Blowin In the Wind

Song Name: Blowin in the Wind

Year of Release: 1963

Written By: Bob Dylan

Performed By: Bob Dylan (original), Peter, Paul, and Mary (cover)

Key Lyrics: “Yes, and how many times must the cannonballs fly, before they are forever banned?”

“Yes, and how many deaths will it take till he knows that too many people have died?”

Description: The song was based off the melody of a song sung by British slaves titled, “No More Auction Block,” something Dylan confirmed in an interview with Marc Rowland. The lyrics pose questions about the world, specifically about peace, life, and suffering. It was first written and performed in 1962 with only two verses, but Dylan later added the third verse and recorded the whole song. The title of the song may have come from a passage in Woody Guthrie’s autobiography Bound for Glory, in which Guthrie compared his political awareness to newspapers blowing on the streets of New York City

Why It Was Important: Dylan, in a 1962 article, stated that he wrote the song out of dissatisfaction over what he perceived as too many wars. In his words, “I’m only 21 years old, and I already know there’s been too many wars.” Lyrics mentioning that “too many people have died” and “how many times must the cannonballs fly” reasonably resonated with people who were sick and tired of the loss of life in Vietnam. Its cultural impact lasted beyond Vietnam: during the Iraq War, journalists noted that protestors sang Blowin' in the Wind instead of finding new songs to sing

Recordings

Bob Dylan - Blowin' in the Wind (Official Audio) (studio version, Dylan version)

Blowing In The Wind (Live On TV, March 1963) (live performance, Dylan Version)

Peter, Paul and Mary - Blowing in the Wind (studio version, Peter, Paul, and Mary version)

Peter, Paul and Mary - Blowing in the Wind (live performance, Peter, Paul, and Mary version)