Ruben Studdard, “Flying Without Wings” | Music Lifts 🎶 🏋

In the 9^th edition of Lit Music That Lifts, we’re uplifted by Ruben Studdard performing, “Flying Without Wings.”

Welcome to Lit Music That Lifts (LMTL), or Music Lifts 🎶 🏋 for short! Music Lifts seeks to highlight songs that encourage, inspire, and uplift the spirit; songs that exude fortitude, positivity, and resolve, even in the face of adversity.  Featured songs aren’t genre-specific; songs may or may not be faith-based. The goal is for these songs to make you feel better – be LIFTED to new heights!  So, for the 9^th edition of Music Lifts 🎶 🏋 (2022), we highlight 🎵 “Flying Without Wings” as performed by 🎙 Ruben Studdard.

“Who can deny the joy it brings / When you find that special thing / You’re flying without wings.” 🎙 Ruben Studdard, the winner of the ultra-competitive second season of 📺 American Idol, released 🎵 “Flying Without Wings” as his debut single.  This performance, which was incredibly powerful when performed during the finale, wasn’t original.  Instead, Studdard performed an inspiring, beautiful cover from the Irish boy band, 🎙 Westlife.  This R&B + gospelized take of “Flying Without Wings” transformed it from the pop balladry of the original.  Studdard experienced commercial success as “Flying Without Wings” peaked at no. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100. More importantly, this is an inspirational, thoughtful, and uplifting record.  Among the best moments is the bridge, which plays the role the chorus typically does:

“So impossible, as it may seem

You’ve got to fight for every dream

‘Cause who’s to know which one you let go

Would have made you complete?”

Beyond the theme and lyrics, “Flying Without Wings” also showed off Ruben’s silky smooth, expressive set of pipes.  Even nearing two decades after its release, “Flying Without Wings” in the hands of Ruben Studdard is stunning.

Appears in 🔻:

• Take Flight with These 11 Wings Songs
• 13 With or Without Songs: Vol. 2
• Westlife vs. Ruben Studdard: Head 2 Head 🗣️ 32

🎙 Ruben Studdard • 💿 Soulful • 🏷 J • 📅 2003

Ruben Studdard, “Flying Without Wings”: Music Lifts 🎶 🏋 No. 9 (2022) [📷: Arek Socha, Benjamin Balazs, Brent Faulkner, Clker-Free-Vector-Images, J, Ketut Subiyanto, The Musical Hype, Pexels, Pixabay]