When the Wind Blows the Mountain High Where My Family Lies Lyrics

Song by Bob Dylan

"Blowin' in the Wind"
Single by Bob Dylan
from the album The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan
B-side	"Don't Think Twice, It'southward All Correct"
Released	August 13, 1963 (1963-08-13)
Recorded	July ix, 1962
Studio	Columbia Recording, New York City
Genre	Folk
Length	two:48
Label	Columbia
Songwriter(s)	Bob Dylan
Producer(southward)	John H. Hammond[1]
Bob Dylan singles chronology
"Mixed-Up Confusion" (1963) "Blowin' in the Wind" (1963) "The Times They Are a-Changin'" (1965)
Sound sample
file aid

"Blowin' in the Wind" is a song written by Bob Dylan in 1962. It was released every bit a single and included on his album The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan in 1963. It has been described every bit a protest song and poses a series of rhetorical questions nearly peace, war, and freedom. The refrain "The answer, my friend, is blowin' in the air current" has been described as "impenetrably ambiguous: either the answer is and then obvious it is correct in your face up, or the answer is as intangible equally the wind".^[2]

In 1994, the song was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame. In 2004, it was ranked number 14 on Rolling Stone mag's list of the "500 Greatest Songs of All Time".

Origins and initial response [edit]

Dylan originally wrote and performed a two-verse version of the song; its first public performance, at Gerde'southward Folk City on April 16, 1962, was recorded and circulated amidst Dylan collectors. Soon later on this functioning, he added the middle verse to the song. Some published versions of the lyrics contrary the gild of the 2nd and tertiary verses, patently because Dylan simply appended the eye verse to his original manuscript, rather than writing out a new copy with the verses in proper order.^[3] The vocal was published for the start time in May 1962, in the 6th event of Broadside, the magazine founded past Pete Seeger and devoted to topical songs.^[four] The theme may have been taken from a passage in Woody Guthrie's autobiography, Bound for Glory, in which Guthrie compared his political sensibility to newspapers bravado in the winds of New York Urban center streets and alleys. Dylan was certainly familiar with Guthrie'southward work; his reading of it had been a major turning betoken in his intellectual and political evolution.^[five]

In June 1962, the song was published in Sing Out!, accompanied past Dylan's comments:

At that place ain't too much I can say about this song except that the reply is blowing in the air current. It own't in no book or motion picture or TV show or discussion grouping. Man, information technology'southward in the wind — and it's blowing in the current of air. Likewise many of these hip people are telling me where the answer is but oh I won't believe that. I still say it'due south in the wind and but like a restless piece of paper information technology's got to come downward some ... Just the only trouble is that no one picks up the answer when it comes down then not likewise many people get to run into and know ... and then it flies away. I still say that some of the biggest criminals are those that plough their heads away when they see incorrect and know it's wrong. I'one thousand but 21 years erstwhile and I know that there's been as well many wars ... You lot people over 21, you're older and smarter.^[vi]

Dylan recorded "Blowin' in the Wind" on July ix, 1962, for inclusion on his second album, The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan, released in May, 1963.

Bobby Darin recorded "Blowin' in the Wind" on July 30, 1962, for inclusion on his album, Aureate Folk Hits, besides released in 1963. Bundled by Walter Raim, there was Roger Mcguinn, Glen Campbell, James Burton, and Phil Ochs all on guitar, and singing harmony.

In his sleeve notes for The Bootleg Series Volumes 1–3 (Rare & Unreleased) 1961–1991, John Bauldie wrote that Pete Seeger first identified the melody of "Blowin' in the Wind" equally an adaptation of the sometime African-American spiritual "No More Sale Cake/We Shall Overcome". According to Alan Lomax's The Folk Songs of North America, the vocal was sung by former slaves who fled to Nova Scotia later United kingdom of great britain and northern ireland abolished slavery in 1833. In 1978, Dylan acknowledged the source when he told journalist Marc Rowland: "'Blowin' in the Wind' has always been a spiritual. I took it off a song called 'No More Sale Block' – that's a spiritual and 'Blowin' in the Wind' follows the same feeling."^[7] Dylan's performance of "No More Auction Block" was recorded at the Gaslight Cafe in October 1962, and appeared on The Bootleg Series Volumes 1–3 (Rare & Unreleased) 1961–1991.

