Funny the things that pop into your mind while you’re shaving. For whatever reason I was just doing a post-shower constitutional when it popped into my mind that there can’t be two popular songs in the history of mankind that have the same title, and are equally as good, as “Learning To Fly”.

Here’s Tom Petty’s version.

Well, some say life will beat you down
Break your heart, steal your crown
So I’ve started out for God knows where
I guess I’ll know when I get there

I’m learning to fly around the clouds
But what goes up must come down

Here’s Pink Floyd’s version.

Above the planet on a wing and a prayer,
My grubby halo, a vapour trail in the empty air,
Across the clouds I see my shadow fly
Out of the corner of my watering eye
A dream unthreatened by the morning light
Could blow this soul right through the roof of the night

There’s no sensation to compare with this
Suspended animation, a state of bliss
Can’t keep my mind from the circling skies
Tongue-tied and twisted just an earth-bound misfit, I

I think I’ll take Pink Floyd’s by a nose – especially given the lyrical wordplay, which are amongst the best the Floyd ever conjured up – but both are equally good, don’t you think? Same holds true for the videos that go with them.