In 1977, Bragg formed the punk rock/pub rock band Riff Raff, and toured London's pubs and clubs. The band released a series of singles, which did not receive wide exposure. He also worked in Guy Norris Records in Barking. Bragg became disillusioned with his music career, and in May 1981 joined the British Army as a recruit destined for the Queen's Royal Irish Hussars of the Royal Armoured Corps. After three months, he bought his way out of the army for £175 and returned home, having attended basic training but having never served in a regiment as a soldier.
Bragg began performing frequent concerts and busking around London, playing solo with an electric guitar. His roadie at the time was Andy Kershaw, who became a BBC DJ (Bragg and Kershaw later, in 1989, appeared in an episode of the BBC TV programme, Great Journeys, in which they travelled the Silver Road from Potosí, Bolivia, to the Pacific coast at Arica, Chile). Bragg performing at South by Southwest in 2008.
Bragg's demo tape initially got no response from the record industry, but by pretending to be a television repair man, he got into the office of Charisma Records' A&R man Peter Jenner. Jenner liked the tape, but the company was near bankruptcy and had no budget to sign new artists. Bragg got an offer to record more demos for a music publisher, so Jenner agreed to release them as a record. Life's a Riot with Spy Vs. Spy was released in July 1983 by Charisma's new imprint, Utility. Hearing DJ John Peel mention on-air that he was hungry, Bragg rushed to the BBC with a mushroom biryani, so Peel played a song from Life's a Riot with Spy Vs. Spy although at the wrong speed (since the 12" LP was, unconventionally, cut to play at 45rpm). Peel insisted he would have played the song even without the biryani and later played it at the correct speed.
Within months, Charisma had been taken over by Virgin Records and Jenner, who had been laid off, became Bragg's manager. Stiff Records' press officer Andy Macdonald – who was setting up his own record label, Go! Discs – received a copy of Life's a Riot with Spy Vs. Spy. He made Virgin an offer and the album was re-released on Go! Discs in November 1983.[citation needed] In 1984, he released Brewing Up with Billy Bragg, a mixture of political songs (e.g., "It Says Here") and songs of unrequited love (e.g., "The Saturday Boy"). The following year he released Between the Wars, an EP of political songs that included a cover version of Leon Rosselson's "The World Turned Upside Down" – the EP made the top 20 of the UK Singles Chart and earned Bragg an appearance on Top of the Pops. Bragg later collaborated with Rosselson on the song, "Ballad of the Spycatcher". In 1985, his song "A New England", with an additional verse, became a Top 10 hit in the UK for Kirsty MacColl. After MacColl's early death, Bragg always sang the extra verse in her honour. In 1984–1985 he toured North America.
In 1986, Bragg released Talking with the Taxman about Poetry, which became his first Top 10 album. Its title is taken from a poem by Vladimir Mayakovsky and a translated version of the poem was printed on the record's inner sleeve. Back to Basics is a 1987 collection of his first three releases: Life's A Riot With Spy Vs. Spy, Brewing Up with Billy Bragg, and the Between The Wars EP. Bragg released his fourth album, Workers Playtime, in September 1988. With this album, Bragg added a backing band and accompaniment.
In May 1990, Bragg released the political mini-LP, The Internationale. The songs were, in part, a return to his solo guitar style, but some songs featured more complicated arrangements and included a brass band. The album paid tribute to one of Bragg's influences with the song, "I Dreamed I Saw Phil Ochs Last Night", which is an adapted version of Earl Robinson's song, "I Dreamed I Saw Joe Hill Last Night", itself an adaptation of a poem by Alfred Hayes.
The album Don't Try This at Home was released in September 1991, and included the song, "Sexuality", which reached the UK Singles Chart. Bragg had been persuaded by Go! Discs' Andy and Juliet Macdonald to sign a four-album deal with a million pound advance, and a promise to promote the album with singles and videos.[citation needed] This gamble was not rewarded with extra sales, and the situation put the company in financial difficulty. In exchange for ending the contract early and repaying a large amount of the advance, Bragg regained all rights to his back catalogue.[citation needed] Bragg continued to promote the album with his backing band, The Red Stars, which included his Riff Raff colleague and long-time roadie, Wiggy.
Bragg released the album William Bloke in 1996 after taking time off to help raise his son. Around that time, Nora Guthrie (daughter of American folk artist Woody Guthrie) asked Bragg to set some of her father's unrecorded lyrics to music. The result was a collaboration with the band Wilco and Natalie Merchant (with whom Bragg had worked previously). They released the album Mermaid Avenue in 1998, and Mermaid Avenue Vol. II in 2000. A rift with Wilco over mixing and sequencing the album led to Bragg recruiting his own band, The Blokes, to promote the album. The Blokes included keyboardist Ian McLagan, who had been a member of Bragg's boyhood heroes The Faces. The documentary film Man in the Sand depicts the roles of Nora Guthrie, Bragg, and Wilco in the creation of the Mermaid Avenue albums.