The critic Michael Gray suggested that the lyric is an example of Dylan'southward incorporation of Biblical rhetoric into his own manner. A detail rhetorical grade deployed time and once more in the New Testament and based on a text from the Old Testament book of Ezekiel (12:1–ii) is: "The word of the Lord came to me: 'Oh mortal, yous dwell amidst the rebellious breed. They have eyes to see only run into not; ears to hear, but hear non." In "Blowin' in the Air current", Dylan transforms this into "Aye'north' how many ears must one man have ...?" and "Yes' due north' how many times must a man turn his head / Pretending he just doesn't see?"^[viii]

"Blowin' in the Wind" has been described as an anthem of the ceremonious rights movement.^[9] In Martin Scorsese's documentary on Dylan, No Management Domicile, Mavis Staples expressed her astonishment on first hearing the song and said she could not sympathize how a immature white man could write something that captured the frustration and aspirations of black people so powerfully. Sam Cooke was similarly securely impressed past the song, incorporating information technology into his repertoire soon afterwards its release (a version would exist included on Sam Cooke at the Copa), and existence inspired by it to write "A Change Is Gonna Come".^{[x] [11]}

"Blowin' in the Wind" was first covered by the Chad Mitchell Trio, simply their record company delayed release of the album containing it because the vocal included the discussion decease, so the trio lost out to Peter, Paul and Mary, who were represented by Dylan's manager, Albert Grossman. The single sold a phenomenal 300,000 copies in the outset week of release and made the song world-famous. On Baronial 17, 1963, it reached number 2 on the Billboard popular chart, with sales exceeding one million copies. Peter Yarrow recalled that, when he told Dylan he would make more than $5,000 (equivalent to $42,000 in 2020^[12]) from the publishing rights, Dylan was speechless.^[13] Peter, Paul and Mary'southward version of the song also spent five weeks atop the easy listening chart.

The critic Andy Gill wrote,

"Blowin' in the Current of air" marked a huge jump in Dylan's songwriting. Prior to this, efforts like "The Ballad of Donald White" and "The Death of Emmett Till" had been fairly simplistic bouts of reportage songwriting. "Blowin' in the Current of air" was dissimilar: for the first time, Dylan discovered the effectiveness of moving from the particular to the general. Whereas "The Ballad of Donald White" would become completely redundant equally soon as the eponymous criminal was executed, a song equally vague as "Blowin' in the Wind" could exist practical to but almost any freedom consequence. It remains the vocal with which Dylan'south proper noun is nearly inextricably linked, and safeguarded his reputation every bit a civil libertarian through whatever number of changes in style and attitude.^[14]

Dylan performed the song for the offset fourth dimension on television in the Uk in January 1963, when he appeared in the BBC tv play Madhouse on Castle Street.^[xv] He besides performed the song during his first national United states of america idiot box appearance, filmed in March 1963, a performance made bachelor in 2005 on the DVD release of Martin Scorsese's PBS television set documentary on Dylan, No Management Home.

An accusation that the song was written past a loftier-school educatee named Lorre Wyatt (a member of Millburn Loftier Schoolhouse's "Millburnaires" all-male folk band) and subsequently purchased or plagiarised by Dylan earlier he gained fame was reported in an article in Newsweek magazine in November 1963. The plagiarism merits was eventually shown to be untrue.^{[xvi] [17]}

Legacy [edit]

The first line of the song ("How many roads must a man walk down?") is proposed as the "Ultimate Question" in the science fiction novel The Hitchhiker'south Guide to the Galaxy, by Douglas Adams.

In the 1994 film Forrest Gump, Jenny sings this song for a bear witness in a strip social club and is introduced as "Bobbi Dylan". The motion-picture show's soundtrack anthology features Joan Baez'due south 1976 live recording of the song, from her album From Every Stage.

In 1975, the song was included as verse in a high-school English textbook in Sri Lanka. The textbook caused controversy considering information technology replaced Shakespeare's work with Dylan's.^{[18] [19]}

During the protests confronting the Republic of iraq War, commentators noted that protesters were resurrecting songs such equally "Blowin' in the Air current" rather than creating new ones.^[20]

The song has been embraced by many liberal churches, and in the 1960s and 1970s it was sung both in Cosmic church "folk masses" and as a hymn in Protestant ones. In 1997, Bob Dylan performed 3 other songs at a Catholic church congress. Pope John Paul Two, who was in omnipresence, told the crowd of some 300,000 immature Italian Catholics that the answer was indeed "in the current of air" – not in the wind that blew things away, simply rather "in the wind of the spirit" that would atomic number 82 them to Christ. In 2007, Pope Benedict XVI (who had also been in attendance) wrote that he was uncomfortable with music stars such as Dylan performing in a church environment.^[21]

In 2009, Dylan licensed the song to be used in an advertizing for the British consumer-owned Branch Grouping. The Co-op claimed that Dylan's decision was influenced by "the Co-op'southward loftier ethical guidelines regarding fair merchandise and the surroundings." The Co-op, which is endemic by virtually 3 million consumers, too includes Britain's largest funeral parlour and farming business.^{[22] [23]}

In Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle, in the level "Temple of Bwahmanweewee", Beep-0 parodies this song.

