Beneath My Wings"
We at FlyDays.co.uk have to hold back the tears every time we hear this 1982 hit performed by the divine Bette Midler, that was a top 5 hit in the UK and a number one on the Billboard Hot 100 in the States.
Bette devotedly sings about her nameless lovers standing patiently in the shadows supporting her career as she flies high in the sunshine of her fame and glory.
Midler went on to take home two Grammy Awards for this song, after its use as the theme song for the drama film Beaches, and it is considered to this day to be one of the most popular karaoke songs.
Although the lyrics aren't explicitly about air travel per se, Midler's impassioned performance may make us feel like we're flying anyway!
- Foo Fighters - "Learn To Fly"
Released as the first single from their third studio album There Is Nothing Left To Lose, US rockers Foo Fighters hit the top 30 on both sides of the Atlantic in 1999 with "Learn To Fly" - a track which, according to front man Dave Grohl, was indeed written about his own wish to learn to be a pilot.
Speaking in an interview in 2021, Grohl said that when he wrote the song - which also won a Grammy Award for Best Music Video - "At that time I wanted to become a pilot! I wanted to learn to fly - I did!"
The song recently took on a new poignancy for fans, when it was performed by the band at Wembley Stadium at the tribute concert that was held in memory of their drummer Taylor Hawkins, who sadly passed away earlier this year.
It goes without saying that if you would like to learn to fly, listening to this song (despite it being excellent!) won't give you the skills needed to give your aspirations lift off. However, FlyDays.co.uk have a range of flying lessons packages which will teach you the basics of flying.
And if you have a fear of flying, what better way to overcome this phobia than taking on one of our flying experiences, which are often much shorter than commercial flights.
If any of these songs have inspired you to take flight for yourself, be sure to check out our range of experiences that are available to purchase on our website.
IMAGE CREDIT: Sony Music / RCA