Wild Is the Wind (song)

Infobox Single
Name = Wild Is the Wind


Artist = David Bowie
from Album = Station to Station
B-side = "Golden Years"
Released = November 1981
Format = 7" single
Recorded = Cherokee Studios, Hollywood
October–November 1975
Genre = Rock
Length = 3:34 (Single edit)
6:02 (Full-length album version)
Label = RCA Records
BOW 10
Producer = David Bowie, Harry Maslin
Chart position =
* #24 (UK)
Last single = "Under Pressure"
(1981)
This single = "Wild Is the Wind"
(1981)
Next single = "Baal (EP)"
(1982)
Misc = Extra tracklisting
Album = Station to Station
Type = studio
prev_track = "Stay"
prev_no = 5
this_track = "Wild Is the Wind"
track_no = 6
next_track =
next_no =

"Wild Is the Wind" is a song written by Dimitri Tiomkin and Ned Washington. The track was originally recorded by Johnny Mathis for the 1957 film "Wild Is the Wind". The song was very popular and was one of five songs nominated for an Academy Award; it was sung by Johnny Mathis at the March 1958 Oscar presentations. It was later covered by Nina Simone on the album "Wild Is The Wind" (1966). David Bowie recorded a version of it in 1976 for his album "Station to Station". Bowie was an admirer of Simone’s style, and after meeting her in Los Angeles was inspired to record the song for his album.

In 1981, an edited version of Bowie's recording was issued as a single by RCA to promote the compilation "ChangesTwoBowie". Despite relations with RCA being at an all-time low (he would only record the "Baal" EP for the label before signing with EMI in 1983), Bowie consented to appear in a video. This was a simple affair, featuring Bowie and the musicians performing the track in a circle, filmed in monochrome by David Mallet. The single reached #24 in the UK, and Bowie would perform the track on his Serious Moonlight and 2000 tours.

The Dutch band Clan of Xymox released a cover version of the song in 1994 on their album "Headcloud". Australian/English band Fatal Shore recorded "Wild Is the Wind" in 1997 for their self-titled debut album. George Michael covered it on his 1999 album "Songs from the Last Century", and Chan Marshall (Cat Power) recorded a version on her 2000 album "The Covers Record", as well as a live version for iTunes in 2006. Scottish singer Billy Mackenzie also covered the song; a version appeared posthumously on the 2001 EP "Wild Is the Wind" and on the 2005 album "Transmission Impossible".

Track listing

# "Wild Is the Wind" (Ned Washington, Dimitri Tiomkin) – 3:34
# "Golden Years" (David Bowie) – 3:22

Production credits

* Producers:
** Harry Maslin
** David Bowie

* Musicians:
** David Bowie: Vocals, Guitar
** Carlos Alomar, Earl Slick: Guitar
** George Murray: Bass
** Dennis Davis: Drums
** Roy Bittan: Piano

Live versions

* A recording from the BBC Radio Theatre, London, on 27 June 2000, was released on the bonus disc following the first releases of "Bowie at the Beeb".

Other releases

* "ChangesTwoBowie" (1981)
* "Golden Years" (1983)
* "Sound and Vision" (1989)
* "The Singles Collection" (1993)
* "The Best of 1974/1979" (1998)
* "Best of Bowie" (2002)

References

Pegg, Nicholas, "The Complete David Bowie", Reynolds & Hearn Ltd, 2000, ISBN 1-903111-14-5