Hip hop group Public Enemy reference it in their 2007 Dylan tribute song "Long and Whining Route": "Tears of rage left a friend blowing in the current of air / But fourth dimension is God, been back for x years, and black again".^[24]

Certifications [edit]

Other versions [edit]

"Blowin' in the Current of air"
Single by Peter, Paul and Mary
from the album In the Wind
B-side	"Flora"
Released	1963
Recorded	1963
Genre	Folk
Length	2:53
Label	Warner Bros.
Songwriter(south)	Bob Dylan
Producer(s)	Albert Grossman
Peter, Paul and Mary singles chronology
"Settle Down (Goin' Down That Highway)"" (1963) "Blowin' in the Current of air" (1963) "Don't Recall Twice, It'southward All Correct" (1963)

"Blowin' in the Wind"
Single by Marianne Faithfull
B-side	"The House of the Ascension Sun"
Released	1964
Genre	Popular
Label	Decca
Songwriter(southward)	Bob Dylan
Producer(due south)	Andrew Loog Oldham
Marianne Faithfull singles chronology
"As Tears Go By" (1964) "Blowin' in the Air current" (1964) "Come and Stay With Me" (1965)

"Blowin' in the Air current" has been recorded by hundreds of artists.^[27] The most commercially successful version is past folk music trio Peter, Paul and Mary, who released the song in June 1963, three weeks after The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan was issued. Albert Grossman, then managing both Dylan and Peter, Paul and Mary, brought the trio the song which they promptly recorded (on a single take) and released.^[28] The trio's version, which was the title track of their 3rd album, peaked at number 2 on the Billboard charts behind "Fingertips" by Stevie Wonder.^[29] The group's version likewise went to number one on the Center-Road charts for 5 weeks.^[xxx] Greenbacks Box described it as "a medium-paced sailor'due south lament sung with feeling and authorization by the folk trio."^[31]

• Marlene Dietrich recorded a German version of the vocal (titled "Dice Antwort weiß ganz allein der Current of air") which peaked at number 32 in Deutschland chart.^[32]
• Tore Lagergren wrote lyrics in Swedish, "Och vinden ger svar" ("and the wind gives respond"), which charted at Svensktoppen for ii weeks in 1963, first every bit recorded by Otto, Berndt och Beppo, peaking at number 8 on October 12, and by Lars Lönndahl during November 9–15 with sixth & seventh position.^[33] Both were released on single A-sides in 1963. This version was also recorded past Sven-Ingvars as the B-side of the single "Du ska tro på mej", released in March 1967.^[34] With these lyrics, the song as well charted at Svensktoppen in 1970, with Michael med Salt och peppar.^[35]
• In 1966, Stevie Wonder, recorded his own which became a top 10 hit on the Billboard Hot 100,^[36] every bit well as number one on the R&B charts.^[37]
• Steve Alaimo recorded the vocal in 1965. His version reached number 139 on Cashbox nautical chart.
• In 2021, a version in classical Latin was published.^[38]

Come across besides [edit]

• List of anti-war songs
• List of Bob Dylan songs based on earlier tunes

Notes [edit]

