Watching Airplanes

Album: Living Hard (2007)
Charted: 43
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • In this song about regret over a fading romance, the narrator watches airplanes take off, trying to figure out which one his former lover might be on.
  • Allan told Country Weekly magazine that he was close to calling the album Doing The Math: "That's always a weird thing for me. I always want to call it something that has nothing to do with anything. I almost called it 'Doing the Math,' from that 'Watching Airplanes' song [Checkin' my watch, doing the math in my head/Counting backwards to when you said goodbye]. I felt like Living Hard was the coolest looking on the shelf. That's where we're at right now. Everything's a little out of control right now. It's real heavy out there right now."

Comments: 6

  • May Austin from Althe song is about his wife. she tragically killed herself 3 years before it was released and she was a flight attendant. hence the watching airplanes. He wrote it in memory of her
  • Richard Allen Robson from Lehighton PaI love the song because it touch my heart becouce I had a ex that left on a airplane
  • Barry from Sauquoit, NyOn this day in 2008 {February 24th}} Gary Allan's "Watching Airplanes" peaked at #2 {for 1 week} on Billboard's Hot Country Singles chart, the the week it was at #2, the #1 record for that week was "Cleaning This Gun (Come On In Boy)" by Rodney Atkins...
    The rest of Billboard's Hot Country Singles' Top 10 on February 24th, 2008:
    At #3. "Letter To Me" by Brad Paisley
    #4. "Shiftwork" by Kenny Chesney (a duet with George Strait)
    #5. "Small Town Southern Man" by Alan Jackson
    #6. "Ready, Set, Don't Go" by Billy Ray Cyrus with Miley Cyrus
    #7. "All-American Girl" by Carrie Underwood
    #8. "Winner At A Losing Game" by Rascal Flats
    #9. "Stealing Cinderella" by Chuck Wicks
    #10. "International Harvester" by Craig Morgan
    Between 1996 and 2015 Gary Allan had thirty one records on the Hot Country Singles chart, eleven made the Top 10 with four reaching #1, "Man To Man" for 1 week in 2003, "Tough Little Boys" for 2 weeks in 2003, "Nothing On But The Radio" for 2 weeks in 2004, and "Every Storm (Runs Out of Rain)" for 1 week in 2013...
    Gary Allan, born Gary Allan Herzberg, celebrated his 52nd birthday two months ago on December 5th, 2019...
  • Hope from Tulsa, Oki love this song it was my sisters favorite song may she rest in piece I LOVE YOU SIS this song was also played at her funeral it was also her myspace song when she was alive and still is CANT WAIT TO SEE YOU AGAIN SIS HEAVEN IS GOIN TO BE GREAT WITH YOU HUGGING ME WHEN I GET THER R.I.P TASHA
  • Brittany from Tamms, IlGary Allan's former wife was also a stewardess on a plane, which is how they met.
  • Jenny from Garland, Txthis song is also about how he doesn't know why his ex doesn;t love him anymore.
see more comments

Editor's Picks

Paul Stanley of Kiss, Soul Station

Paul Stanley of Kiss, Soul StationSongwriter Interviews

Paul Stanley on his soul music project, the Kiss songs with the biggest soul influence, and the non-make-up era of the band.

Richie McDonald of Lonestar

Richie McDonald of LonestarSongwriter Interviews

Richie talks about the impact of "Amazed," and how his 4-year-old son inspired another Lonestar hit.

Dennis DeYoung

Dennis DeYoungSongwriter Interviews

Dennis DeYoung explains why "Mr. Roboto" is the defining Styx song, and what the "gathering of angels" represents in "Come Sail Away."

Yoko Ono

Yoko OnoSongwriter Interviews

At 80 years old, Yoko has 10 #1 Dance hits. She discusses some of her songs and explains what inspired John Lennon's return to music in 1980.

Tom Keifer of Cinderella

Tom Keifer of CinderellaSongwriter Interviews

Tom talks about the evolution of Cinderella's songs through their first three albums, and how he writes as a solo artist.

In The Cards

In The CardsSong Writing

Songwriters have used cards and card games to make sense of heartache, togetherness, and even Gonorrhea.