Sayer launched his career in the United Kingdom in the early 1970s, and became a top singles and album act on both sides of the Atlantic in the 1970s. His first seven hit singles in the United Kingdom all reached the Top 10 – a feat first registered by his first manager, Adam Faith. His songs have been sung by other notable artists, including Cliff Richard ("Dreamin'").
Aviation
Leo Sayer Lyrics
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And out on the street the next
The company always came first with him
She came second best
His life was aviation
He was rising fast
They let him go
He became
She lost her job the same month
At "Fashions For You"
She lost her chance of ever seeing Paris
Lost the baby too
They took all their belongings
And managed to get a loan
And put it all into this broken down building
That called itself a restaurant
He waits tables
She does the cooking
He can remember
Seeing her look so beautiful
And now she is just fading away
She waits tables
He does the cooking
They don't owe nobody nothing
If there's a God up there in heaven
Must have lost his touch
Maybe he's out to lunch
His life was aviation
He was rising fast
But who needs expert in fuel conservation
When the planes are out of gas
He still reads "Aviation"
When he has the time
And if he gets to talk to God he's gonna
Give him a piece of his mind, yeah
He waits tables
She does the cooking
He can remember
Seeing her look so beautiful
Now she's just fading away
She waits tables
He does the cooking
They don't owe nobody nothing
If there's a God up there in heaven
He must have lost his touch
Maybe he's out for lunch
He waits tables
She does the cooking
He can remember
Seeing her look so beautiful
Now she is just fading away
She waits tables
He does the cooking
They don't owe nobody nothing
If there's a God up there in heaven
Maybe he's not to blame
Maybe he's changed his name
The song "Aviation" by Leo Sayer tells the story of a man who loses his job at an airline company, an organisation that he has devoted his life to. Once highly respected, now he is just like anyone else working in a restaurant after losing his job. His wife also lost her job, and any hope of travelling to Paris, and lost their unborn baby as well. They put all their effort and money into starting a restaurant in a broken-down building. The roles are reversed, with the man waiting tables and his wife cooking. Despite their difficult circumstances, they remain positive, and they strive to make their business succeed. Throughout the song, there is a sense of injustice and disappointment towards a higher power.
The lyrics are thought-provoking, as they express the reality of life, where people's plans and aspirations can be dashed without warning. The title "Aviation" ironically evokes both the glamour of air travel, and the humbling reality of being grounded when the planes are out of gas. The song is written from the perspective of a man who has lost everything except his hope and his love for his wife. In the end, there is no finger-pointing or blame placed on a higher power, but rather a sense of resignation.
Line by Line Meaning
He was working for the airline one day
At one point, he had a job with an airline
And out on the street the next
Suddenly, he no longer had a job and was out of work
The company always came first with him
He prioritized his job with the airline above everything else
She came second best
His partner was never as important to him as his job
His life was aviation
His job with the airline was his entire life
He was rising fast
He was quickly moving up the ranks at his job
They let him go
He was fired from his job
He became
As a result of being fired, he became something else, presumably a restaurant owner
A victim of the past
He was held back by his past experiences and the things that had happened to him
She lost her job the same month
His partner also lost her job around the same time
At "Fashions For You"
Her former job was at a clothing store called 'Fashions For You'
She lost her chance of ever seeing Paris
Due to losing her job, she lost the opportunity to travel to Paris
Lost the baby too
She also suffered a miscarriage
They took all their belongings
They had to pack up all of their possessions
And managed to get a loan
They obtained a loan to start a new business
And put it all into this broken down building
They invested all of their money into a rundown building
That called itself a restaurant
They turned the building into a restaurant
He waits tables
He is now a waiter at the restaurant
She does the cooking
His partner is the cook at the restaurant
He can remember
He thinks back to a time when his partner was still happy and healthy
Seeing her look so beautiful
He remembers how stunning she used to be
And now she is just fading away
His partner's health is deteriorating
They don't owe nobody nothing
They have paid off all of their debts
If there's a God up there in heaven
If there is a higher power controlling the universe
Must have lost his touch
They feel like this higher power has failed them
Maybe he's out to lunch
They suggest that this higher power may actually not be doing anything useful
But who needs expert in fuel conservation
They don't need someone with that specific knowledge, as it is irrelevant to them
When the planes are out of gas
Because they no longer work for the airline, this knowledge is no longer useful to them
He still reads "Aviation"
Despite no longer working in the aviation industry, he still reads about it as a hobby
When he has the time
He only reads about aviation when he has free time
And if he gets to talk to God he's gonna
If he ever gets the chance to confront a higher power, he will
Give him a piece of his mind, yeah
He will express his anger and frustration
Maybe he's not to blame
They consider the possibility that this higher power is not responsible for their misfortunes
Maybe he's changed his name
They suggest that this higher power has abandoned them and gone by another name
Contributed by Christopher K. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@rajsnair04
me too.. thank u very much
@tarekmohdamin
I was looking for this song since long time .. really Thanks