Learning to Fly was released by Pink Floyd in 1987 as the lead single from A Momentary Lapse of Reason, during the band's later era after Roger Waters had left. The song became a major radio hit and a staple of the band's live shows, with its themes of flight and freedom giving it a lasting place in classic rock. Online, short excerpts circulate as soundboard clips because the familiar opening instantly signals escape, travel or a fresh start without needing the full song.