In 2004, Bragg joined Florida ska-punk band Less Than Jake to perform a version of 'The Brightest Bulb Has Burned Out' for the Rock Against Bush compilation.
At the 2005 Beautiful Days Festival in Devon, Bragg teamed up with the Levellers to perform a short set of songs by or associated with The Clash in celebration of Joe Strummer's birthday. Bragg performed guitar and lead vocals on "Police and Thieves", and performed guitar and backing vocals on "English Civil War", and "Police on my Back".
In 2007, Bragg moved closer to his English folk music roots by joining the WOMAD-inspired collective The Imagined Village, who recorded an album of updated versions of traditional English songs and dances and toured through that autumn. Bragg released his album Mr. Love & Justice in March 2008. This was the second Bragg album to be named after a book by Colin MacInnes. In 2008, during the NME Awards ceremony, Bragg sang a duet with British solo act Kate Nash. They mixed up their two greatest hits, Nash playing "Foundations", and Bragg redoing his "A New England". Bragg also collaborated with the poet and playwright, Patrick Jones, who supported Bragg's Tour.
In 2008, Bragg played a small role in Stuart Bamforth's film "A13: Road Movie". Bragg is featured alongside union reps, vicars, burger van chefs and Members of Parliament in a film that explored "the overlooked, the hidden and the disregarded."
He was involved in the play Pressure Drop at the Wellcome Collection in London in April and May 2010. The production, written by Mick Gorden, and billed as "part play, part gig, part installation", featured new songs by Bragg. He performed during the play with his band, and acted as compere.
Bragg curated the Leftfield stage at Glastonbury Festival 2010.
He took part in the Bush Theatre's 2011 project Sixty Six where he has written a piece based upon a chapter of the King James Bible.
Bragg performed a set of the Guthrie songs that he had set to music for Mermaid Avenue during the Hay Literary Festival in June 2012. Mermaid Avenue Vol. III and Mermaid Avenue: The Complete Sessions were also released in early 2012.
On 18 March 2013, Bragg released his latest studio album, five years since Mr. Love & Justice, titled Tooth And Nail. It featured 11 original songs, including one written for the Bush Theatre, and a Woody Guthrie cover. Stylistically, it continues to explore genres of Americana (music) and Alternative country, both of which he has said he has been playing and writing regularly since Mermaid Avenue (1998).
In November 2017, he released all six tracks from the mini-album Bridges Not Walls as downloads and CD through the Billy Bragg website and other sellers, followed by the single Full English Brexit through Cooking Vinyl.
Airline to Heaven
Billy Bragg Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Flies to heaven everyday
Past the pearly gates
If you want to ride this train
Have your ticket in your hand
Before it is too late
And your money's spent and gone
And your friend has turned away
You can get away to heaven
On this aeroplane
Just bow your head and pray
Them's got ears, let them hear
Them's got eyes, let them see
Turn your eyes to the lord of the skies
Take this airline plane
It'll take you home again
To your home behind the skies
Well a lot of people guess
Some say no and some say yes
Will it take some and leave some behind?
But you will surely know
When to the airport go
To leave this world behind
Oh a lot of speakers speak
A lot of preachers preach
When you lay their salary on the line
You hold your head and pray
It's the only earthly way
You can fly to heaven on time
Fly to heaven on time
Them's got ears, let them hear
Them's got eyes, let them see
Turn your eyes to the lord of the skies
Take that airline plane
It'll take you home again
To your home behind the skies
Your ticket you obtain
On this heavenly airline plane
You leave your sins behind
You've got to take this flight
It may be daytime, might be night
But you can't see your way if you're blind
Them's got ears, let them hear
Them's got eyes, let them see
Turn your eyes to the lord of the skies
Take that airline plane
It'll take you home again
To your home behind the skies
The song "Airline to Heaven" by Billy Bragg talks about an airline plane that flies to heaven every day, past the pearly gates. The lyrics seem to suggest that the only way to escape from the troubles of this world is to catch this plane to heaven, but one must have their ticket in hand before it's too late. The song mentions that if the world looks wrong, and one's money and friends have gone, they can turn to the lord of the skies and pray, and this airline plane will take them home again, away from the world behind the skies.
The lyrics urge listeners to turn their eyes to the lord of the skies and obtain their ticket to heaven. The song acknowledges that some people may be skeptical about this airline plane and whether it will take some and leave some behind. However, the song assures that one will surely know when to go to the airport to leave this world behind. The song ends by emphasizing that one needs to take this flight, regardless of whether it's day or night, and leave their sins behind.
Line by Line Meaning
There's an airline plane
There exists a plane that traverses to heaven.
Flies to heaven everyday
The plane heads to heaven every day.
