Pilot of the Airwaves

1979 single by Charlie Dore

"Pilot of the Airwaves"

Single by Charlie Dore

from the album Where to Now

B-side

"Falling"

Released

November 1979 (UK)
February 1980 (North America)

Recorded

1979

Studio

Crazy Mama's

Venue

Nashville, Tennessee, US

Genre

Folk rock
pop rock

Length

3:19(single version)
3:45 (album version)

Label

Island

Songwriter(s)

Charlie Dore, Julian Littman

Producer(s)

Alan Tarney, Bruce Welch

Charlie Dore singles chronology

"Pilot of the Airwaves"
(00000000)

"Fear of Flying"
(1979)

"Pilot of the Airwaves" is a song by English singer-songwriter Charlie Dore. It was released as a single in 1979 from her album Where to Now.^[1]

The song reached number 13 on the Billboard Hot 100, and earned her the Record World New Female Artist of the Year, and an ASCAP award.^[2] The single also charted in Canada, Australia, and Europe.^[3]

Content

The lyrics are from the point of view of a woman who frequently listens, late at night, to a radio disc jockey whom she calls a "pilot of the airwaves", keeping what has often been called the "dawn patrol". She admits that she has few real-life friends and that the DJ keeps her as much company as she believes she needs, describing her life and the feelings she has2 surrounding the fact that she considers the radio DJ her only true friend. The DJ does not need to play the selection she has requested; she does hope the DJ will do his best along those lines, adding:

I've been listening to your show on the radio,
And you seem like a friend to me.

In history

On 5 November 1990, "Pilot of the Airwaves" was the final track played by Radio Caroline as an unlicensed offshore radio station.^[4]

Chart performance

Weekly singles charts

Chart (1979–1980)	Peak position
Australia (KMR)	28
Canada RPM Top 100^[5]	3
New Zealand (RIANZ)^[6]	12
UK Singles (OCC)^[7]	66
US Billboard Hot 100^[8]	13
US Billboard Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks^[9]	4
US Cash Box Top 100	12

Year-end charts

Chart (1980)	Rank
Canada RPM Top 100^[10]	38
US Billboard Hot 100^[11]	77

Cover versions

French singer Sheila recorded a version, entitled "Pilote sur les ondes", in 1980. Ingrid Peters recorded a German cover version, entitled "Weißt Du Wo Du Hingehst", in 1980.^[12]

References

^ Blume, Dan (1983). Making it in Radio: Your Future in the Modern Medium. Continental Media Company. pp. 66–67. ISBN 9780912349008. Retrieved January 22, 2021 – via Google Books.
^ Jancik, Wayne (1998). The Billboard Book of One-hit Wonders. Billboard Books. p. 397. ISBN 9780823076222. Retrieved January 22, 2021 – via Google Books.
^ Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 166. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
^ "Pilots of the Airwaves – a tribute to Deejays". Pugetsound.media. June 11, 2019. Retrieved January 22, 2021.
^ "Top Singles - Volume 33, No. 13, June 21 1980". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. Archived from the original on 2015-12-08.
^ "The Official New Zealand Music Chart". Nztop40.co.nz.
^ "Search | Official Charts". Officialcharts.com.
^ "Pilot of the Airwaves". Billboard. Retrieved January 22, 2021.
^ "Pilot of the Airwaves (US AC)". Billboard. Retrieved January 20, 2021.
^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2016-04-25. Retrieved 2016-10-14.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
^ "Top 100 Hits of 1980/Top 100 Songs of 1980". Musicoutfitters.com. Retrieved 2015-12-02.
^ ""Pilot of the Airwaves" von Charlie Dore". Mdr.de. June 10, 2020. Retrieved January 22, 2021.