Four Strong Winds

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title=Four Strong Winds
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image_size=
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writer=Ian Tyson
composer=
lyricist=
published=1963
written=about 1961
language=English
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original_artist=Ian and Sylvia

"Four Strong Winds" is a song written by Ian Tyson in the early 1960s. It was first recorded by The Brothers Four in a version that "Bubbled Under" the Billboard Hot 100 in October 1963. Subsequently, it was recorded by Ian and Sylvia on an album of the same name released in 1964.

The song is based on the life of transient farm workers, forced to move where work can be found, but its theme is the sometimes temporary nature of human relationships.

This folk classic has been recorded by many artists including Neil Young on his 1978 album "Comes a Time" (Young also performed the song with The Band at the famous "The Last Waltz" concert, and in his 2005 documentary ""), Sarah McLachlan, Hank Snow, The Seekers, Judy Collins, Bob Dylan, Marianne Faithfull, The Searchers, Teenage Fanclub, John Denver, Bobby Bare, The Brothers Four (in an album by the same name), The Kingston Trio, Waylon Jennings, Chad and Jeremy, Ulf Lundell, The Tragically Hip, Joan Baez, and most recently, Johnny Cash. It was a hit by Bobby Bare in 1964. It was also a big hit in Norway in 1966 in a Norwegian version: "Mot ukjent sted" by The Vanguards and a big hit in Sweden in 1967 in a Swedish version: "Mot okänt land" recorded by The Hep Stars.

The song is also referenced in "A Prayer for Owen Meany" by John Irving. The narrator remembers how the main character, Owen, loved to hear that song as sung by the character of Hester.

In 2005, CBC Radio One listeners chose this song as the greatest Canadian song of all time on the series "".

The mentioning of Alberta in the lyrics led it to be considered in a contest to choose a provincial song, which it did not win. Additionally, the song is sung on the last night of the Edmonton Folk Music Festival each year.

Cover Version

"Four Strong Winds" was covered in folk-rock style by Les Fradkin on his 2007 release "12"Fact|date=August 2008.

External links

* [http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.com/index.cfm?PgNm=TCE&Params=U1ARTU0001268 "Four Strong Winds"] at The Canadian Encyclopedia