Early life
After the separation of his parents, Lee grew up in Sacramento on the poultry farm of his grandparents. At the age of seven, he began playing the saxophone, and at the age of nine became a member of a dance ensemble. In 1969, he joined the Chester Smith Band and had his first television appearance. A short time later, he worked with the country musician Del Reeves.
He founded his first band, Apollo, in 1962. He briefly battled a cocaine addiction and moved to Iceland to go to rehab. The band, which changed its name later to Lee Greenwood Affair, played mostly pop music and appeared mostly in casinos in Las Vegas. A few records were recorded in Los Angeles with the Paramount label. After the band broke up in the 1970s, Greenwood moved back to Las Vegas, where he worked as a black jack dealer during the day, and as a singer at night.
Career
In 1979, he was discovered in Reno, Nev., by Larry McFaden, the bandleader and bassist of Mel Tillis. After making some demo tapes, Greenwood was signed in 1981 by the Nashville-based MCA label, and McFaden became his manager.
The first single, "It Turns Me Inside Out", made it to a spot in the top 20 of the country charts. Greenwood had written this song for Kenny Rogers, but Rogers turned it down due to the sheer volume of songs he had been offered at the time. "Ring On Her Finger and Time on her Hands" landed him in the country top 10.
He is best known for writing and recording the patriotic song "God Bless the USA" in the early 1980s. "God Bless the USA" gained renewed popularity following the launch of Operation: Desert Storm in 1991, and again, ten years later, following the September 11, 2001 attacks; in fact, the song even re-entered the Top 20 of the country charts in late 2001. Since then, Greenwood has played at many public events and commemorations of the attacks. He supports the United States Republican Party.
Theater
In 1995, Greenwood took a break from his touring schedule to spend time with his wife and newborn son. In his time off, he elected to build a theater in Sevierville, Tenn., and in April 1996, the "Lee Greenwood Theater" opened its doors. This gave Greenwood the opportunity to still perform daily shows, in addition to being with his family. The theater operated for five seasons, and closed for Greenwood to continue touring. The theater was not located in the heavily entertainment and tourist oriented areas of Pigeon Forge, Tenn., and Gatlinburg, Tenn., which contributed to the theater closing. The former theater building is now host to a church.
The Wind Beneath My Wings
Lee Greenwood Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It must have been cold there in my shadow
To never have sunlight on your face
You were content to let me shine, that's your way
You always walked a step behind
So I was the one with all the glory
A beautiful face without a name for so long
A beautiful smile to hide the pain
Did you ever know that you're my hero
And everything I would like to be?
I can fly higher than an eagle
For you are the wind beneath my wings
It might have appeared to go unnoticed
But I've got it all here in my heart
I want you to know, I know the truth, of course I know it
I would be nothing without you
Did you ever know that you're my hero?
You're everything I wish I could be
I could fly higher than an eagle
For you are the wind beneath my wings
Did I ever tell you you're my hero?
You're everything, everything I wish I could be
Oh, and I, I could fly higher than an eagle
For you are the wind beneath my wings
'Cause you are the wind beneath my wings
Oh, the wind beneath my wings
You, you, you, you are the wind beneath my wings
Fly, fly, fly away, you let me fly so high
Oh, you, you, you, the wind beneath my wings
Oh, you, you, you, the wind beneath my wings
Fly, fly, so high against the sky
So high I almost touch the sky
Thank you, thank you
Thank God for you, the wind beneath my wings
In Lee Greenwood's song "The Wind Beneath My Wings," the singer recounts the role played by an important individual who supported and propelled them in life, though they may have gone unnoticed. The individual, who is represented by "the wind beneath my wings," is portrayed as selfless and content, choosing to remain in the background while giving the singer the spotlight. The singer is depicted as having achieved great feats and basks in the glory of their accomplishments, even though they realize and acknowledge that they could not have done it without the support of the "wind beneath their wings." The singer expresses admiration and gratitude for this vital relationship by proclaiming that the individual is a hero and the source of their inspiration.
The song has remained an iconic and popular tribute to unsung heroes and their selfless contributions to the lives of others. The lyrics convey the message that success is not just about individual effort but about the collective effort of all those who support and encourage us. The song has stirred emotions, encouraged kindness, and brought about feelings of appreciation and positivity in listeners worldwide.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh, oh, oh, oh
A joyful expression to begin the song
It must have been cold there in my shadow
You supported me even when it was difficult and unrecognized.
To never have sunlight on your face
You never sought the spotlight or recognition for your efforts.
You were content to let me shine, that's your way
You were happy to let me bask in the glory while you worked behind the scenes.
You always walked a step behind
You never tried to upstage me, always content to let me have the limelight.
So I was the one with all the glory
Because of your support and hard work, I was able to achieve success and recognition.
While you were the one with all the strength
Your efforts and support made it possible for me to succeed.
A beautiful face without a name for so long
You were always there, working hard and supporting me, but without the recognition you deserved.
A beautiful smile to hide the pain
Despite the lack of recognition, you always had a positive attitude and kept on working.
