Walking in the Air

Aled Jones

About Walking in the Air

"Walking in the Air" is a song written by Howard Blake for the 1982 animated film of Raymond Briggs' 1978 children's book The Snowman. The song forms the centrepiece of The Snowman, which has become a seasonal favourite on British and Finnish television. The story relates the fleeting adventures of a young boy and a snowman who has come to life. In the second part of the story, the boy and the snowman fly to the North Pole. "Walking in the Air" is the theme for the journey. They attend a party of snowmen, at which the boy seems to be the only human until they meet Father Christmas with his reindeer, and the boy is given a scarf with a snowman pattern. In the film, the song was performed by St Paul's Cathedral choirboy Peter Auty, and reissued in 1985 (on Stiff Records) and 1987. In 1985, an altered version was recorded for use in a TV advertising campaign for Toys "R" Us. As Auty's voice had then broken, Blake recommended the then 15 year old Welsh chorister Aled Jones, whose recording reached number five in the UK pop charts, and who became a popular celebrity on the strength of his performance. The association of the song with Jones, combined with the fact that Auty was not credited on The Snowman, would lead to a common misbelief that Jones performed the song in the film. "Walking in the Air" has subsequently been covered by over forty artists, in a variety of styles. In a UK poll in 2012, the Aled Jones version was voted 13th on the ITV television special The Nation's Favourite Christmas Song. 


Year:
1999
3:25
2,289 
#1

 Become A Better Singer In Only 30 Days, With Easy Video Lessons!

We're walking in the air
We're floating in the moonlit sky
The people far below are sleeping as we fly

I'm holding very tight
I'm riding in the midnight blue
I'm finding I can fly so high above with you

Far across the world
The villages go by like dreams
The rivers and the hills, the forests and the streams

Children gaze open mouthed
Taken by surprise
Nobody down below believes their eyes
 
We're surfing in the air
We're swimming in the frozen sky
We're drifting over icy mountains floating by

Suddenly swooping low
On an ocean deep
Rousing up a mighty monster from his sleep

And walking in the air
We're dancing in the midnight sky
And everyone who sees us greets us as we fly

We're walking in the air
We're walking in the air

 Become A Better Singer In Only 30 Days, With Easy Video Lessons!


Aled Jones

Aled Jones (born 29 December 1970) is a Welsh singer and a television and radio presenter who first came to fame as a treble (the highest vocal range). He is notable for presenting Songs of Praise on BBC 1, BBC Radio 2's The Early Breakfast Show, Good Morning Sunday and The Choir on BBC Radio 3. more »

0 fans

Written by: Howard David Blake

Lyrics © MUSIC SALES CORPORATION

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind


11 facts about this song

Origins
"Walking in the Air" is the theme song from the 1982 animated film, "The Snowman", which is based on a 1978 children's book of the same name by Raymond Briggs.
Original Performer
Although closely associated with Aled Jones, the song was actually originally performed by choirboy Peter Auty in the film.
Misattributed
Aled Jones' version, which was released in 1985, three years after the film's release, led to a common misconception that he was the original singer.
Charts
Peter Auty’s original did not appear in the charts, however, Aled Jones’ cover reached number 5 in the UK Singles Charts.
Non-Film Version
The re-recorded version of the song by Aled Jones wasn't actually featured in the film but was released as a single and used in a TV advertising campaign for Toys "R" Us in the UK.
No Official Soundtrack
The Snowman does not have an official soundtrack. This led Aled Jones to record a cover which then became popular.
Performance Record
Peter Auty was 13 when he recorded the song. Aled Jones was also 13 when he performed his version.
Aled Jones Career Boost
The song is partly responsible for boosting Aled Jones to fame as a singer and later as a TV and Radio presenter.
Multiple Covers
The song has been covered by several artists since its initial release, including Kenny Loggins, George Winston, Nightwish, and Declan Galbraith.
Live Performance
The song is performed live in the stage show adaptation of "The Snowman". The stage show has been touring for over 20 years and uses the same animation as the original film, combined with live music and theatre.
Cultural Impact
"Walking In The Air" has been a Christmas classic in the UK and other areas for many years, and has often been played during the holiday season.

Discuss the Walking in the Air Lyrics with the community:

0 Comments

    Citation

    Use the citation below to add these lyrics to your bibliography:

    Style:MLAChicagoAPA

    "Walking in the Air Lyrics." Lyrics.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 25 Apr. 2024. <https://www.lyrics.com/lyric-lf/1490575/Aled+Jones/Walking+in+the+Air>.

    Missing lyrics by Aled Jones?

    Know any other songs by Aled Jones? Don't keep it to yourself!

    Watch the song video

    Walking in the Air

    1.1M
    7,590     285

    Browse Lyrics.com

    Quiz

    Are you a music master?

    »
    What 2Pac song featured on the GTA: San Andreas tracklist?
    A IDGAF
    B Trapped
    C Hail mary
    D I get around

    Free, no signup required:

    Add to Chrome

    Get instant explanation for any lyrics that hits you anywhere on the web!

    Free, no signup required:

    Add to Firefox

    Get instant explanation for any acronym or abbreviation that hits you anywhere on the web!

    Aled Jones tracks

    On Radio Right Now

    Loading...

    Powered by OnRad.io


    Think you know music? Test your MusicIQ here!