Aviator

Album: Fully Qualified Survivor (1970)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • "Aviator" is the first track on Michael Chapman's second album, Fully Qualified Survivor, which was released in 1970. Reviewing it forTriste magazine, Steven Wilcock said: "I cannot think of another 9-minute song that doesn't seem to last long enough. The lyrics on the album evoke a feeling of hopelessness, and there is a kind of sad tone but all together I believe it can be an uplifting album."

    The theme that runs through this album is alienation, none more so than this epic 9 minute 29 second song which includes mournful cello and violin.

    One tiny criticism: "I light a cigarette just to try and slow my thoughts" - ugh! - the same horrible grammatical monstrosity appears in another great song, John Denver's "Rocky Mountain High," and in many others including the far from great "Portrait Of My Love."
  • So what is "Aviator" actually about? According to the moderator of journeyman, the Michael Chapman Yahoo Newsgroup: "Michael has always said that Aviator was a paranoid flight of fancy triggered by getting a tax demand after he had morphed from head of photography / art at Bolton Art College into an acoustic troubadour. The mob is obviously not literal but a kind of personification of his fears. Like a lot of his songs from the time it also echoes back to reflections with guitar in the woods of north east Yorkshire working his art college summer hols as a woodsman hence the ahead of there times lines about the trees and the gleaming buildings to the sky." >>>
    Suggestion credit:
    Alexander Baron - London, England, for above 2

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Sarah Brightman

Sarah BrightmanSongwriter Interviews

One of the most popular classical vocalists in the land is lining up a trip to space, which is the inspiration for many of her songs.

Al Kooper

Al KooperSongwriter Interviews

Kooper produced Lynyrd Skynyrd, played with Dylan and the Stones, and formed BS&T.

Reverend Horton Heat

Reverend Horton HeatSongwriter Interviews

The Reverend rants on psychobilly and the egghead academics he bashes in one of his more popular songs.

90210 to Buffy to Glee: How Songs Transformed TV

90210 to Buffy to Glee: How Songs Transformed TVSong Writing

Shows like Dawson's Creek, Grey's Anatomy and Buffy the Vampire Slayer changed the way songs were heard on TV, and produced some hits in the process.

Van Dyke Parks

Van Dyke ParksSongwriter Interviews

U2, Carly Simon, Joanna Newsom, Brian Wilson and Fiona Apple have all gone to Van Dyke Parks to make their songs exceptional.

Richard Marx

Richard MarxSongwriter Interviews

Richard explains how Joe Walsh kickstarted his career, and why he chose Hazard, Nebraska for a hit.