Did you ever know that you're my hero
I want you to know how much you mean to me and how grateful I am for your support.
And everything I would like to be?
You embody all the qualities I aspire to, including selflessness, hard work, and humility.
I can fly higher than an eagle
With your support, I am able to achieve great things that I never could have accomplished on my own.
For you are the wind beneath my wings
Your hard work and support propelled me to great heights.
It might have appeared to go unnoticed
Although it may have seemed like I achieved my success alone, I know that without your support it would not have been possible.
But I've got it all here in my heart
I carry with me the knowledge of all that you have done for me, and the gratitude I feel for your support.
I want you to know, I know the truth, of course I know it
I am fully aware that your support was critical to my success, and I want to make sure you know how grateful I am.
I would be nothing without you
Without your support, I would not have achieved the success I did.
Did you ever know that you're my hero?
I want to make sure you know how much you mean to me and how much I appreciate your support.
You're everything I wish I could be
You embody all the qualities I aspire to, including selflessness, hard work, and humility.
I could fly higher than an eagle
With your support, I am able to achieve great things that I never could have accomplished on my own.
Oh, and I, I could fly higher than an eagle
I am filled with a sense of pride and accomplishment thanks to your support.
For you are the wind beneath my wings
Your hard work and support propelled me to great heights.
Did I ever tell you you're my hero?
I want to reiterate how much you mean to me and how grateful I am for your support.
You're everything, everything I wish I could be
You embody all the qualities I aspire to, including selflessness, hard work, and humility.
Oh, and I, I could fly higher than an eagle
I am filled with a sense of pride and accomplishment thanks to your support.
For you are the wind beneath my wings
Your hard work and support propelled me to great heights.
'Cause you are the wind beneath my wings
You played a critical role in my success and I am forever grateful for your support.
Oh, the wind beneath my wings
Your support was the force that drove me to success.
You, you, you, you are the wind beneath my wings
I want to make sure you know how critical your support was in my success.
Fly, fly, fly away, you let me fly so high
Thanks to your support, I was able to soar to great heights.
Oh, you, you, you, the wind beneath my wings
I am forever grateful for your hard work and support.
Oh, you, you, you, the wind beneath my wings
Your support was instrumental in my success.
Fly, fly, so high against the sky
Thanks to your support, I was able to achieve great things.
So high I almost touch the sky
I achieved a level of success that I never could have without your support.
Thank you, thank you
I cannot express my gratitude enough.
Thank God for you, the wind beneath my wings
Your success and support were a gift from God, and I am truly grateful for everything you have done.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Jeff Silbar, Larry Henley
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Manni Faber
Oh, oh, oh, oh
It must have been cold there in my shadow
To never have sunlight on your face
You were content to let me shine, that's your way
You always walked a step behind
So I was the one with all the glory
While you were the one with all the strength
A beautiful face without a name for so long
A beautiful smile to hide the pain
Did you ever know that you're my hero
And everything I would like to be?
I can fly higher than an eagle
For you are the wind beneath my wings
It might have appeared to go unnoticed
But I've got it all here in my heart
I want you to know, I know the truth, of course I know it
I would be nothing without you
Did you ever know that you're my hero?
You're everything I wish I could be
I could fly higher than an eagle
For you are the wind beneath my wings
Did I ever tell you you're my hero?
You're everything, everything I wish I could be
Oh, and I, I could fly higher than an eagle
For you are the wind beneath my wings
'Cause you are the wind beneath my wings
Oh, the wind beneath my wings
You, you, you, you are the wind beneath my wings
Fly, fly, fly away, you let me fly so high
Oh, you, you, you, the wind beneath my wings
Oh, you, you, you, the wind beneath my wings
Fly, fly, so high against the sky
So high I almost touch the sky
Thank you, thank you
Thank God for you, the wind beneath my wings
Ernie Winfrey
I just want to thank everyone for all the wonderful comment about this song. I still get goose bumps listen ig to it and I was the engineer. Powerful performance by Lee and great feeling from the musicians.
pauline watson
You did a great job Ernie Thank you x
Rob Mca
Yes, it's by far the best version and I was amazed when this morning a radio programme raved about the Bette Midler version being best so I felt the need to e-mail them to ''put them right''!!
Rob Mca
Then I came home and played it for my wife, the wind beneath my wings!
MATTHEW ILES
This is such a beautiful song and Lee Greenwood's version is easily the best version.
Julie Daniels
I had this played at my husband's funeral,the Bet Midler version, I only heard Lee Greenwoods music played for the first time two weeks ago, he has something special about his voice
Ron Yamauchi
I have to learn this song for a performance and this is the best cover yet. The melody is clear and he plays the emotion. It’s not overworked.
Jeff Brewer
I wore this cassette tape out. Not a bad song on it. Lee was the only version of the song I knew for years. His is definitely the best.
Marty Kelly
This has to be the very best Version of this song and thanks to Lee Greenwood
iamashytalk
The first time I heard this in the early 80's it made the hairs on my neck stand to attention also got goose pimples, I've heard lots of versions but none come close to this, even now I get the same emotions as I did over 40 years ago.