“The Aviator”

Music and Lyrics by Jack Richman

(Demo by Miranda DeMott (she/her), Temple University student)

The song, "The Aviator" is sung by Amelia Earhart and takes place within a musical about her life story, her activism for women's social equality, and her relationship with George P. Putnam. This song would take place in a scene with Amelia and George, not long after he has proposed marriage to her. She has been considering his proposal but is hesitant as she is worried that the commitment of marriage would distract her from her true love, which is her love of flying and airplanes. She is passionate and determined to prove to the public and to future young girls that a woman can fly across the world successfully. Throughout the story, she struggles to convince people of her capabilities due to the sexism during the time period (the 1920-30s).

In the song, she recounts her childhood and her first experience witnessing airplanes. She has an immediate spark in her that drives her to learn about planes and to learn how to fly. She wants George to understand her love and joy for flying over anything else as it is eternal. She wants him to know why she is hesitant to marry as she sings, "I want to soar and fly across the globe. Not confined in marriage, I will let go." She doesn't want to be legally bound to him by the terms of marriage.