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Wind Beneath My Wings
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Wikipedia article
"'Wind Beneath My Wings'" (sometimes titled "'The Wind Beneath My Wings'" and "'Hero'") is a song written in 1982 by Jeff Silbar and Larry Henley.Kawashima, Dale. [http://www.songwriteruniverse.com/wind.html "Songwriter Jeff Silbar: How He Co-Wrote The Classic Hit, 'Wind Beneath My Wings]. 'SongwriterUniverse'. Retrieved February 11, 2012.
The song was first recorded by Kamahl in 1982 for a country and western album he was recording. Kamahl talked about being the first to record the song in an appearance on Australian TV show 'Spicks and Specks', but stated it was not commercially released because it was felt he did not suit the country and western style. Instead, Roger Whittaker recorded the song, as well as Sheena Easton and Lee Greenwood. The song appeared shortly thereafter in charted versions by Colleen Hewett (1982), Lou Rawls (1983), Gladys Knight & the Pips (1983), and Gary Morris (1983).
The highest-charting version of the song to date was recorded in 1988 by singer and actress Bette Midler for the soundtrack to the film 'Beaches'. This version was released as a single in early 1989, spent one week at No. 1 on the 'Billboard' Hot 100 singles chart in June 1989, and won Grammy Awards for both Record of the Year and Song of the Year in February 1990. On October 24, 1991, Midler's single was also certified Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America for shipment of one million copies in the United States. In 2004, Midler's version finished at No. 44 in AFI's 100 Years...100 Songs survey of top tunes in American cinema. Perry Como recorded the song for his final studio album 'Today', released by RCA Records in 1987. Como wanted "Wind Beneath My Wings" released as a single, but RCA refused; Como was reportedly so angry he vowed to never record for RCA Records ever again.
In a 2002 UK poll, "Wind Beneath My Wings" was found to be the most-played song at British funerals.
Background
Several years earlier, Henley had written a poem with the same title for his ex-wife. One day, when the two men sat down to write a song for Bob Seger, Silbar saw that Henley had written that title on his legal pad, and was inspired by those words to write the song. Apart from the title, the song did not incorporate any of the text of the original poem. Henley wrote the lyrics and Silbar wrote the music.
Silbar and Henley recorded a demo of the song, which they gave to musician Bob Montgomery. Montgomery then recorded his own demo version of the song, changing it from the mid-tempo version he was given to a ballad. Silbar and Henley then offered the song to many artists, which eventually resulted in Roger Whittaker becoming the first to release the song commercially. It appears on his 1982 studio album, also titled 'The Wind Beneath My Wings'.
The song was shortly thereafter recorded by Australian artist Colleen Hewett and released by Avenue Records in 1982. Hewitt's recording became the first version of the song to be issued as a single and to appear on a national chart, peaking at No. 52 on Australia's Kent Music Report chart.
The first year "Wind Beneath My Wings" appeared on music industry trade publication charts in the United States was 1983. Singer Lou Rawls was the first to score a major hit with the song, as his version peaked at No. 10 on the 'Billboard' Adult Contemporary chart, No. 60 on the 'Billboard' Hot Black Singles chart, and No. 65 on the main 'Billboard' Hot 100 singles chart.'Billboard', April 13, 1996, p. 106
Gladys Knight & the Pips also released a recording of the song in 1983 under the title "Hero". Their version peaked at No. 64 on 'Billboard's Hot Black Singles chart while also reaching No. 23 on 'Billboard's Adult Contemporary chart.
Singer Gary Morris released a country version of the song in 1983. Morris's version of the song peaked at No. 4 on 'Billboard's Hot Country Singles chart and later won both the Academy of Country Music and the Country Music Association awards for Song of the Year.
