Learn to Fly

"Learn to Fly"
Single by Foo Fighters
from the album There Is Nothing Left to Lose
Released September 18, 1999
Format CD
Recorded 1999
Genre Alternative rock
Length 3:55
Label Roswell/RCA
Certification Gold (RIAA)[1]
Gold(CAN)[2]
Foo Fighters singles chronology
"Walking After You"
(1998)		 "Learn to Fly"
(1999)		 "Stacked Actors"
(2000)
Alternative cover
(CD2)

"Learn to Fly" is the first single from the Foo Fighters' third album There Is Nothing Left to Lose, released in 1999.

Release and reception

The "Learn to Fly" single was released as a two disc CD set in the UK and Australia, as well as in Europe and promotional singles were also released in other countries such as the US for radio play.[3] In the US it was the band's first appearance on the Billboard Hot 100 charting at number 19,[4] and was the band's first #1 on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart.[5] It is also their highest charting on the Billboard Hot 100 Airplay chart along with the 1996 hit "Big Me", reaching #13.[6]

Music video

The music video for the song was directed by Jesse Peretz and won the 2000 Grammy Award for Best Short Form Music Video.[7]

The music video for the song takes place on an commercial airliner, parodying the movie Airplane!, and by extension, the films Airport 1975 and its sequel Airport '77. Two airline mechanics (played by Jack Black and Kyle Gass from Tenacious D) smuggle and hide their narcotic known as "World Domination brand 'Erotic' Sleeping Powder"[8] in the coffee-maker. This ends up incapacitating everyone who drinks the coffee. The take off sequence, in addition to the crew members hiding ulterior criminal motives, are a near shot-by-shot homage to the film Airport '77. The band, having avoided the coffee (choosing liquor instead), mirroring Karen Black's role in Airport 1975, find themselves forced to land the plane. For the video, each band member (Dave Grohl, Nate Mendel, and Taylor Hawkins) portrays himself as well as several other roles, including an FBI agent who arrests the two mechanics.

Track listing

Disc 1
  1. "Learn to Fly"
  2. "Iron and Stone" (The Obsessed cover)
  3. "Have a Cigar" (Pink Floyd cover)
Disc 2
  1. "Learn to Fly"
  2. "Make a Bet"
  3. "Have a Cigar" (Pink Floyd cover)
Promo
  1. "Learn to Fly"

Personnel

Charts and certifications

Singles charts

Chart (1999) Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[9] 36
Canada RPM Singles Chart[10] 13
Canada RPM Rock Chart[11] 1
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[12] 32
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[13] 72
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[14] 23
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[15] 52
UK Singles (Official Charts Company)[16] 21
US Billboard Hot 100[17] 19
US Alternative Songs (Billboard)[18] 1
US Mainstream Rock (Billboard)[19] 2
US Adult Top 40 (Billboard)[20] 15
US Mainstream Top 40 (Billboard)[21] 22

Certifications

Region Certification Sales/shipments
Australia (ARIA)[22] Platinum 70,000^
Canada (Music Canada)[23] Gold 40,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[24] Silver 200,000double-dagger
United States (RIAA)[25] Gold 500,000^

^shipments figures based on certification alone

Preceded by
"The Chemicals Between Us" by Bush		 Billboard Modern Rock Tracks number-one single
November 6, 1999 		Succeeded by
"The Chemicals Between Us" by Bush
Preceded by
Enemy by Days of the New		 Canadian RPM Rock/Alternative 30 number-one single
November 15, 1999 – December 20, 1999
January 17, 2000 		Succeeded by
"Take a Picture" by Filter
"Take a Picture" by Filter

References

  1. ↑ RIAA Gold & Platinum Searchable Database - Foo Fighters singles. RIAA.com.
  2. ↑ "Gold & Platinum Certification – January 2010". Canadian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved 2011-02-22.
  3. ↑ Foo Fighters - Learn to Fly discogs.com. Retrieved 26 May 2014.
  4. ↑ Foo Fighters - Billboard Hot 100 Chart History billboard.com. Retrieved 26 May 2014.
  5. ↑ Foo Fighters - Billboard Alternative Songs Chart History billboard.com. Retrieved 26 May 2014.
  6. ↑ Foo Fighters - Billboard Radio Songs History billboard.com. Retrieved 26 May 2014.
  7. ↑ http://www.grammy.com/nominees/search?artist=Foo+Fighters&field_nominee_work_value=Learn+to+fly&year=All&genre=All
  8. ↑ http://www.foofighters.com/faq.php?id=06.04#goto Foo Fighters FAQ. Accessed December 27, 2006
  9. ↑ "Australian-charts.com – Foo Fighters – Learn to Fly". ARIA Top 50 Singles.
  10. ↑ Canadian RPM Singles Chart Archive - Top Singles - Volume 70, No. 11, January 17 2000 collectionscanada.gc.ca. Retrieved 26 May 2014.
  11. ↑ Canadian RPM Alternative Chart Archive - Rock/Alternative - Volume 70, No. 11, January 17 2000 collectionscanada.gc.ca. Retrieved 26 May 2014.
  12. ↑ "Nederlandse Top 40 – Foo Fighters search results" (in Dutch) Dutch Top 40.
  13. ↑ "Dutchcharts.nl – Foo Fighters – Learn to Fly" (in Dutch). Single Top 100.
  14. ↑ "Charts.org.nz – Foo Fighters – Learn to Fly". Top 40 Singles.
  15. ↑ "Swedishcharts.com – Foo Fighters – Learn to Fly". Singles Top 60.
  16. ↑ "Foo Fighters: Artist Chart History" UK Singles Chart.
  17. ↑ "Foo Fighters Album & Song Chart History" Billboard Hot 100 for Foo Fighters.
  18. ↑ "Foo Fighters Album & Song Chart History" Billboard Alternative Songs for Foo Fighters.
  19. ↑ "Foo Fighters Album & Song Chart History" Billboard Mainstream Rock Songs for Foo Fighters.
  20. ↑ "Foo Fighters Album & Song Chart History" Billboard Adult Pop Songs for Foo Fighters.
  21. ↑ "Foo Fighters Album & Song Chart History" Billboard Pop Songs for Foo Fighters.
  22. ↑ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2014 Singles". Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved 13 December 2014.
  23. ↑ "Canadian single certifications – Foo Fighters – Learn to Fly". Music Canada. Retrieved 8 April 2013.
  24. ↑ "British single certifications – Foo Fighters – Learn to Fly". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 7 January 2015. Enter Learn to Fly in the field Keywords. Select Title in the field Search by. Select single in the field By Format. Select Silver in the field By Award. Click Search
  25. ↑ "American single certifications – Foo Fighters – Learn to Fly". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved 8 April 2013. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Single, then click SEARCH

External links