HITTING THE ‘HIGH’ NOTES – TOP 10 FLYING SONGS -As “Like A G6” flies high in the UK music charts, private jet booking network PrivateFly.com presents its rundown of other aircraft-inspired hits–

Currently flying high in the British pop charts, the platinum-selling “Like A G6” by LA-based hip hop quartet Far East Movement topped the US charts in October. The song has caused quite a stir online, with fans debating the title’s meaning. As many now know, the G6 refers to the G650, a new ultra-fast, ultra-long range business jet by manufacturer Gulfstream, set to enter the market in 2012. Priced at almost $59 million (£36 million), the G650 will be the most expensive of its kind, reaching speeds of Mach 0.925 (610mph) and offering its 18 passengers a separate kitchen and bar.

Adam Twidell, CEO of private jet booking network PrivateFly.com comments: “The song is an unapologetic ode to a party lifestyle, with the G650 the ultimate symbol of luxury and exhilaration. Of course many private jet customers are time-starved business people rather than party-loving pop stars, but the use of aircraft imagery in music is nothing new. This most mythologized of all forms of transportation is firmly embedded in popular culture.”

So in celebration of the success of “Like A G6”, PrivateFly.com presents its own Top 10 rundown of other aircraft-inspired hits:
1. “Come Fly With Me” by Frank Sinatra. This iconic 1958 hit has since spawned numerous cover versions. Written when leisure air travel was a new and exciting concept, the lyrics celebrate exotic destination opportunities such as Bombay, Peru and Acapulco, as well as the pure joy and romance of being airborne: ‘Once I get you up there, where the air is rarefied; We'll just glide, starry eyed’.

2. “Jet Airliner” by The Steve Miller Band. Reaching number eight in the US billboard chart, this 1977 rock classic refers to a 707 airliner. It’s largely a homesick lament, but culminates in celebrating that the ‘big ol' jet airliner’ can also ‘carry me to my home’.

3. “Leavin’” by Jesse McCartney. In 2008, US heartthrob McCartney’s R&B track reached number one on the iTunes Top Songs list. The lyrics refer to ‘flying on the G5’, aka Gulfstream’s current long-range jet G550 (set to be replaced by G650).

4. “You’re So Vain” by Carly Simon. Simon’s 1972 hit and signature song has caused much speculation about the identity of the self-absorbed, jetset lover portrayed in the lyrics. The line ‘you flew your Learjet up to Nova Scotia’ caused many to believe it was Warren Beatty, whose mother was raised in Nova Scotia. Simon has never divulged.

5. ”Enola Gay” by OMD. Not so much a celebration of the glory of flying, this controversial 1980 hit is one of many songs about military aircraft, the title referring to the name of the US Air Force B-29 bomber, responsible for dropping the world’s first atomic bomb on Hiroshima in 1945.

6. “Aeroplane” by the Red Hot Chilli Peppers hit the charts in 1996. Here the aeroplane is directly compared to the power of music, as a source of escapism and freedom. Like many of their songs, rather dark lyrics (‘I like pleasure spiked with pain and music is my aeroplane’) contrast with upbeat funk rock melodies, including child chorus vocals by guitarist Flea’s daughter and her classmates.

7. “Learning To Fly” by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers was only a modest success when released in 1991 but, like many flying songs, has become a firm favourite on playlists. Petty’s inspiration came from seeing a TV interview with a pilot who said that it wasn’t hard to learn to fly, but coming down is fairly challenging. Fans have debated whether Petty’s interpretation was actually about ‘getting high’ in a narcotic sense - or simply the challenges of life.

8. “Leaving On A Jet Plane” was written (and later recorded) by John Denver but the best known version was released in 1969 by folk trio Peter, Paul & Mary. This much-covered and highly popular song has been used in numerous TV and film scores including Armageddon and Glee. The lyrics are a lover’s lament at leaving, and indeed the original title was "Oh Babe I Hate To Go". Denver's producer, Milt Okun, convinced him to change the name; no doubt recognising the benefits that a ‘jet plane’ title would bring to the song’s enduring marketing potential.

9. “Take Me To The Pilot” by Elton John was released in 1970 and was a modest hit, though was quickly eclipsed by “Your Song”, which was released at the same time and became the record’s A-side. The meaning of the song is rather unclear, indeed even writer Bernie Taupin has admitted in interviews that he isn’t sure what it is about. But it does draw on the imagery of a pilot as the ultimate symbol of control and navigation: ‘Take me to the pilot for control; Take me to the pilot of your soul’.

10. “Back In The USSR” by The Beatles. What Top 10 music listing would be complete without a Beatles song? Their 1968 hit opens and closes with the sounds of a jet aircraft landing and refers to a flight from Miami Beach to the USSR on ‘BOAC’ – British Overseas Airways Corporation, Britain’s state airline at the time and forerunner to British Airways. Again the song’s key theme is the joy of returning home and Paul McCartney has stated that it was written as a parody of The Beach Boys “California Girls” and a tribute to Chuck Berry's "Back in the USA".

Adam Twidell continues “Many people’s experience of flying these days is reduced to a functional - and often stressful - airline flight. PrivateFly.com’s Top Ten rundown is a welcome reminder of the magic and inspiration of aviation, whether in its ability to transport to exciting destinations, returning home or simply the joy of being airborne.”
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About PrivateFly:

PrivateFly is an online booking network that makes it quicker, easier and more cost effective to arrange private jet charter.

With over 2700 operators registered worldwide, PrivateFly is the only online aggregator for private jet charter in Europe.

PrivateFly combines online efficiency and transparency with offline expertise to offer a full-service VIP charter service to direct customers and partners. The bespoke software has been created in-house specifically to meet the needs of charter customers and operators.

In February 2010 PrivateFly launched the world’s first iPhone application to provide instant private jet pricing on a mobile phone.

PrivateFly was announced as one of the Smarta 100 companies 2010, by a judging panel including Dragon’s Den’s Deborah Meaden and other leading entrepreneurs, such as Bebo founder Michael Birch. The company also won the innovation category of the Best Business Awards in February 2010.

Founded in 2007, PrivateFly is based in St Albans, Hertfordshire and earlier this year secured first round investment funding to expand the business within the UK and selected international markets.

For further information, interviews or imagery, please contact:

Katrina Suppiah
Publicité Ltd
T: 020 8543 6582
E: k.suppiah@publicite.co.uk

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This release was published on openPR.