Learning to Fly

The first time you hear *Learning to Fly*, the repeating, almost hypnotic rhythmic pattern catches your attention. It's the heart of the song, and it was born from an idea David Gilmour had on a 1986 demo. He himself took charge of developing the music from there, while the lyrics were written by Anthony Moore. The inspiration for those words came from a very personal moment for Gilmour: he was learning to fly planes and spent his mornings in the air before going to the studio. It's said that it can also be interpreted as a metaphor for starting something new, a radical life change, or even Gilmour's feelings upon taking the reins of Pink Floyd after Roger Waters' departure. In fact, he himself commented in 1992 that they felt, as a band, they were "learning to fly again." If you pay attention, near the middle of the song, you can hear the voice of drummer Nick Mason, another aviation enthusiast.

This song was the first single from the album A Momentary Lapse of Reason, which was recorded between November and December 1986. The track was well-received in the United States, reaching number one on the Billboard Album Rock Tracks for three consecutive weeks in the fall of 1987. In Spain, it also reached the top spot on Los 40 Principales. The music video, directed by Storm Thorgerson, was filmed in Alberta, Canada, and combines images of the band playing with a story involving an Indigenous man who transforms into a falcon. The red aircraft featured is a Beechcraft Model 17 Staggerwing. *Learning to Fly* became a recurring theme in the band's concerts after the Roger Waters era, and a live version was included on albums such as Delicate Sound of Thunder and Pulse.