Lou Rawls version
Lou Rawls was the first to land the song on a music chart in the US.'Who Did It First?: Great Pop Cover Songs and Their Original Artists', By Bob Leszczak - [https://books.google.com/books?id=hj0fAwAAQBAJ&pg=PA229&dq=%22Wind+Beneath+My+Wings%22Lou+Rawls%22Billboard&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwj73_Dtts3ZAhUDXrwKHT6GBaoQ6AEIJzAA#v=onepage&q=%22Wind%20Beneath%20My%20Wings%22Lou%20Rawls%22Billboard&f=false Page 229] The up-tempo version by Rawls was released in March 1983 on Epic 34-03758. It was backed with "Midnight Sunshine".Pop Archives - [http://www.poparchives.com.au/1854/colleen-hewett/the-wind-beneath-my-wings LOU RAWLS, (The) Wind Beneath My Wings]45Cat - [http://www.45cat.com/record/3403758 Record Details, Artist: Lou Rawls, Catalogue: 34-03758] It appeared on his album, 'When the Night Comes'.AllMusic - [https://www.allmusic.com/album/when-the-night-comes-mw0000869337 Lou Rawls, '"When the Night Comes' AllMusic Review by Andrew Hamilton] It spent six weeks on the 'Billboard Hot' 100 chart and on April 16, 1983, it peaked at no. 65.Billboard.com - [https://www.billboard.com/artist/lou-rawls/chart-history/hsi/ Lou Rawls | Chart History, Wind Beneath My Wings] It also got to no. 60 on the R&B chart.'Billboard', April 13, 1996 - [https://books.google.com/books?id=_gwEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA106&dq=%22Wind+Beneath+My+Wings%22Lou+Rawls%22Billboard&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiQquW-t83ZAhWBErwKHQq3BRcQ6AEILTAB#v=onepage&q=%22Wind%20Beneath%20My%20Wings%22Lou%20Rawls%22Billboard&f=false Page 106 CHART BEAT, 'I Will Survive' Becomes Savage 'by Fred Bronson'] Rawls once performed a twelve-minute live version of the song at a concert in Elgin, Illinois.'CMJ New Music Monthly', February 2001 - [https://books.google.com/books?id=xyoEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA54&dq=%22Wind+Beneath+My+Wings%22Lou+Rawls%22&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwi2wdy9uM3ZAhXFabwKHavBDpYQ6AEIMDAB#v=onepage&q=%22Wind%20Beneath%20My%20Wings%22Lou%20Rawls%22&f=false Page 54]
Charts
Gary Morris version
"Wind Beneath My Wings" was recorded by American country music artist Gary Morris and reached the Top 10 of the 'Billboard' Hot Country Singles chart. It was named Song of the Year by both the Academy of Country Music and the Country Music Association.
Charts
Bette Midler version
{{Infobox song
| name = Wind Beneath My Wings
| cover = Bette_Midler-Wind_Beneath_My_Wings.jpg
| alt =
| type = single
| artist = Bette Midler
| album = Beaches: Original Soundtrack Recording
| B-side = Oh Industry
| released = February 1989
| recorded = 1988
| studio =
| venue =
| genre = Pop
| length = 4:18 (edit)
4:54 (album and 7" version)
| label = Atlantic
| writer = Larry Henley and Jeff Silbar
| producer = Arif Mardin
| prev_title = Under the Boardwalk
| prev_year = 1989
| next_title = From a Distance
| next_year = 1990
| misc =
}}
"Wind Beneath My Wings" was performed by Bette Midler for the soundtrack of the film 'Beaches' and became a US number-one single. Marc Shaiman, Midler's longtime music arranger, was already a fan of the song and suggested it to her when they were identifying songs she could perform during the film. The song was named Record of the Year and Song of the Year at the Grammy Awards of 1990. The song became a worldwide hit; it charted at No. 5 in the UK, No. 2 in Iceland, No. 4 in New Zealand, and No. 1 in Australia. Midler performed the song, with the fictional character Krusty the Clown, on season 4 episode 22 of 'The Simpsons' in 1993. In the days following the September 11 attacks in 2001, she performed the song live at the Prayer for America memorial service held at Yankee Stadium. In 2014, Midler performed the song following the annual in memoriam montage at the 86th Academy Awards.
