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The Wayward Wind

"The Wayward Wind" is a country song written by Stanley Lebowsky (music) and Herb Newman (lyrics),[1][2] and first recorded by American singer Gogi Grant in 1955, and released in 1956. Grant's version reached No. 1 on both the Cash Box charts, where it remained at No. 1 for five weeks, and the Billboard charts, remaining at No. 1 for six weeks, ending Elvis Presley's seven-week run at No. 1 with "Heartbreak Hotel".[3] It remained in the top 10 for fifteen weeks,[4] and was ranked as the No. 5 song for 1956 according to Billboard. It became a Gold record. Members of the Western Writers of America chose the song as one of the Top 100 Western songs of all time.[5]

"The Wayward Wind"
Single by Gogi Grant
from the album Suddenly There's Gogi Grant
B-side"No More Than Forever"
ReleasedMarch 1956
Recorded1955
GenreCountry
Length2:57
LabelEra
Composer(s)Stanley Lebowsky
Lyricist(s)Herb Newman
Producer(s)Buddy Bregman
Gogi Grant singles chronology
"Suddenly There's a Valley"
(1955) 		"The Wayward Wind"
(1956) 		"You're In Love"
(1956)

Background

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The "Wayward Wind" of the title is a metaphor for wanderlust: an irrepressible urge to travel and explore. This is further emphasized by describing it as a "restless wind." In the context of the 19th century setting of shanty towns and railroads, the Western United States was still largely unexplored by European settlers. Concurrent to the era of lone cowboys on horseback, the First transcontinental railroad was built.

 
Notice in Cash Box magazine, July 1956

Steam trains were a gateway the American frontier romanticized in literature, songs and film. The subject of the song is a young man who lives near train tracks; the sound of passing trains instills him with an irrepressible urge to travel. On his journeys he falls in love and attempts to settle down and lead a normal life, but the urge to wander is too strong. The phrase "Next of kin", which is a colloquialism meaning the person's closest living relative, may suggest that the wandering man has no family or connection and will perhaps wander his entire life.

Originally recorded and sung in third person narration from the point of view of the young man's lover/wife, by female pop singer Gogi Grant, the song is often adapted to male singers and sung in first person from the point of view of the young man.

Recordings

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In 1956, other versions were recorded, including versions by Tex Ritter, and Jimmy Young, with Ritter's version proving popular in England, reaching No. 8 on the UK charts. Ritter used the song to open his stage shows.[6]

In 1961, Grant's recording was reissued and reached Billboard No. 50 and Cash Box No. 78. In 1963, a new recording was made by Frank Ifield, which reached No. 1 on the UK Singles Chart for three weeks duration.[7]

The song made the Billboard country chart in a version by Irish flautist James Galway with vocal accompaniment by American country singer Sylvia. Produced in Nashville by Bill Pursell,[8] the single was released in 1982 and it rose to No. 57 in 1983.[9]

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Neil Young named Gogi Grant's recording as one of the five songs that most inspired him when growing up, noting that, "I think it was grade four, I heard this song and for some reason, I associate it with the school and the highway, and the railroad tracks going behind the school."[10]

Notable cover versions

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Chart performance

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Anne Murray

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Chart (1994) Peak
position
Canada Top Singles (RPM)[16] 70
Canada Adult Contemporary (RPM)[17] 6
Canada Country Tracks (RPM)[18] 7

Year-end charts

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Chart (1994) Position
Canada Adult Contemporary Tracks (RPM)[19] 44
Canada Country Tracks (RPM)[20] 69

References

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  1. ^ Rice, Jo (1982). The Guinness Book of 500 Number One Hits (1st ed.). Enfield, Middlesex: Guinness Superlatives Ltd. p. 70. ISBN 0-85112-250-7.
  2. ^ Knowles, Eleanor (1956-07-14). "Singer, Composer Meet In S.L." The Deseret News. Salt Lake City.
  3. ^ Barnes, Mike (2016). ""The Wayward Wind" Singer Gogi Grant Dies at 91". The Hollywood Reporter.
  4. ^ "All US Top 40 Singles For 1956". Billboard.
  5. ^ Western Writers of America (2010). "The Top 100 Western Songs". American Cowboy. Archived from the original on 19 October 2010.
  6. ^ Staff (December 7, 1968). "Law's Loss is Country's Gain". Billboard. Vol. 80, no. 49. p. 43. ISSN 0006-2510.
  7. ^ Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 147. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
  8. ^ Klefstad, Klefstad (2018). Crooked River City: The Musical Life of Nashville's William Pursell. University Press of Mississippi. p. 200. ISBN 9781496818676.
  9. ^ Cusic, Don (2011). The Cowboy in Country Music: An Historical Survey with Artist Profiles. McFarland. p. 246. ISBN 9780786463145.
  10. ^ "Neil Young shares the songs that inspire him with Conan O'Brien". Audacy. 2023.
  11. ^ "RPM Top 50 Country Singles - March 26, 1983" (PDF).
  12. ^ "RPM Top 30 AC Singles - April 2, 1983" (PDF).
  13. ^ "RPM Top 100 Country Singles - March 14, 1994" (PDF).
  14. ^ "RPM Top 40 AC - February 28, 1994" (PDF).
  15. ^ "RPM Top 100 Singles - January 31, 1994" (PDF).
  16. ^ "Top RPM Singles: Issue 2375." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. January 31, 1994. Retrieved August 4, 2013.
  17. ^ "Top RPM Adult Contemporary: Issue 2394." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. February 28, 1994. Retrieved August 4, 2013.
  18. ^ "Top RPM Country Tracks: Issue 2412." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. March 14, 1994. Retrieved August 4, 2013.
  19. ^ "RPM Top 100 Adult Contemporary Tracks of 1994". RPM. December 12, 1994. Retrieved August 4, 2013.
  20. ^ "RPM Top 100 Country Tracks of 1994". RPM. December 12, 1994. Retrieved August 4, 2013.
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