Past the pearly gates
The plane glides past the entrance to heaven.
If you want to ride this train
If you seek to board this transportation.
Have your ticket in your hand
Make sure you possess a ticket before you can hop on.
Before it is too late
Do it before the opportunity is no longer available.
If the world looks wrong
If the world seems aberrant.
And your money's spent and gone
And you have squandered all your currency.
And your friend has turned away
And you are abandoned by your comrade.
You can get away to heaven
You can escape to paradise.
On this aeroplane
Using this airplane.
Just bow your head and pray
Simply lower your head and pray.
Them's got ears, let them hear
Those who can hear, should listen.
Them's got eyes, let them see
Those who can see, should observe.
Turn your eyes to the lord of the skies
Direct your gaze to the ruler of the skies.
Take this airline plane
Take advantage of this flight service.
It'll take you home again
It will transport you back home.
To your home behind the skies
To your sanctuary above.
Well a lot of people guess
Many individuals speculate.
Some say no and some say yes
Some oppose, some agree.
Will it take some and leave some behind?
Will some individuals be omitted while others are taken?
But you will surely know
But you will undoubtedly discern.
When to the airport go
When to head to the terminal.
To leave this world behind
To depart from this world.
Oh a lot of speakers speak
Oh, many speakers articulate.
A lot of preachers preach
Numerous preachers preach.
When you lay their salary on the line
When you bring up their earnings.
You hold your head and pray
You hold your head and supplicate.
It's the only earthly way
It is the solitary human method.
You can fly to heaven on time
You can arrive in paradise on time.
Your ticket you obtain
Your ticket is acquired.
On this heavenly airline plane
On this celestial airplane.
You leave your sins behind
You abandon your transgressions.
You've got to take this flight
You must take this journey.
It may be daytime, might be night
It may be daylight or nighttime.
But you can't see your way if you're blind
But you cannot discern your path if you cannot see.
Take that airline plane
Use that flight service.
It'll take you home again
It will transport you back home.
To your home behind the skies
To your sanctuary above.
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., BMG Rights Management
Written by: JEFF TWEEDY, JAY BENNETT, WOODY GUTHRIE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@ElMaestroAndy
There's an airline plane
Flies to heaven everyday
Past the pearly gates
If you want to ride this train
Have your ticket in your hand
Before it is too late
If the world looks wrong
And your money's spent and gone
And your friend has turned away
You can get away to heaven
On this aeroplane
Just bow your head and pray
[Chorus]
Them's got ears, let them hear
Them's got eyes, let them see
Turn your eyes to the lord of the skies
Take this airline plane
It'll take you home again
To your home behind the skies
Well a lot of people guess
Some say no and some say yes
Will it take some and leave some behind
But you will surely know
When to the airport go
To leave this world behind
Oh a lot of speakers speak
A lot of preachers preach
When you lay their salary on the line
You can hold your head and pray
It's the only earthly way
You can fly to heaven on time
Fly to heaven on time
[Chorus]
Your ticket you obtain
On this heavenly airline plane
You leave your sins behind
You've got to take this flight
It may be daytime, might be night
But you can't see your way if you're blind
[Chorus]
Take that airline plane
It'll take you home again
To your home behind the skies
@ElMaestroAndy
There's an airline plane
Flies to heaven everyday
Past the pearly gates
If you want to ride this train
Have your ticket in your hand
Before it is too late
If the world looks wrong
And your money's spent and gone
And your friend has turned away
You can get away to heaven
On this aeroplane
Just bow your head and pray
[Chorus]
Them's got ears, let them hear
Them's got eyes, let them see
Turn your eyes to the lord of the skies
Take this airline plane
It'll take you home again
To your home behind the skies
Well a lot of people guess
Some say no and some say yes
Will it take some and leave some behind
But you will surely know
When to the airport go
To leave this world behind
Oh a lot of speakers speak
A lot of preachers preach
When you lay their salary on the line
You can hold your head and pray
It's the only earthly way
You can fly to heaven on time
Fly to heaven on time
[Chorus]
Your ticket you obtain
On this heavenly airline plane
You leave your sins behind
You've got to take this flight
It may be daytime, might be night
But you can't see your way if you're blind
[Chorus]
Take that airline plane
It'll take you home again
To your home behind the skies
@lisavenable1866
Love it. The Truth in this crazy world.
@thomasbailey7660
A high point of any Wilco live show.
@Smarigdine
I LOVE THIS SONG!!!!
@stephendsullivan
This is such a brilliant interpretation of Woody's words. Love it!
@scottaustin3573
Solid evidence of Mr. Guthrie's depth of soul!
@arttoegemann
great recording it all comes together
@mcampbell598
Heard this on pandora, Love it!
@bimbo1997
You have to Love everything Wilco does (=
@nathanbrown3077
Braulio Cuellar