Released as a single, "Flying High Again" achieved commercial success and eventually reached the number two spot on the Billboard publication's Top Tracks chart for rock music and related styles in 1982.

[2] The track is known for musical elements such as its aggressive guitar solo, performed by musician Randy Rhoads, and for dramatic lyrics such as "[s]wallowing colors from the sounds I hear" and "[a]m I just a crazy guy" sung by Osbourne in his heavy metal style.

Critical praise has come from various publications such as Allmusic and Loudwire within the American media industry, with the latter news magazine lauding Obsourne's release of "storming fist-in-the-air rockers" including not just "Flying High Again" but "Over the Mountain" and "S.A.T.O."

[3][4] While the song has been assumed by fans and others to be about recreational drug use and other forms of hedonistic behavior, especially given dramatic lyrics such as "[s]wallowing colors from the sounds I hear" and "[a]m I just a crazy guy",[3] Osbourne later stated that "Flying High Again" was inspired by his successful re-emergence as a solo artist.

"[3] A retrospective article released by Loudwire in November 2023 lauded both the song and parent album Diary of a Madman, with music journalist Jon Wiederhorn remarking that "Osbourne [had] skillfully" devised "storming fist-in-the-air rockers" including not just "Flying High Again" but "Over the Mountain" and "S.A.T.O."