Skyliner is a 1944 swing/big band tune by Charlie Barnet, arranged by Neal Hefti. It became one of Barnet’s major recordings and helped define his hard-swinging sound. The piece gained wide popularity in Europe after being used as the theme music for the late 1940s US Armed Forces Network program Midnight In Munich, broadcast from AFN Munich, with its strong signal helping it reach audiences as far away as the UK. The title was originally printed as Sky Liner, possibly a nod to pilots who used the station’s powerful signal to home in on Munich. Skyliner remains a notable example of Barnet’s innovative approach to big band jazz.
