The Wayward Wind

"The Wayward Wind" is a country song written by Stan Lebowsky and Herb Newman.

In 1956 versions were recorded by Gogi Grant, Tex Ritter, and Jimmy Young, of which Grant's was the biggest seller in the United States and Ritter's in the United Kingdom. The song reached #1 on the Cash Box chart, which combined all recorded versions, but must have gotten most of that popularity from the Gogi Grant version, which reached #1 on the Billboard chart on its own. The song is one of only two songs that were major hits for Grant, the other being "Suddenly There's a Valley".

In 1961 Gogi Grant's recording was reissued and reached Billboard #50 and Cash Box #78. That same year, Patsy Cline made a recording, which did not chart.

In 1963 a new recording was made by Frank Ifield, which reached #1 on the UK charts.

The song made the Billboard country chart in the 1980's in a version by Sylvia, with accompaniment by James Galway.

Recorded versions

*Gogi Grant (1956) (#1 on the US charts, #9 on the UK charts)
*Tex Ritter (1956) (#8 on the UK charts, #28 on the US charts)
*Jimmy Young (1956) (#27 on the UK charts)
*Sam Cooke (1960) on his album "Hits Of The '50s
*Patsy Cline (1961)
*Frank Ifield (1963) (#1 on the UK charts)
*The Browns (1964) on their album "This Young Land"
*Connie Francis (1967) on her album "My Heart Cries for You"
*Frankie Laine (1968) on his album "Take Me Back to Laine Country"
*Crystal Gayle (1978) on her album "When I Dream"
*Neil Young (1985) on his album "Old Ways" (album reached #75 on the Billboard Top 200, #24 on Top Country Albums)
*Anne Murray (1993), on her album of 1950s pop cover versions, "Croonin"'
*Lynn Anderson on her album Cowboy's Sweetheart