Leaning to Fly
Pink Floyd Lyrics


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Into the distance, a ribbon of black
Stretched to the point of no turning back
A flight of fancy on a windswept field
Standing alone, my senses reeled
A fatal attraction is holding me fast
How can I escape this irresistible grasp?

Can't keep my eyes from the circling sky
Tongue-tied and twisted, just an earth-bound misfit, I

Ice is forming on the tips of my wings
Unheeded warnings, I thought I thought of everything
No navigator to find my way home
Unladened, empty and turned to stone

A soul in tension that's learning to fly
Condition grounded but determined to try
Can't keep my eyes from the circling skies
Tongue-tied and twisted, just an earth-bound misfit, I

Friction lock - set
Mixtures - rich
Propellers - fully forward
Flaps - set - ten degrees
Engine gauges and suction - check
Mixture set to maximum percent - recheck
Flight instruments...
Altimeters - check both
Lights - on
Pilot heater - on
Strobes - on
Confirm three-eight-echo ready for departure
Hello again, this is now 129.4
129.4. It's a go
Three-eight-echo cleared takeoff, the wind's normal at ten knots
Three-eight-echo
Easy on the brakes. Take it easy. It's gonna roll this time
Just handle the power gradually, and it...


Above the planet on a wing and a prayer
My grubby halo, a vapour trail in the empty air
Across the clouds I see my shadow fly
Out of the corner of my watering eye
A dream unthreatened by the morning light
Could blow this soul right through the roof of the night

There's no sensation to compare with this
Suspended animation, a state of bliss




Can't keep my mind from the circling sky
Tongue-tied and twisted, just an earth-bound misfit, I

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Pink Floyd's "Learning to Fly" take the listener through the journey of a person who is trying to learn how to fly. In the first verse, the person is looking at a "ribbon of black" that is stretching into the "distance" and is "stretched to the point of no turning back." This can symbolize the fear and excitement of taking a big step forward in life, where there is no option to go back. The person is standing alone on a windswept field, and it is as if their "senses reeled" and they are overwhelmed by the experience. The person realizes that they are caught in a "fatal attraction" to flight that holds them "fast," and they wonder how they can escape from this "irresistible grasp."


In the second verse, the person is flying, and they can't keep their eyes from the "circling sky." They are "tongue-tied and twisted" and feel like an "earth-bound misfit." They are experiencing challenges with their flight, with "ice forming on the tips" of their wings and "unheeded warnings" that they thought they had considered. They are "unladen" and "empty" and seem "turned to stone," as they navigate the sky without a navigator to guide them home.


Line by Line Meaning

Into the distance, a ribbon of black
The singer sees a path leading into an unknown future


Stretched to the point of no turning back
The path ahead appears to be irreversible, with no way to change direction


A flight of fancy on a windswept field
The singer has a dream of taking flight, but is unsure if it will come true


Standing alone, my senses reeled
The artist feels overwhelmed and unprepared for the journey ahead


A fatal attraction is holding me fast
The idea of flying is so alluring that the artist cannot resist it, even though it may be dangerous


How can I escape this irresistible grasp?
The singer wonders if there is any way to avoid the pull of their desire to fly


Can't keep my eyes from the circling sky
The singer is entranced by the sight of birds or planes soaring overhead


Tongue-tied and twisted, just an earth-bound misfit, I
The artist feels inadequate and constrained by their inability to fly


Ice is forming on the tips of my wings
The artist is encountering obstacles or setbacks that threaten to prevent them from achieving their dream


Unheeded warnings, I thought I thought of everything
The artist has overlooked potential dangers or challenges that may arise during their flight


No navigator to find my way home
The singer is on their own, without guidance or assistance to find their way back to safety


Unladened, empty and turned to stone
The artist feels lost and depleted, with no hope for success in their journey


A soul in tension that's learning to fly
The singer's soul is in conflict, as they struggle to realize their dream of taking flight


Condition grounded but determined to try
The singer may be held back by external factors, but they are resolute in their desire to fly


Above the planet on a wing and a prayer
The singer is embarking on a journey into the unknown, with a glimmer of hope and faith guiding them


My grubby halo, a vapour trail in the empty air
The artist's imperfections are highlighted as they leave a trail behind them


