Music / Fly (Sarah Brightman Album)

"Coz I don't know why I am a fly..."

"Why, why don't we try
Like the wind we'll learn how to fly again"

—"Why"

Fly is the fourth studio album by Sarah Brightman, released in 1995 by East West Records. It has a heavy Pop Rock and Electronic influence like nothing Brightman has done before or since, and features collaborations with Tom Jones, Chris Thompson and Andrew Eldritch. It's worth noting that this album and Synth-Pop predecessor Dive are the only ones in her discography that Brightman herself has co-produced. The song "A Question of Honour", which would become a staple in her concerts, originated here. While this album has had several reissues over the years (including as a highly sought after limited edition 2-disc set with rare tracks) it has yet to see a United States release.

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Tracklist:

1. "The Fly" (2:26)
2. "Why" (5:10)
3. "Murder in Mairyland Park" (3:39)
4. "How Can Heaven Love Me" (3:45)
5. "A Question of Honour" (6:34)
6. "Ghost in the Machinery" (4:24)
7. "You Take My Breath Away" (6:49)
8. "Something in the Air" (4:23)
9. "Heaven is Here" (4:03)
10. "I Loved You" (4:10)
11. "Fly" (2:51)

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I know a colourful room where we can trope:

• Animal Motifs: Sarah appears as a fly in a web on the album cover and buzzing sounds are heard in the opening track.
  Coz I don't know why
  I am a fly
• Concept Album: Though not as consistent as her previous album Dive, there is a loose theme of flies (the insects) and flying (the adjective). Buzzing flies can be heard on a few tracks.
• Cover Version: The album features a cover of "Murder in Mairyland Park" by Stina Nordenstam.
• Darker and Edgier: Has more of a dark, gothic feel than any of her previous work.
• Epic Rocking: "A Question of Honour" and "You Take My Breath Away" are the longest songs on the album, building in complexity as they go on.
• Face on the Cover: Sarah poses as a fly caught in a web.
• Genre Roulette: Probably the most blatant example in Sarah's discography. This album has pop rock, electronic, a bit of classical ("A Question of Honour") and even rap ("I Loved You")!
• Murder Ballad: Though the lyrics are rather vague, the title of "Murder in Mairyland Park" makes it clear the song is about a woman being killed.
• New Sound Album: While Dive marked Sarah's first foray into pop music, this album has much more of a rock/electronic influence.
• One-Word Title: "Why" and "Fly".
• Phrase Salad Lyrics: "The Fly"
  I know a colourful room
  Where we can fly
  And take a spin to the moon
  On Aunt Angelica's pie
  I am a fly, pie in the sky
• Rock Me, Amadeus!: "A Question of Honour" features portions of "Ebben? Ne andrò lontana" from the opera La Wally.
• Shout-Out: "I Loved You" is filled with all sorts of pop culture references.
• Soprano and Gravel: "How Can Heaven Love Me" with Chris Thompson and "Something in the Air" with Tom Jones.
• Spoken Word in Music: "I Loved You" has a clip taken from United States president Ronald Reagan's inauguration speech. "Fly" includes Neil Armstrong's "One small step" quote from the 1969 moon landing.
• Stock Sound Effects: A fly buzzing in "The Fly". "Ghost in the Machinery" also has a bunch of cartoony sound effects toward the end.
• Title Track: The outro which serves as a sort of reprise to the opening track.

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