❄️ About the Song
Few tunes make grown adults misty-eyed faster than this one. Composed by Howard Blake for the 1982 animated classic The Snowman, Walking in the Air floats between lullaby, hymn, and Christmas fever dream. In the film, a wide-eyed boy soars over moonlit rooftops with his snowman while this melody carries them into the clouds — no words needed, just innocence and melancholy baked together.
Blake originally wrote it on a cheap upright piano in his flat; he later said the melody came to him “like something out of the air,” which feels exactly right. What makes it stick is the quiet dignity — no sleigh bells, no pop cheese, just cold air and wonder. For many Brits it’s not really Christmas until this thing sneaks onto TV, melts your heart, and reminds you that animation can still make you sob.
🎸 Ukulele Playing Tips
- Chords: Mainly Dm – C – Gm – Bb, with an occasional A7 turnaround.
- Strumming / Picking: Play arpeggio-style — thumb for the root, fingers plucking the top strings. This one demands tenderness, not attack.
- Tempo: Slow 4/4 (≈ 70 bpm). Let each chord breathe like it’s exhaling into frosty air.
- Dynamics: Start whisper-soft, build volume as the melody “flies,” then fade back down on the outro. It’s basically a musical snowflake.
- Voicing: On the final “fly” phrase, shift to a Dm (add 9) (open E string) for a shimmery lift — goosebump guarantee.
- Bonus move: Add subtle tremolo picking on long notes if you want the icy shimmer of a boy in flight.
🧠 Trivia You Can Drop Casually
- The vocal was recorded by 13-year-old St Paul’s Cathedral choirboy Peter Auty. A later re-release credited Aled Jones (who mimed in the ad campaign), causing years of festive confusion.
- The original animation had no dialogue — the music is the emotion.
- Walking in the Air reached the UK Top 5 twice — once as Auty’s version (1982), again as Jones’s (1985).
- Howard Blake turned down record-label offers to “modernise it with drums,” replying, “It already flies.” Legend.
🌨️ Final Word
Play it like snow falling on a silent street — delicate, unhurried, honest. If anyone nearby doesn’t feel a lump in their throat, they’re probably made of carrot and coal.
