Foo Fighters' "Learn to Fly": More Than Just a Pilot's Dream
"Learn to Fly" is a song by the American rock band Foo Fighters, released by Roswell and RCA Records in October 1999 as the lead single from their third studio album, There Is Nothing Left to Lose. The song became one of the band's signature hits, achieving significant commercial success and critical acclaim. While many have interpreted the lyrics as a search for meaning and inspiration, Dave Grohl, the band's frontman, revealed a surprisingly literal inspiration behind the song.
Chart Success and Recognition
"Learn to Fly" marked the Foo Fighters' first entry on the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at #19. It remained their highest-charting song on the chart until "Best of You" reached number 18 in 2005. The song also topped the Billboard Alternative Songs chart.
The song's success extended beyond the United States, achieving recognition in various countries:
- Australia: Certified 4x Platinum.
- Brazil: Certified Diamond.
- Canada: Certified 2x Platinum.
- Denmark: Certified Gold.
- Italy: Certified Platinum.
- Mexico: Certified Gold.
- New Zealand: Certified Gold.
- Spain: Certified Platinum.
- United Kingdom: Certified 2x Platinum.
- United States: Certified Platinum.
In 2001, "Learn to Fly" won the Grammy Award for Best Short Form Music Video.
The Music Video: A Parody of Disaster Films
The music video for "Learn to Fly" is a comedic parody of disaster films like Airplane!, Airport 1975, and Airport '77. The video takes place on a commercial airliner and features the band members in various roles.
Read also: "Walk": Inspiration and Rebirth
Two airline cabin cleaners, played by Jack Black and Kyle Gass of Tenacious D, play a crucial role in the unfolding chaos. They smuggle and hide their narcotics, labeled "World Domination brand 'Erotic' Sleeping Powder," in the coffee-maker. Unaware of the tainted coffee, the flight attendants serve it to the passengers, causing everyone who drinks it to become incapacitated.
The band members, having wisely chosen liquor over coffee, find themselves as the only ones capable of landing the plane, mirroring Karen Black's role in Airport 1975. The video is interspersed with mock concert footage of the band, presented as an in-flight movie. Jesse Peretz, the original bass player in The Lemonheads, directed the video.
The video also features a quirky electronic version of the Foo Fighters song "Everlong" playing at the beginning when Tenacious D are preparing the airplane. Grohl liked the idea of Muzak playing, but he needed a more flouncy instrumental for comic effect. He turned to the electronic duo The Moog Cookbook, who created the version of "Big Me" that plays when Grohl gets on the elevator in the "Monkey Wrench" video. Brian Kehew of The Moog Cookbook revealed that they also did a full-length version of "Everlong" for the Tenacious D opening scene but did not keep a copy. The band also lost their version, so no one seems to have the full version anymore.
Grohl's Inspiration: A Pilot's Dream
Despite the song's widespread interpretation as a search for inspiration, Dave Grohl revealed a more straightforward inspiration during an appearance on The Kelly Clarkson Show. Clarkson shared how moved she was by the lyric:
Look to the sky to save me
Read also: Decoding "Learn to Fly" by Foo Fighters
Looking for a sign of life
Looking for something to help me burn out bright
Clarkson thought she'd found a deep meaning in the song. However, Grohl burst her bubble when he revealed he wrote "Learn to Fly" because he wanted to become a pilot. "I wanted to learn to fly - I did! That's it," he explained. "I'm sorry. It's what I'm talking about. I'm singing because I want to learn how to be a pilot."
Cultural Impact and Appearances
"Learn to Fly" has made several appearances in popular culture, solidifying its place as a recognizable and beloved song:
- The West Wing: Featured in the episode "Mr. Willis of Ohio."
- Fift: Included in the 1999 sports documentary.
- Is It College Yet?: Appeared in the 2002 animated comedy-drama television film.
- Life or Something Like It: Featured in the 2002 romantic comedy-drama.
- Rock Dog: Included in the 2016 animated film.
- Rock Band: Available as a playable track in the 2007 music video game.
- The Muppets: Dave Grohl performed the song on The Muppets with Miss Piggy's band, Dr. Teeth and The Electric Mayhem. Later, during the credits, Grohl and Animal competed in a drum-off.
Fan Dedication and a Viral Sensation
In July of 2015, a video was published on YouTube of 1,000 drummers, vocalists and guitarists in Cesena, Italy all playing and singing the song in unison. The performance was part of a campaign by fans in the Italian town to get The Foo Fighters to come and play a gig in the local area. The plan worked as the clip went viral and Dave Grohl and his bandmates agreed to play a show in Cesena. Grohl responded in Italian, thanking the makers for "the beautiful video" and adding "Thank you so much. We're coming, I swear.
Read also: "Learn to Fly": Deeper Meaning
A Guilt-Free Power Ballad
Greg Kot of Rolling Stone referred to the song as a "guilt-free power ballad," noting that "on 'Learn to Fly', the big guitars and arching melody crush all quibbles."
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