Spandau Ballet are a popular British pop band most prominent during the 80s… Read Full Bio ↴Spandau Ballet are a popular British pop band most prominent during the 80s, at the beginning of which they were forerunners of the British new romantic movement. Its members are singer-songwriter Tony Hadley on vocals, brothers Gary Kemp and Martin Kemp on guitar and bass respectively, with Gary also supplying background vocals, Steve Norman on saxophone, and John Keeble on the drums. Gary Kemp also wrote or co-wrote most of the group's music and lyrics.

Initially formed in 1976 in London, England, they didn't reach a stable line-up or decide on the Spandau name until 1978. Their odd title allegedly came from a piece of bathroom graffiti observed during the members early days. Inspired by a mixture of avant-garde synth pop and slick funk. as typified by their early track "Chant No 1 (I Don't Need This Pressure On)", also known by other titles such as "Chant # 1", the band commercially broke through with an artistic public image as remarked upon as their music. Said track reached the #2 spot in the U.K. and was notable for inclusion of the horn section from the group Beggar & Co, which proved a fruitful collaboration on record.

Spandau Ballet's first two albums, 1981's 'Journeys to Glory' and 1982's 'Diamond', found them also mining their art rock and glam rock roots as their fan-base expanded, the group looking to the works of David Bowie and Roxy Music for inspiration. Both albums charted in the U.K. top 20 and were later certified gold by the RIAA. Additional popular songs from the band in this era include "To Cut a Long Story Short" and "Freeze" (also known as "The Freeze". The group also notably picked up a semi-friendly rivalry with new wave contemporaries Duran Duran.

After four hits in the U.K. followed by a couple of less successful releases, however, Spandau Ballet's chart career appeared to be on the wane. Yet Instinction, re-ignited their fortunes and became the first of eleven consecutive singles to reach the Top 20

Immensely popular in the UK, the New Romantic group eventually mellowed into a mainstream pop act. As with Duran Duran they 'broke America', albeit briefly - the title track of their 3rd album True peaked in the Top 5 of the Singles charts. The song gained a new life in the 1990's and beyond by being sampled in the songs Set Adrift on Memory Bliss by PM Dawn and N Dey Say by Nelly.

After a split in 1990 and a court case almost ten years later involving Hadley, Keeble & Norman suing Gary Kemp over royalties, they announced in March 2009 a reformation.

I'll Fly For You
Spandau Ballet Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Passion take the wind
And break me from this tie
We're mortals on the earth
Oh but God's in the sky
I haven't got a clue
I haven't got a thing
But what I give to you
Is all that I could bring

I'll give you all my time
That's everything to me
You know my only crime
Is this flight of fantasy

Because I've nothing else here for you
And just because it's easier than the truth
Oh, if there's nothing else that I can do
I'll fly for you

Ooh, because I've nothing else here for you
And just because it's easier than the truth
Oh, if there's nothing else that I can do
I'll fly for you

Passion take the wind
And break me from this tie
We're mortals on the earth
Ooh, but God's up in the sky
I haven't got a clue
I haven't got a thing
But what I give to you
Is all that I could bring

Because I've nothing else here for you
And just because it's easier than the truth
Oh, if there's nothing else that I can do
I'll fly for you

Ooh, because I've nothing else here for you
And just because it's easier than the truth
Oh, if there's nothing else that I can do
I'll fly for you
I'll fly for you
Ooh, I'll fly

I'm just an average boy
You're more than an average girl
And when you sing to me the 'sho be doos'
You sing so well
And don't you know that when I'm under you
I'm overjoyed

Because I've nothing else here for you
And just because it's easier than the truth
Oh, if there's nothing else that I can do
I'll fly for you

Ooh, because I've nothing else here for you
And just because it's easier than the truth
Oh, if there's nothing else that I can do
I'll fly for you

I'll fly for you
I'll fly for you, I'll fly

Overall Meaning

The opening line “Passion take the wind and break me from this tie” suggests that the singer is feeling trapped or stuck in some way and is hoping that a burst of passion or inspiration will motivate them to break free. The line “We’re mortals on the earth, but God’s in the sky” seems to draw a distinction between the fleeting nature of human life on earth and the eternal nature of the divine. The chorus “Because I’ve nothing else here for you, and just because it’s easier than the truth, oh if there’s nothing else that I can do, I’ll fly for you” suggests that the singer is willing to do whatever it takes to make the other person feel loved and cared for, even if it means going above and beyond what might be expected.

The second verse reinforces the idea that the singer doesn’t have much to offer materially or tangibly, but is willing to give their time and energy to the other person. The phrase “flight of fantasy” implies that this devotion might be seen as unrealistic or excessive, but the singer is committed to it nonetheless. The repetition of the chorus reinforces this commitment, with the added emphasis of the line “just because it’s easier than the truth” suggesting that perhaps the singer is evading some underlying issue or fear through this dramatic gesture.

Overall, “I’ll Fly for You” seems to be a love song that celebrates the power of devotion and the willingness to go above and beyond for someone you care about.

Line by Line Meaning

Passion take the wind
Let passion guide me forward

And break me from this tie
Help me break free from my current situation

We're mortals on the earth
We are human, with limitations

Oh but God's in the sky
But there is a higher power beyond us

I haven't got a clue
I'm not sure what the answer is

I haven't got a thing
I have nothing material to offer

But what I give to you
But all that I can offer you

Is all that I could bring
Is my love and dedication

I'll give you all my time
I'll devote myself to you

That's everything to me
My time is my greatest gift

You know my only crime
My only fault