The best songs about planes and flying

6 December 2019, 16:23

Dave Grohl flying an aeroplane
Dave Grohl flying an aeroplane. Picture: Issarawat Tattong/Getty Images

Radio X takes a look at some of the greatest ever songs about flying, planes and travelling at the speed of sound.

  1. Foo Fighters - Learn To Fly

    "I'm looking for the sky to save me, looking for a sign of life…" One of Big Dave's best videos, in which he plays not just the captain of a jet, but a number of other wacky characters too. The rest of the Foos join in.

    Foo Fighters - Learn To Fly (Official Music Video)

  2. Coldplay - Speed Of Sound

    "And birds go flying at the speed of sound…" Has Chris Martin ever achieved Mach 1? It's entirely possible, he's quite a live-wire.

    Coldplay - Speed Of Sound (Official Video)

  3. Red Hot Chili Peppers - Aeroplane

    Suitably funksome offering from 1995's One Hot Minute.

    Red Hot Chili Peppers - Aeroplane [Official Music Video]

  4. Oasis - Supersonic

    For Liam to actually travel at supersonic speed, he'd need to get a shift on and move at 768 miles per hour. "I'm feeling supersonic, give me gin and tonic," sings Mr Gallagher. The trolley service will be with you in a moment!

    Coldplay - Speed Of Sound (Official Video)

  5. White Lies - Death

    A tad morbid, you say? Nah, if you study the lyrics you'll actually find that Harry McVeigh is what we call a "nervous flyer": "If we suddenly fall, should I scream out?" And, in fact, White Lies were originally known as Fear Of Flying.

    White Lies - Death (Official Video)

  6. Editors - The Racing Rats

    Tom Smith tells a tale a song about flying into an airport and seeing the tiny wee people below him on the ground.

    Editors - The Racing Rats

  7. M.I.A. - Paper Planes

    Not actually about planes per se, but hey, it's got "planes" in the title and it's an awesome track, so let's have it.

    M.I.A. - Paper Planes (Official Music Video)

  8. Fatboy Slim - Sunset (Bird Of Prey)

    Norman Cook samples Jim Morrison of The Doors for this blissed out track from 2000. Lots of Cold War-era plane imagery in the video, too.

    Fatboy Slim - Sunset (Bird of Prey)

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