1. ^ Bjorner, Olof (2010-11-17). "1962 Concerts and Recording Sessions". Still on the Road . Retrieved 2011-01-17 .
2. ^ Gold, Mick (2002). "Life and Life Simply: Dylan at sixty". Judas! mag, Apr 2002. p. 43.
3. ^ A photo of Dylan's original lyrics with the 3rd poesy scribbled at the lesser was published on folio 52 of Dylan, Lyrics 1962–2001
4. ^ Williams, Dylan: a man called alias, 42
5. ^ Hampton, Wayne (1986). Guerrilla Minstrels. University of Tennessee Printing. p. 160, citing Bound for Glory, New York: Dutton, 1946, p. 295.
6. ^ Gray (2006). The Bob Dylan Encyclopedia. p. 64.
7. ^ Quoted in John Bauldie's sleeve notes for The Bootleg Series Volumes one–3 (Rare & Unreleased) 1961–1991
8. ^ Grayness (2006). The Bob Dylan Encyclopedia. pp. 63–64.
9. ^ Cohen, Bob (2008-01-28). "How "Blowin' in the Wind" Came to Exist". RightWingBob.com. Archived from the original on 2012-02-19. Retrieved 2008-06-xv .
10. ^ "Sam Cooke And The Song That 'Well-nigh Scared Him'". NPR (National Public Radio). February ane, 2014. Retrieved Apr 14, 2014.
11. ^ Grey, The Bob Dylan Encyclopedia, 149–150
12. ^ 1634–1699: McCusker, J. J. (1997). How Much Is That in Real Coin? A Historical Price Index for Use as a Deflator of Money Values in the Economy of the United States: Addenda et Corrigenda (PDF). American Antique Society. 1700–1799: McCusker, J. J. (1992). How Much Is That in Real Money? A Historical Price Alphabetize for Employ as a Deflator of Money Values in the Economy of the United States (PDF). American Antiquarian Lodge. 1800–nowadays: Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis. "Consumer Toll Index (estimate) 1800–". Retrieved January 1, 2020.
13. ^ Sounes. Downwards the Highway: The Life of Bob Dylan. p. 135.
14. ^ Gill. My Back Pages. p. 23
15. ^ "Dylan in the Madhouse". BBC Tv. 2007-10-14. Retrieved 2009-08-31 .
16. ^ "False Claim on "Blowin' in the Wind"". Snopes.com, Rumor has it.
17. ^ Rees, Jasper (August 14, 1993). "Lives of the Great Songs: Blowin' this way and that". The Independent . Retrieved November 9, 2016.
18. ^ Samaranayake, Ajith (2004-12-19). "A Life in Ideas and Writing". Sunday Observer. Archived from the original on 2009-05-29.
19. ^ Haththotuwegama, GK (2005-01-26). "East.F.C.Ludowyk Memorial Lecture". Official website of GK Haththotuwegama. Archived from the original on 2009-01-02.
20. ^ Kennedy, Louise (2003-03-17). "Activists Enquire, Where Take All the Peace Songs Gone?". San Francisco Chronicle.
21. ^ "Pope Opposed Bob Dylan Singing to John Paul in 1997". Reuters. 2007-03-10.
22. ^ "Bob Dylan Allows British Ad to Utilise Blowin' in the Wind". The Globe Times. 2009-01-28. Retrieved 2009-01-29 .
23. ^ Sweney, Mark (2009-01-28). "Bob Dylan Vocal to Soundtrack Co-op Advertising". Guardian.co.uk.
24. ^ Public Enemy – The Long and Whining Road , retrieved 2021-04-12
25. ^ "Italian single certifications – Bob Dylan – Blowin' In The Wind" (in Italian). Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana. Retrieved May v, 2021. Select "2019" in the "Anno" driblet-down carte. Select "Blowin' In The Wind" in the "Filtra" field. Select "Singoli" nether "Sezione".
26. ^ "British single certifications – Bob Dylan – Blowin' In The Wind". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved May 5, 2021.
27. ^ "Cover versions of Blowin' in the Air current written past Bob Dylan | SecondHandSongs". SecondHandSongs.
28. ^ Peter Yarrow interviewed on the Pop Chronicles (1969)
29. ^ Gray. The Bob Dylan Encyclopedia. p. 63.
30. ^ Whitburn, Joel (2002), Top Adult Contemporary: 1961–2001, Record Inquiry, p. 192
31. ^ "CashBox Record Reviews" (PDF). Cash Box. June 29, 1963. p. 28. Retrieved 2022-01-12 .
32. ^ - "Marlene Dietrich – Die Antwort Weiss Ganz Allein Der Current of air" (in German). musicline.de. PHONONET GmbH. Retrieved 27 June 2016.
33. ^ "Svensktoppen – 1963" (TXT). Sr.se.
34. ^ "Du ska tro på mej - Svensk mediedatabas". Smdb.kb.se . Retrieved 21 May 2019.
35. ^ Svensktoppen, 1970, retrieved 31 May 2011
36. ^ Gilliland, John (1969). "Show 25, The Soul Reformation: Stage Two, the Motown Story. [Part 4]" (sound). Popular Chronicles. University of North Texas Libraries.
37. ^ Whitburn, Joel (2004). Summit R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-2004. Record Research. p. 635.
38. ^ https://www.youtube.com/lookout?v=aOQWocesAyk; cf. https://www.hpt.at/verlagsprogramm/schulbuecher/cantare-necesse-est-lieder-lateinischer-sprache

References [edit]

• Gill, Andy (1999), Classic Bob Dylan: My Back Pages, Carlton, ISBN1-85868-599-0
• Grayness, Michael (2006), The Bob Dylan Encyclopedia, Continuum International, ISBN0-8264-6933-7
• Sounes, Howard (2001), Down The Highway: The Life Of Bob Dylan, Grove Press, ISBN0-8021-1686-8
• Williams, Richard (1992), Dylan: a man called alias, Bloomsbury, ISBN0-7475-1084-9

External links [edit]

• Lyrics

bowenshomitichat.blogspot.com

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blowin%27_in_the_Wind

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