Flyin' High (In the Friendly Sky)
Encyclopedia
"Flyin' High" is a 1971 song co-written and produced by singer Marvin Gaye
, later issued as the third track on Marvin's lauded What's Going On
album. The song continued in a song cycle that had begun with the previous track, "What's Happening Brother
" as quickly after the song ended with the lyric, "Cause I'm slightly behind the time" creating a moody and ominous sound punctuated by the singer's falsetto. Co-written with wife Anna Gordy and confidant Elgie Stover, the song talked about drug addiction, the drug of choice in the song is heroin as explained in the lyric, "I know I'm hooked my friend/to the boy who makes slaves out of men".
Related to the song, numerous Vietnam
vets struggled with heroin addiction. Marvin later stated the song title was a ploy at an ad made by American Airlines ironically with the slogan, "flying in the friendly skies". The song would be sampled by several hip-hop musicians. Marvin sings both lead and background vocals on this song.
The song was originally recorded under a slightly different mix a year before as "Sad Tomorrows" which Gaye co-wrote by Fuller Gordy and Delores Wilkinson and featured background vocals by The Originals
, with whom had big hits under Gaye's productions. Like the later version of the song, Marvin also sings totally in falsetto. The song also ends faster than the later version and that version was later put in remastered re-issues of What's Going On including the Deluxe Edition issue.
Marvin Gaye
Marvin Pentz Gay, Jr. , better known by his stage name Marvin Gaye, was an American singer-songwriter and musician with a three-octave vocal range....
, later issued as the third track on Marvin's lauded What's Going On
What's Going On
What's Going On is the eleventh studio album by soul musician Marvin Gaye, released May 21, 1971, on the Motown-subsidiary label Tamla Records...
album. The song continued in a song cycle that had begun with the previous track, "What's Happening Brother
What's Happening Brother
"What's Happening Brother" is a song written by James Nyx, Jr. and Marvin Gaye, produced by Gaye and issued on the soul singer's acclaimed 1971 album, What's Going On. The song started off the song cycle that began with a man returning home from fighting in the Vietnam War only to discover that his...
" as quickly after the song ended with the lyric, "Cause I'm slightly behind the time" creating a moody and ominous sound punctuated by the singer's falsetto. Co-written with wife Anna Gordy and confidant Elgie Stover, the song talked about drug addiction, the drug of choice in the song is heroin as explained in the lyric, "I know I'm hooked my friend/to the boy who makes slaves out of men".
Related to the song, numerous Vietnam
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
vets struggled with heroin addiction. Marvin later stated the song title was a ploy at an ad made by American Airlines ironically with the slogan, "flying in the friendly skies". The song would be sampled by several hip-hop musicians. Marvin sings both lead and background vocals on this song.
The song was originally recorded under a slightly different mix a year before as "Sad Tomorrows" which Gaye co-wrote by Fuller Gordy and Delores Wilkinson and featured background vocals by The Originals
The Originals
The Originals were a successful Motown R&B and soul group during the late 1960s and the 1970s, most notable for the hits "Baby I'm For Real", "The Bells" and the disco classic, "Down to Love Town"...
, with whom had big hits under Gaye's productions. Like the later version of the song, Marvin also sings totally in falsetto. The song also ends faster than the later version and that version was later put in remastered re-issues of What's Going On including the Deluxe Edition issue.
Personnel
- Lead and background vocals by Marvin GayeMarvin GayeMarvin Pentz Gay, Jr. , better known by his stage name Marvin Gaye, was an American singer-songwriter and musician with a three-octave vocal range....
- Instrumentation by The Funk BrothersThe Funk BrothersThe Funk Brothers was the nickname of Detroit, Michigan, session musicians who performed the backing to most Motown Records recordings from 1959 until the company moved to Los Angeles in 1972...
- Produced by Marvin Gaye