After Be-Bop-A-Lula had become a huge hit in 1956 (peaking at #7 and spending 20 weeks in the Billboard Pop Chart), Gene Vincent & His Blue Caps (often mis-named as 'the' Blue Caps) were unable to follow it up with the same level of commercial success, but released critically acclaimed songs like Race With The Devil (#96 in Billboard) and Bluejean Bop (#49).
Following a visit to Europe in 1959, Vincent managed to attract a new huge and discerning audience there, especially in England and France. By that time his career had mostly ended in the US. In 1960, while on tour in Britain, Vincent and songwriter Sharon Sheeley were seriously injured in a high-speed traffic accident. Vincent broke his ribs, collarbone, and added further damage to his already weak leg which he had injured in a motorcycle accident in 1955 and refused to have amputated, and Sheeley suffered a broken pelvis. Both Vincent and Sheeley survived, but the accident killed Vincent's tourmate and Sheeley's fiancé, Eddie Cochran.
Vincent subsequently moved to England in 1963. His stage shows became "must see" events and his bands through those years were to spawn some of the most respected players in the world today. It was during his early tours of Britain that he adopted the trademark leather outfit, at the suggestion of British Rock 'n' Roll impressario, Jack Good.
Wayward Wind
Gene Vincent Lyrics
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A restless wind that yearns to wander
And I was born the next of kin
The next of kin to the wayward wind
In a lonely shack by a railroad track
I spent my younger days
And I guess the sound of the outward bound
And the wayward wind is a restless wind
A restless wind that yearns to wander
And I was born the next of kin
The next of kin to the wayward wind
Oh I met a girl in a border town
I vowed we'd never part
Tho' I tried my best to settle down
She's now alone with a broken heart
And the wayward wind is a restless wind
A restless wind that yearns to wander
And I was born the next of kin
The next of kin to the wayward wind
The next of kin to the wayward wind
The lyrics of "Wayward Wind" by Gene Vincent describe the singer's restless and wandering nature, which he attributes to being "the next of kin to the wayward wind." Born and raised in a lonely shack by a railroad track, the sound of passing trains may have instilled in him a love of travel and adventure that he cannot shake. He meets a girl in a border town and promises never to leave her, but despite his best efforts to settle down, his restless nature ultimately gets the better of him and he leaves her behind with a broken heart. Throughout the song, the wayward wind is personified as a force that calls to the singer, tempting him to leave everything behind and wander once more.
The song can be interpreted as a metaphor for the human desire for freedom and new experiences, which can sometimes come at the expense of stability and commitment. The lyrics suggest that the singer is torn between his love for the girl and his need to follow the call of the wayward wind, and ultimately cannot resist its pull. The melody and instrumentation of the song add to its sense of movement and change, with a galloping rhythm that propels the song forward and an upbeat rock 'n' roll sound that captures the excitement of the open road.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh, the wayward wind is a restless wind
The wind that is directionless is an untamed, ever-moving wind
A restless wind that yearns to wander
An unsettled wind that has a strong desire to keep moving
And I was born the next of kin
And I was born as it's rightful inheritor
The next of kin to the wayward wind
The person who is closest associated to the unmoved wind
In a lonely shack by a railroad track
In a quiet and isolated building beside a train track
I spent my younger days
I lived through my youth in that place
And I guess the sound of the outward bound
And I assume the noise of the departing trains
Made me a slave to my wand'ring ways
Forced me to be a captive of my desire to keep moving
Oh I met a girl in a border town
Oh, I encountered a girl in a city close to the edge of the country
I vowed we'd never part
I made a promise that we will never separate
Tho' I tried my best to settle down
Although I made an effort to be still
She's now alone with a broken heart
She is now left in solitude with a shattered heart
And the wayward wind is a restless wind
The ever-changing wind is an undetermined wind
A restless wind that yearns to wander
An unsettled wind that wants to keep moving
And I was born the next of kin
I am the rightful heir of the directionless wind
The next of kin to the wayward wind
The person who is closest associated to the moving wind
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