Like many of the other tracks on “Honi soit…”, this song is about war. Cale shames those who fight solely for honor without stopping to consider the affect they’ll have on the innocent people caught up in conflict.
The all-female post-punk bank The Mo-Dettes are credited as for the backing vocals a...
[Refrain]
(Fighter pilot)
(Fighter pilot)
(Fighter pilot)
[Verse 1]
Fighter pilot, you're losing the war again
When will you ever learn?
Fighter pilot, you're making a big mistake
And setting a bad example
Fighter pilot, tell me about your life
And are the children well?
Fighter pilot, what do you do with yourself at night?
When will you ever learn?
[Refrain]
(Fighter pilot)
(Fighter pilot)
(Fighter pilot)
[Verse 2]
Fighter pilot, it's a summer of thunderstorms
The sky is black and blue
You're a hero now but you're a terrible man, fighter pilot
[Refrain]
(Fighter pilot)
(Fighter pilot)
(Fighter pilot)
[Bridge]
(Nah nah nah nah nah, nah nah nah nah nah, nah nah nah nah nah)
(Nah nah nah nah nah, nah nah nah nah nah, nah nah nah nah nah)
(Nah nah nah nah nah, nah nah nah nah nah, nah nah nah nah nah)
(Nah nah nah nah nah, nah nah nah nah nah, nah nah nah nah nah)
[Verse 3]
Bandits here and bandits there
Angels at ten o'clock, you're going down
Fighter pilot, say goodbye, you're never coming in to land
(He's going down, he's going down)
[Outro]
Fighter pilot, say goodbye, you're going down
(He's going down, he's going down)
Fight pilot (He's going down, he's going down)
Say goodbye (He's going down, he's going down)
You're going down (He's going down, he's going down)
Fighter pilot, say goodbye
You're going down (He's going down, he's going down)
Fight pilot (He's going down, he's going down)
Say goodbye (He's going down, he's going down)
Fighter Pilot was written by John Cale.
Fighter Pilot was produced by Mike Thorne.
John Cale released Fighter Pilot on Tue Mar 10 1981.