| "Flying Without Wings" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 One of several European artworks | ||||
| Single byWestlife | ||||
| from the albumWestlifeandPokémon: The Movie 2000soundtrack | ||||
| B-side |
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| Released | 18 October 1999 (1999-10-18)[1] | |||
| Studio | Rokstone (London, England) | |||
| Genre | Pop | |||
| Length | 3:36 | |||
| Label | ||||
| Songwriters | ||||
| Producer | Steve Mac | |||
| Westlife singles chronology | ||||
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| Music video | ||||
| "Flying Without Wings" onYouTube | ||||
"Flying Without Wings" is a song by Irishboy bandWestlife, released on 18 October 1999 as the third single from theirself-titled debut studio album (1999). It is the band's fourth-best-selling single on both paid-for and combined sales in the United Kingdom as of January 2019.[2]
The song was written byWayne Hector andSteve Mac. In an interview withHitQuarters, Hector said the basic idea for the song came to him while on a break from working on ahip hop session with Ezi Cut inLos Angeles:
I came up with a couple of lines for the first verse and then phoned my mama's house, left it on the answering machine, and said, "Don't get rid of this!"[3]
Upon returning to England, Hector went into the studio to work on the idea with long-time songwriting partner and producer Steve Mac.[3] When the two discussed what the song was about they agreed that "this is about our wives. This is about the things that make our lives complete."[3] According to Hector the lyrics were completed in about half an hour.[3] He added, "Flying Without Wings was a life-changing moment, and a song he says he is particularly proud of. A big moment for me was when Flying Without Wings came out, I'd had a few Number 1s at that point, but that convinced people I could write good pop songs. After that, I started working with bigger acts and over a more diverse range of genres, including country and rock, which helped me pick up some credibility." The band's manager later revealed the song had been planned as the first solo single forBoyzone'sStephen Gately. "Stephen did the demo and he thought it was going to be his song,"Louis Walsh recalls. "I'll be quite honest, I missed it, but as soon asSimon heard it he just went bananas. It was really difficult because Westlife were on tour with Boyzone, as the support act."[4]
In a documentary aired onUTV calledWestlife Back Home, band member Shane Filan said it is probably the best song of their career, while formerTaoiseachBertie Ahern (band memberNicky Byrne's father-in-law) revealed it is his favourite tune from the chart-topping band. The song also won the band their first of fourRecord of the Year prizes on the annual televisedITV music awards on 11 December 1999, scoring a total of 159,590 votes to beat Boyzone'sRonan Keating to the title.[5]
TheOfficial Charts Company stated, "Flying Without Wings wasn't the first boyband ballad, nor is it the biggest selling, but it was certainly influential. After Flying Without Wings, what self-respecting boyband would dare stay seated on a stool for a key change? Stand, boys! Flying Without Wings has soundtracked births, proposals, marriages, funerals, and untold TV talent show montages over the last two decades."
The song became the group's third UK number-one single, spending 13 weeks on charts.[6] It also received a platinum sales certification in the UK and has sold over 800,000 copies with 37 million streams there as of November 2021.[7][8]
UK and Australian CD1[9]
UK and Australian CD2[10]
| UK cassette single and European CD single[11][12]
European maxi-CD single[13]
|
Credits are lifted from the UK CD1 andWestlife liner notes.[9][14]
Studios
Personnel
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Weekly charts[edit]
| Year-end charts[edit]
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| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| New Zealand (RMNZ)[37] | Gold | 15,000‡ |
| Sweden (GLF)[38] | Gold | 15,000^ |
| United Kingdom (BPI)[7] | Platinum | 800,000[8] |
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. | ||
| "Flying Without Wings" | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Promotional single byWestlife featuringBoA | |
| from the albumUnbreakable: The Greatest Hits Volume 1 (Asian edition),Shine We Are! andNext World | |
| Released | 2003 (2003) (Asia) |
| Genre | Pop |
| Length | 3:36 |
| Label | |
| Songwriters | |
| Producers |
|
| Audio video | |
| "Flying Without Wings" onYouTube | |
| "Flying Without Wings" | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Promotional single byWestlife featuringCristian Castro | |
| from the albumUnbreakable: The Greatest Hits Volume 1 (Spanish/Mexican edition) | |
| Released | 2002 (2002) (Mexico) |
| Genre | Pop |
| Length | 3:36 |
| Songwriters | |
| Music video | |
| "Flying Without Wings" onYouTube | |
In 2002, as part of the promotion of their albumUnbreakable: The Greatest Hits Volume 1, the song was re-recorded as aduet withMexican singerCristian Castro and South Korean pop singer,BoA. Each duet was included on the Spanish & Asian editions of the album. Both duets were also released as singles in their two respective regions.[39]
In 2004, as part of the promotion for theirTurnaround Tour, the band released the live version of the song. It was recorded during their tour inStockholm Globe Arena. Their live version peaked at number one in UK Singles Chart and was the first ever number one in the UK downloads chart.[42]
| Charts (2004) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| UK Singles Downloads (OCC)[44] | 1 |
A karaoke version of "Flying Without Wings" was released on DVD in 2000 and debuted at number one. It includes lyrics, photographs, and interactive menus. It has a running time of 45 minutes.[45]
The Westlife song has appeared in the 2000Warner Bros. Pictures filmPokémon: The Movie 2000 as the final song of the credits in the film and on the official movie soundtrack.[46] It also featured in the 2000 Australian filmThe Magic Pudding and 2000 French filmArchibald the Koala: The Movie. It also appeared in the Korean dramaI'm Sorry, I Love You and its soundtrack as well.
On 12 May 2018, the song was performed on Korean music programme 'Immortal Songs 2' byAli who placed second place that night. Band memberShane Filan was the featured 'Legend' and judged the participants.
In 2020, the song appeared as a music background on one ofMcDonald's UK and Ireland advertisements.
| "Flying Without Wings" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single byRuben Studdard | ||||
| A-side | "Superstar"[47] | |||
| Released | 10 June 2003 (2003-06-10) | |||
| Recorded | 2003 | |||
| Label | ||||
| Songwriters | ||||
| Producers |
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| Ruben Studdard singles chronology | ||||
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| Music video | ||||
| "Flying Without Wings" onYouTube | ||||
"Flying Without Wings" was covered byAmerican Idol season 2 winnerRuben Studdard as his debut single in 2003. The single was released on 10 June and charted at number two on theBillboard Hot 100 on 28 June, behind "This Is the Night" byAmerican Idol runner-upClay Aiken. "Flying Without Wings" also appeared on theHot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks chart, peaking at number 13, and theAdult Contemporary chart, reaching number 27. Thedouble A-side single with "Superstar" was released in Canada and New Zealand, peaking at number two in both countries, behind Aiken's release.
| Chart (2003) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Canada (Nielsen SoundScan)[48] with "Superstar" | 2 |
| New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[49] with "Superstar" | 2 |
| USBillboard Hot 100[50] | 2 |
| USAdult Contemporary (Billboard)[51] | 27 |
| USHot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)[52] with "Superstar" | 1 |
| Chart (2003) | Position |
|---|---|
| USBillboard Hot 100[53] | 88 |
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| Canada (Music Canada)[54] | 3× Platinum | 30,000^ |
| New Zealand (RMNZ)[55] | Gold | 5,000* |
| United States (RIAA)[56] | Gold | 500,000^ |
* Sales figures based on certification alone. | ||
westlife.
