Westlife – ‘Flying Without Wings’

24 October 1999

Westlife again: what joy. If there’s a signature Westlife song, assuming any one Westlife song can be picked out from the crowd of others, it’s probably ‘Flying Without Wings’. Lyrics that could double as wedding vows; vaguely gospel-spiritual musical setting; climactic key change; windswept cruciform poses in the video: check check check check. It’s antiseptically sterile and cravenly formulaic; I like to picture one of the lads showing up at the studio for this with a CD of actual modern-day chart pop under their arm, only for Louis to hiss at them not to contaminate the product with such foreign antibodies as ‘excitement’ and ‘innovation’. This is how I amuse myself while listening to Westlife number ones for you.

If you only listen to music at weddings and funerals, or if you’re just here for the boyband, then I can speculate on this thing’s possible appeal. Otherwise, why? Anyway, you’ll have plenty more opportunities to delight in my discomfort.