Blowin' In The Wind
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Blowin' In The Wind is a song written by Bob Dylan in April 1962 and released on his 1963 album The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan.
It is a premier example of the protest song, posing as it does philosophical questions about peace, war and freedom. Its popularity and timelessness can perhaps be attributed to the fact that while the song asks these questions, it does not refer specifically to any particular political event.
It has been covered by literally hundreds of artists. Just a few of the better-known acts who have done so are folk music trio Peter, Paul and Mary (who actually released their version a few months before Dylan); country guitar virtuoso Chet Atkins; folk chanteuse Judy Collins; soul singer Sam Cooke; blues belter Etta James; Elvis Presley; Stevie Wonder; and was done by Jenny in the award winning movie Forrest Gump.
Dylan originally wrote and performed a two-verse version of the song; his first public performance of it, at Gerdes Folk City on April 16, 1962, was recorded and circulates among Dylan collectors. Shortly after this performance, he added the middle verse to the song. Some published versions of the lyrics reverse the order of the second and third verses, apparently because Dylan simply appended the middle verse to his original manuscript, rather than writing out a new copy with the verses in proper order.
In 2004, this song was #14 on the list of Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.