Critical reception
AllMusic editor Heather Phares said that Midler turned this "inspirational love song" into "an epic pop song". She also noted Midler's "demonstrative interpretation". Stephen Holden from 'The New York Times' noted in his review of the 'Beaches' soundtrack, that "one is reminded of just how powerful a pop singer Ms. Midler can be when handed the right song and an arrangement that doesn't constrict her brash, larger-than-life personality." He added that "the most effective numbers are dramatic ballads" like "Wind Beneath My Wings". A reviewer from 'People Magazine' wrote that the song "articulates the movie's theme of enduring friendship, and Midler's heartfelt delivery conveys the message a lot more succinctly and satisfyingly than the film." 'The Stage' noted that the song, "a cabaret favourite for several years now", has been "given a new lease of life because it has been recorded by Bette Midler.""Sing a song in season". 'The Stage'. August 3, 1989. page 10. Retrieved March 29, 2020. John Louie from 'The Stanford Daily' called it a "sweet, melodious ballad".Music video
The music video for "Wind Beneath My Wings" was made in black-and-white. It opens with a light-haired girl meeting a lonely dark-haired girl under the dock on a beach. They befriend each other and walk along the beach together. Occasionally throughout the video, Midler performs on a stage, dressed in a black dress and long curly hair. Her arms are crossed. The girls dance on the beach until the dark-haired finds a long stick, which she writes in the sand with. The light-haired girl continues to dance alone. Toward the end, the dark-haired girl drops to the sand and starts digging in it. She finds a doll buried in the sand and pushes it to her chest. As the video ends, the light-haired girl goes beyond the horizon. The video was later published on YouTube in September 2014. It has amassed more than 15.2 million views as of October 2021.Track listing
* '7", US (Atlantic 7-88972)'
* '7", UK (Atlantic A8972)'
* '7", Japan (Atlantic PRS-2048)'
* '3", Japan (Atlantic 09P3-6159)'
# "Wind Beneath My Wings"
# "Oh Industry"
* '12", UK (Atlantic A8972T)'
* '3", UK (Atlantic A8972CD)'
# "Wind Beneath My Wings"
# "Oh Industry"
# "I Think It's Going to Rain Today"
* 'CDM, US (Atlantic PR2615-2) promo'
# "Wind Beneath My Wings" (edit)
# "Wind Beneath My Wings" (album version)
* 'CDM, Germany (Atlantic 756785481-2)'
# "Wind Beneath My Wings"
# "From a Distance"
# "In My Life"
# "To Deserve You"
Note: Released in 1996
Charts
Weekly charts
Year-end charts
Certifications
Other versions
In the 1990s, two English actor/singers released their versions as singles. Bill Tarmey's version in 1993, from his debut album 'A Gift of Love', reached No. 40 on the UK Singles Chart, while Steven Houghton's version from his self-titled debut album, reached No. 3 in 1997 and No. 21 in Ireland.
Idina Menzel sang "Wind Beneath My Wings" as a duet with Kristen Bell at her successful audition for the 2013 film 'Frozen'. She sang it again for the 2017 film 'Beaches', a remake of the same film in which Bette Midler's version of the song debuted.
References
Category:1982 songs
Category:1982 singles
Category:1983 singles
Category:1988 singles
Category:1989 singles
Category:1980s ballads
Category:Atlantic Records singles
Category:Pop ballads
Category:Gary Morris songs
Category:Colleen Hewett songs
Category:Bette Midler songs
Category:Sheena Easton songs
Category:Gladys Knight & the Pips songs
Category:Lou Rawls songs
Category:Patti LaBelle songs
Category:Bill Tarmey songs
Category:Steven Houghton songs
Category:Song recordings produced by Ron Haffkine
Category:Song recordings produced by Arif Mardin
Category:Billboard Hot 100 number-one singles
Category:Cashbox number-one singles
Category:Number-one singles in Australia
Category:Grammy Award for Record of the Year
Category:Grammy Award for Song of the Year
Category:Songs written by Larry Henley
Category:Song recordings produced by Jimmy Bowen
Category:Warner Records singles
Category:Songs written by Jeff Silbar
Category:Epic Records singles
Category:Black-and-white music videos
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