Flying Without Wings
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| "Flying Without Wings" | |||||
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| Single by Westlife from the album Westlife |
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| Released | October 18, 1999 | ||||
| Format | Single | ||||
| Genre | Pop | ||||
| Label | Sony BMG | ||||
| Writer | Wayne Hector / Steve Mac | ||||
| Westlife singles chronology | |||||
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| CD2 Cover | |||||
| Kwon BoA | |||||
"Flying Without Wings" is a popular song in the inspirational mold, written by Wayne Hector and Steve Mac, that has been a top hit for Westlife in the United Kingdom. It was also recorded by American Idol winner Ruben Studdard in the United States.
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It was first made famous by Irish vocal pop group Westlife, for whom it became a number one hit on the UK Singles Chart in 1999. It was their third, and one of their biggest selling number ones to date. It is also notable in that Westlife, who usually employ Shane Filan as the first lead vocalist and Mark Feehily as second lead, reversed the order and gave the bulk of the singing duties to Feehily and his rich, soulful voice.
It was also featured on Pokémon: The Movie 2000, though being the very last song during the credits. Westlife have also recorded the song as a duet with Mexican singer, Christian Castro and with Korean pop singer BoA.
BBC ranked it #50 on "The 100 Most Annoying Pop Songs We Hate To Love".
- CD1
- "Flying Without Wings"
- "Everybody Knows"
- "Flying Without Wings" (CD-Rom)
- CD2
- "Flying Without Wings"
- "That's What It's All About"
- "Flying Without Wings (Acappella Mix)"
| "Flying Without Wings" | |||||
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| Single by Ruben Studdard | |||||
| Released | June 10, 2003 | ||||
| Format | CD Single | ||||
| Genre | Pop | ||||
| Label | J Records | ||||
| Writer | Wayne Hector / Steve Mac | ||||
| Producer | The Underdogs and Face | ||||
| Certification | ? | ||||
| Ruben Studdard singles chronology | |||||
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"Flying Without Wings" was then stylistically transformed in 2003 by American Idol contestant Ruben Studdard. First sung by Studdard on the show's May 21 finale and featuring Studdard's R&B-styled melismatic attack on the lyric, the single was released simultaneously on June 10 with "This is the Night" by rival contestant Clay Aiken, and opened at number 2 in the Billboard Hot 100 (while "This is the Night" took the top slot). "Flying Without Wings" also gained attention on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, placing at number 13, while it fared to number 27 on the adult contemporary chart. The single has sold 751,000 copies through December 2006.
- "Flying Without Wings"
- "Superstar"
British singer Gareth Gates performed the song on Pop Idol in 2001 during the Semi Finals of that show.
Australian singer Delta Goodrem performed the song with boyfriend and ex-Westlife member, Brian McFadden, on her national Visualise Tour in 2005.
Westlife have also done this song in collaboration with BoA, a KPop artist successful in Korea and Japan. The song features on her Next World and Shine We Are! albums.
| Preceded by "Genie in a Bottle" by Christina Aguilera |
UK Singles Chart number one single October 24, 1999 - October 30, 1999 |
Succeeded by "Keep on Movin" by 5ive |
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| Kian Egan • Mark Feehily • Shane Filan • Nicky Byrne Bryan McFadden |
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| Studio albums | Westlife • Coast to Coast • World of Our Own • Turnaround • Allow Us to Be Frank • Face to Face • The Love Album • Back Home |
| Compilation album | Unbreakable - The Greatest Hits Vol. 1 |
| Singles | Swear It Again • If I Let You Go • Flying Without Wings • I Have A Dream/Seasons in the Sun • Fool Again • Against All Odds • My Love • What Makes a Man • I Lay My Love on You • Uptown Girl • When You're Looking Like That •Queen of My Heart • World of Our Own • Bop Bop Baby • Unbreakable • Tonight/Miss You Nights • Hey Whatever • Mandy • Obvious • You Raise Me Up • When You Tell Me That You Love Me • Amazing • The Rose • Home • Us Against The World |
| Related Articles | Discography • Simon Cowell • Louis Walsh • Ronan Keating • Steve Mac • Wayne Hector |
