"When the Wind Blows" is a 1986 song from the soundtrack of the film of the same name, performed by

David Bowie David Robert Jones (8 January 194710 January 2016), known professionally as David Bowie ( ), was an English singer-songwriter and actor. A leading figure in the music industry, he is regarded as one of the most influential musicians of the ...

and written by Bowie and

Erdal Kızılçay Erdal Kızılçay (born c. 1950) is a multi-instrumentalist musician of Turkish birth. He has worked with, among others, David Bowie. He plays bass guitar, oud, drums, keyboards, trumpet and violin. He lives in Aegerten, Switzerland. Work with ...

. It was released as a single in October 1986 and released digitally in 2007.

Background and recording

Originally, Bowie had intended to write the entire soundtrack for the movie, but after pressure to produce his own original album mounted (he would release ''

Never Let Me Down ''Never Let Me Down'' is the 17th studio album by English musician David Bowie, released on 20 April 1987 through EMI America Records. After a series of miscellaneous projects, Bowie hoped to make his next record differently following his ...

'' in 1987), he instead pulled out of the project and only submitted the title track; Pink Floyd alum Roger Waters provided much of the original music for the soundtrack instead. "When the Wind Blows" marked the second contribution from Bowie to a film based on a

Raymond Briggs Raymond Redvers Briggs (18 January 1934 – 9 August 2022) was an English illustrator, cartoonist, graphic novelist and author. Achieving critical and popular success among adults and children, he is best known in Britain for his 1978 story ...

book – he contributed a filmed introduction to ''

The Snowman ''The Snowman'' is a 1982 British animated television film based on Raymond Briggs's 1978 picture book '' The Snowman.'' It was directed by Dianne Jackson for Channel 4. It was first shown on 26 December 1982, and was an immediate success. It ...

'' in 1982. Bowie's song was the result of a collaboration with multi-instrumentalist

, who would work with Bowie for another 10 years on such projects as ''Never Let Me Down'' (1987), '' The Buddha of Suburbia'' (1993), and '' Outside'' (1995).

Reception

The single peaked at UK No. 44, promoted by a video that featured a montage of clips from the film, with Bowie's animated face overlaid. Bowie biographer Nicholas Pegg said that it was a "mystery why this splendidly melodramatic number ... didn't achieve greater chart success."

Other releases

The single release appeared on ''

'' (1995 reissue), in some regions on '' Best of Bowie'' (2002), '' The Platinum Collection'' (2005), '' The Best of David Bowie 1980-1987'' (2005/2007), which also includes the music video, and ''Re:Call 4'' from the ''Loving the Alien (1983-1988)'' box set (2018).

Track listing

Lyrics by David Bowie, music by Bowie and Erdal Kizilcay.

7": Virgin / VS 906 (UK) / VSS 906 (UK)

# "When the Wind Blows" – 3:32 # "When the Wind Blows" (Instrumental) – 3:52

12": Virgin / VS 906-12 (UK)

# "When the Wind Blows" (Extended Mix) – 5:46 # "When the Wind Blows" (Instrumental) – 3:52

Digital Download - 2007 EMI UK (When The Wind Blows EP by David Bowie)

# "When the Wind Blows" (2002 Remaster) – 3:34 # "When the Wind Blows" (Extended Mix) – 5:36 # "When the Wind Blows" (Instrumental) – 3:46

Personnel

*David Bowie – vocals, production *

* David Richards – production

Charts

References

* *

External links

{{Authority control 1986 singles David Bowie songs Songs written by David Bowie Song recordings produced by David Bowie Songs about nuclear war and weapons Songs written by Erdal Kızılçay Virgin Records singles