__NOTOC__ Shifting Whispering Sands is a Western song and poem written by Vivian Clark Gilbert and his wife Mary Margaret Hadler. It has been widely recorded, and was one of the top songs in the U.S. in 1955 and again in 1962. Members of the

Western Writers of America Western Writers of America (WWA), founded 1953, promotes literature, both fictional and nonfictional, pertaining to the American West. Although its founders wrote traditional Western fiction, the more than 600 current members also include histori ...

chose it as one of the Top 100 Western songs of all time.

Background

The song/poem begins with a narration by an unnamed man who is

prospecting Prospecting is the first stage of the geological analysis (followed by exploration) of a territory. It is the search for minerals, fossils, precious metals, or mineral specimens. It is also known as fossicking. Traditionally prospecting rel ...

for gold in the Western U.S. He wanders into the deserted "valley of the shifting, whispering sands", and describes its desolate, frightening environment. After wandering there for "days and weeks" and using all his food and water, he escapes in some unknown way. He "pays his final debt" for being spared by telling what he learned out in the desert. The narration ends, followed by a song that reprises his experience. The entire work takes almost six minutes to recite and sing. Some recorded releases omit the narration entirely, while others incorporate it and the song in various sequences.

Recordings

The song was written in 1950 and recorded in 1955. It charted twice, by Rusty Draper and also by Billy Vaughn and His Orchestra, and both became hit recordings. Vaughn's version utilized the spoken word of Ken Nordine, whose voice was often used in voice-overs and on some recordings. There was even a parody version, "The Shifting Whimpering Sands", recorded by Homer and Jethro. The song was released again by Billy Vaughn on an album of that name in 1962, with the voices of the

Ray Conniff Singers Joseph Raymond Conniff (November 6, 1916 – October 12, 2002) was an American bandleader and arranger best known for his Ray Conniff Singers during the 1960s. Biography Conniff was born November 6, 1916 in Attleboro, Massachusetts, United St ...

and again with narration by

Ken Nordine Ken Nordine (April 13, 1920 – February 16, 2019) was an American voice-over and recording artist, best known for his series of word jazz albums. His deep, resonant voice has also been featured in many commercial advertisements and movie traile ...

. Over the years it has been recorded by many artists, including Johnny Cash,

Lorne Greene Lorne Hyman Greene (born Lyon Himan Green; 12 February 1915 – 11 September 1987) was a Canadian actor, musician, singer and radio personality. His notable television roles include Ben Cartwright on the Western ''Bonanza'' and Commander Ad ...

, and

Eamonn Andrews Eamonn Andrews, (19 December 1922 – 5 November 1987) was an Irish radio and television presenter, employed primarily in the United Kingdom from the 1950s to the 1980s. From 1960 to 1964 he chaired the Radio Éireann Authority (now the RTÉ ...

References

{{Reflist 1950 songs