Stewart grew up in the coastal resort town of Bournemouth, Dorset. According to Songfacts, in days of youthful folly Stewart played in a beat group with later BBC DJ Tony Blackburn before moving to the capital to seek fortune and fame.
Having bought his first guitar from future Police guitarist Andy Summers, Stewart traded in his electric guitar for an acoustic guitar when he was offered a weekly slot at Bunjies Coffee House in London's Soho in 1965. From there, he went on to compete at the Les Cousins folk club on Greek Street, where he played alongside Cat Stevens, Bert Jansch, Van Morrison, Roy Harper and Ralph McTell
Although he had his share of the breaks, including a tenure at Bunjees coffee house and a record deal with CBS, life wasn't always easy for the young troubadour; his first serious love affair ended in disaster, and he experienced all the usual insecurities of the stranger in the big city trying to find his way.
In January 1970, Melody Maker named his second release Love Chronicles its Folk Album Of The Year, but in spite of his obviously carving out quite a name for himself, it was not until Year Of The Cat - the single and even more so the monster album - that he really shot to fame.
He emigrated to the United States as his career took off in the mid 1970s, and still lives in California. While studio albums are now few and far between, he still tours extensively in the United States, and, most years, in Europe. Recordings of concerts are often made available through his fan clubs.
Flying Sorcery
Al Stewart Lyrics
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And the biplanes on your wall
You were always Amy Johnson
From the time that you were small
No schoolroom kept you grounded
While your thoughts could get away
You were taking off in Tiger Moths
Your wings against the brush-strokes of the day
On the tarmac with the winter in your hair
By the empty hangar doors you stop and stare
Leave the oil-drums behind you, they won't care
Oh, are you there
Oh, you wrapped me up in a leather coat
And you took me for a ride
We were drifting with the tail-wind
When the runway came in sight
The clouds came up to gather us
And the cockpit turned to white
When I looked the sky was empty
I suppose you never saw the landing-lights
Are you there
In your jacket with the grease-stain and the tear
Caught up in the slipstream of dare
The compass roads will guide you anywhere
Oh, are you there
The sun comes up on Icarus as the night-birds sail away
And lights the maps and diagrams
That Leonardo makes
You can see Faith, Hope and Charity
As they bank above the fields
You can join the flying circus
You can touch the morning air against your wheels
Are you there
Do you have a thought for me that you can share
Oh I never thought you'd take me unawares
Just call me if you ever need repairs
Oh, are you there
The song "Flying Sorcery" by Al Stewart tells the story of a woman who was fascinated with flying and airplanes from a young age. The first verse sets the scene with the woman's photographs of Kitty Hawk and biplanes on her wall, revealing her admiration for early aviation pioneers. She is likened to Amy Johnson, one of the first women to become qualified pilots, as she takes flight in Tiger Moths and soars through the brush-strokes of the day. The chorus asks if the woman, who seems so consumed by her passion for flying, is still out there somewhere, surrounded by the symbolism of the planes and the cold, winter weather.
The second verse takes a more personal turn, as the singer describes a flight he took with the woman. She wraps him up in a leather coat, and they take off into the sky, eventually becoming engulfed by clouds until the plane's cockpit turns white. The final verse invokes the myth of Icarus as the sun rises on a new day. The myth of Icarus reminds us to never get too close to the sun and to always be aware of our own limitations but also the allure of the unknown.
Overall, "Flying Sorcery" paints a lyrical picture of a woman whose love for the skies will always keep her soaring, even when those around her are grounded by reality.
Line by Line Meaning
With your photographs of Kitty Hawk
You possess pictures of the Kitty Hawk aircraft
And the biplanes on your wall
And you have mounted biplanes pictures on your wall
You were always Amy Johnson
You always looked up with admiration to the female British pilot, Amy Johnson.
From the time that you were small
From a very young age, you showed interest in the aviation sector.
No schoolroom kept you grounded
The education system couldn't keep you from pursuing your dreams.
While your thoughts could get away
You always pondered on how to build a plane, a passion that wouldn't let you rest.
You were taking off in Tiger Moths
You used Tiger Moths as planes to learn how to fly.
Your wings against the brush-strokes of the day
You flew through the elements of the day without any fear.
Are you there
Can you hear me or see me?
On the tarmac with the winter in your hair
Perhaps you are on the runway with your hair blowing in the winter wind?
By the empty hangar doors, you stop and stare
You stand near the doors of a deserted hangar deep in thought.
Leave the oil-drums behind you; they won't care
Ignore the oil drums behind you; they have no significance.
Oh, are you there
Can you hear me or see me?
Oh, you wrapped me up in a leather coat
You gave me a leather coat to keep me warm
And you took me for a ride
Then you took me for a fly in your aircraft.
We were drifting with the tail-wind
We were moving idly with the current of the wind.
When the runway came in sight
Then we noticed the runway in sight.
The clouds came up to gather us
We encountered a gathering of clouds.
And the cockpit turned to white
Whiteout happened inside the plane.
When I looked, the sky was empty
When I looked out, the sky was clear and without any obstacles.
I suppose you never saw the landing-lights
I suppose you wouldn't see the landing lights in such conditions.
Are you there
Can you hear me or see me?
In your jacket with the grease-stain and the tear
You wear a jacket with grease stain and rip marks.
Caught up in the slipstream of dare
You are caught up in the risk it takes to follow a dream.
The compass roads will guide you anywhere
Navigational tools would lead you to your desired location.
Oh, are you there
Can you hear me or see me?
The sun comes up on Icarus as the night-birds sail away
The sun rises on Icarus as the night birds fly away.
And lights the maps and diagrams
The sunrise highlights the diagrams and maps of your aircraft.
That Leonardo makes
The drawings that the legendary artist Leonardo Da Vinci made.
You can see Faith, Hope, and Charity
You can see the virtues of Hope, Faith, and Charity present in your work.
As they bank above the fields
As they circle high above the landscape.
You can join the flying circus
You can be a part of the amazing lists of people who dare to fly aircraft in dangerous stunts.
You can touch the morning air against your wheels
You can touch the cool morning air that flows against the wheels of the aircraft.
Are you there
Can you hear me or see me?
Do you have a thought for me that you can share
Do you have anything to share or could you talk to me recently?
Oh, I never thought you'd take me unawares
I never knew you'd surprise me like this.
Just call me if you ever need repairs
Please contact me anytime you have an issue with your aircraft.
Oh, are you there
Can you hear me or see me?
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: ALISTAIR IAN STEWART
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind