That Sound of Music in the Air

Some songs can take you airborne without leaving the ground.

Monday, June 17, 2024 at 09:03 AM ET

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The album that captures the romance of commercial flight was made in the 1950s. Come Fly With Me by Frank Sinatra featured songs about Chicago, New York, Brazil, and Paris. [Adobe Stock]

Key Takeaways:

The author explores the profound connection between flying and music, highlighting how various songs evoke the exhilaration, romance, or melancholy associated with aviation.
Personal experiences, both in the cockpit and operating room, led the author to prioritize clear communication over listening to music, despite its enjoyable and motivating qualities.
Many "flying" songs serve as metaphors for themes like recovery, perseverance, and freedom, with Kenny Loggins' "Danger Zone" being celebrated as an iconic anthem of flight's exuberance and the "need for speed."

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Flying and drinking, flying and listening to good music, or thinking of flying and listening to good music are among the aviator’s most enjoyable moments.

“To live is to fly, low and high. So shake the dust off your wings and the sleep out of your eyes,” is a line from the song “To Live Is to Fly,” written by a Texan, the late Townes Van Zandt, and made popular by another Texan, the late Guy Clark.

Dick Karl

Dick Karl is a cancer surgeon who appreciates the beauty and science involved in both surgery and flying. Dick’s monthly Gear Up celebrates the human side of flying. He writes about his enthusiasm for both the machines and the people who fly and maintain them.