Across the clouds I see my shadow fly
The artist is both literally and metaphorically reaching new heights, with a sense of awe and wonder at their surroundings


Out of the corner of my watering eye
The singer is overwhelmed with emotion or tears as they experience this transformative moment


A dream unthreatened by the morning light
The singer's dream of flying is pure and unadulterated, unspoiled by any doubts or fears


Could blow this soul right through the roof of the night
The artist's experience of flying is so powerful that it transcends all earthly boundaries


There's no sensation to compare with this
The feeling of flying is beyond comparison or description


Suspended animation, a state of bliss
The artist is in a state of complete calm and happiness, free from all worries or problems


Can't keep my mind from the circling sky
The singer is consumed by their desire to fly, and is constantly drawn to the skies


Tongue-tied and twisted, just an earth-bound misfit, I
The artist is still unable to fly, and feels like they don't belong among those who can




Contributed by Jasmine W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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Most interesting comment from YouTube:

@sheulyakter4361

Lyrics :
Into the distance, a ribbon of black
Stretched to the point of no turning back
A flight of fancy on a wind swept field
Standing alone my senses reeled
A fatal attraction is holding me fast
How can I escape this irresistible grasp?
Can't keep my eyes from the circling sky
Tongue-tied and twisted, just an earth-bound misfit, I

Ice is forming on the tips of my wings
Unheeded warnings, I thought I thought of everything
No navigator to find my way home
Unladened, empty and turned to stone

A soul in tension that's learning to fly
Condition grounded but determined to try
Can't keep my eyes from the circling skies
Tongue-tied and twisted, just an earth-bound misfit, I

Friction lock, set
Mixtures, rich
Propellers, fully forward
Flaps, set - 10 degrees
Engine gauges and suction, check

Above the planet on a wing and a prayer
My grubby halo, a vapor trail in the empty air
Across the clouds I see my shadow fly
Out of the corner of my watering eye
A dream unthreatened by the morning light
Could blow this soul right through the roof of the night

There's no sensation to compare with this
Suspended animation, a state of bliss
Can't keep my mind from the circling sky
Tongue-tied and twisted, just an earth-bound misfit, I



All comments from YouTube:

@ashleymatossian8265

My husbands favorite band was pink floyd; when he died I had a dream with particular lyrics repeating over and over in my dream so much so that when I woke up I had to Google it to figure out was that a real song or just made up in my dream, and when I googled the lyrics it was THIS SONG...I NEVER knew this was a Pink Floyd and had only heard the song a few times in 80s when I was a kid and believe in my heart it was my husband visiting me in my dream to let me know he was safe and in a good place above the clouds and also telling me shame on me for not knowing it was Pink Floyd, Lol.

@JoseLuna-xo6tx

What a beautiful story, stay strong

@ashleymatossian8265

Thank you 🌿🌿🌿

@pyzer_music_travel

which lyrics did you hear in the dream?

@naticoronel2263

Ashley Matossian Pink Floyd is mágic. This song is so amasing ....

@ashleymatossian8265

@@pyzer_music_travel I don't remember exactly, it was one of those dreams where it was so clear in my dream but once I woke up, the lyrics immediately started fading from my mind so I hurried at that moment upon waking to quickly Google what I had heard in my dream and that's when this song popped up..it's weird because even though it was interpreted thru my dream as lyrics it was more like a FEELING of lyrics or words and melody...it's hard to explain.

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@johnnyjohnson1326

The older I get the more emotional I get when I listen to Pink Floyd.
The lyrics in this song are more about reminiscing now, but when I first heard it I thought about how awesome life was going to be.
I passed my love of Pink Floyd on to my children and I hope they pass it to theirs.
Some bands/music are eternal and Pink Floyd is at the top of that list.
If you read this, I truly hope you learn to fly and have an amazing life. Don't take your anything for granted. Go after everything you want.

@ZACH_95_

It’s about learning to fly a plane lol

@KaBarAce

​​@@ZACH_95_ Pink Floyd always has two meanings

@brad25000

Go after what you want but be cautious of yourself so that you don't become selfish and full of never ending gluttony for your desires.
The heart is deceitful be careful...

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