"Fly Away" premiered on Australian radio station Nova 96.9 on 13 August 2015, before it was released for digital download the following day.[3] Fans who pre-ordered their second studio album, Sounds Good Feels Good, would receive the song for free.[5] The track had been teased earlier in March 2015 in a tweet by bassist Calum Hood.[6]
"We had this Third Eye Blind, pop-punk chorus that really worked. We ended up writing a song about a perfect day: It just rained so it felt like London, we were in California so we were talking about the ocean. Luke came up with the lyrics 'open ocean,' and I fought him with that. What the fuck does that even mean? You're in the middle of the ocean on a boat? Where does that connect with this goddamn song? He forced it through and in hindsight, I'm glad he did."[7]
According to Feldmann, Hood came into the studio and already had the lyrics and melody started, while Hemmings wrote the bridge of the track.[7] He also described the song as a "Foo Fighters, driving, guitar-driven rock tune."[7] "Fly Away" is about, "escaping heart ache, misery and sadness in favour for travelling the world and finding paradise."[8]
Critical reception
Maria Sherman of Fuse.tv stated that the track sounds similar to "2002 Good Charlotte and 2006 All Time Low with a modern twist."[9] Carolyn Menyes of Music Times described the song as early 2000s pop punk, comparing the sound to Jimmy Eat World. She also added, "With a speedy tempo and those signature shouted snarls that fans of 5SOS are all too familiar with, this new track helps to expand 5 Seconds of Summer's exploration of what exactly pop-punk can be in 2015."[1]