Thar She Blows: 4 Wonderful “Wind” Songs

Let’s be honest, here. Wind can be a bit of a hassle when you’re out there in it. But when the subject is tackled by expert songwriters, all is forgiven. That’s when wind can become a vehicle for all things poetic and evocative.

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We could have gone way deeper than four songs with a list of excellent tracks with “wind” in the title. Let’s start with these four, and then you can see if your own favorites made the roster.

“Blowin’ In The Wind” by Bob Dylan

If we didn’t start with the definitive song referencing the wind, the rest of our list would lose all credibility, right? You can choose the Peter, Paul And Mary version if you’d like. But we love Bob Dylan’s understated version of “Blowin’ In The Wind”, the centerpiece of his 1963 breakthrough album The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan. People liked to categorize Dylan as a protest singer back in the day. But he doesn’t do a lot of protesting on this song, as opposed to presenting basic truths about the world. He suggests that identifying them won’t necessarily alter them. Instead, we can see those ills in the wind all around us. But we can’t quite grasp and solve them as the wind hurls them everywhere.

“Dust In The Wind” by Kansas

Kerry Livgren was working on his fingerpicking technique and came up with a chord sequence to help him practice. He then added some words to this pattern. When Kansas was looking for material for their 1977 album Point Of Know Return, Livgren sheepishly brought “Dust In The Wind” to the band, who immediately flipped over it. The lyrics reflect the teachings of various religions. But instead of accepting that life is fleeting, the narrator of the song reacts to it with rising anguish. Or maybe that’s just what the impassioned vocal of Steve Walsh conveys. In any case, the song is a beauty that gave the hard-rocking band an acoustic hit.

“Against The Wind” by Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band

Bob Seger was already well into his career when he started consistently delivering hits in the mid-70s and forward. As a result, many of his most well-known songs came from a more mature standpoint than what you’d typically hear from the rockers of the day. When Seger looked back on his youthful past, it was often clogged by bittersweet memories. And he assessed the present with the same kind of clear-eyed wistfulness. You can hear all of that on the absolutely lovely “Against The Wind”. Paul Harris delivers an elegant piano solo, while Glenn Frey contributes backing vocals. But Seger’s touching observations and earthy performance carry the day.

“Hasten Down The Wind” by Warren Zevon

Here’s the one song on this list that wasn’t a huge hit. Who cares when the song is as exquisite as “Hasten Down The Wind”? Warren Zevon spent many years in the musical wilderness after a debut album went nowhere. But the list of standout players on his 1976 self-titled comeback LP should tell you all you need to know about his reputation among the West Coast rock hoi polloi. Songs like this melancholic and beautiful display are why he was so beloved. Linda Ronstadt not only covered the song but also used it as an album title track. Zevon’s own take is a subtle powerhouse, bedecked with his delicate observations on a relationship that’s about to expire.

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