Wind of Change (Scorpions song)
November 6, 1990 ( album Crazy World ), 3 February 1991 ( Single)
Wind of Change is the title of a rock ballad of the Scorpions, which was written and composed in November 1990 by Scorpions singer Klaus Meine and has been published in February 1991. It was regarded in the media as so-called "Hymn of Change" and is the most successful single from German production.
The phrase "wind of change" of the song is probably a translation of a quote Willy Brandt, who on 10 November 1989, the day after the wall, in a speech in front of the Rathaus Schöneberg by the " winds [ n] is the change that since pull some time on Europe " spoke.
Genesis
The English text celebrating occurred towards the end of the 1980s political change in Europe. The song is the SWR as being " like no other rock song mood of the times the end of the 80s decade, again, as with glasnost and perestroika, the great political changes started by the Soviet Union. " In the text, the narrator describes how he is the one summer night at goes along Moskva and the " wind of change is listening ," the blowing away about old enmities. The text is committed to the East-West understanding and that hits the nerve of time. He accompanied the fall of the wall and is the anthem of renewal in the Soviet Union. USSR State and party leader Mikhail Gorbachev received the Scorpions because of this song for a visit on 14 December 1991 at the Kremlin.
Klaus Meine said in an interview, the period from 1988 to '89 in the Soviet Union was marked by the atmosphere, the Cold War go to a close, the music is what binds the nations. The memories of that time are also transported in the music video for the song. Was inspired by my stay in Moscow for participating in the Peace Rock Festival on 13 August 1989 at the Lenin Stadium, where the Scorpions occurred before about 300,000 fans:
" The idea is me in U.d.S.S.R. came when I was sitting in a summer night in Gorky Park Center and have looked on the Moskva River. The song is my personal work-up of what has happened in recent years in the world. "
Klaus Meine and Rudolf Schenker brand holder of the title (word ) Wind of Change.
Publication
The song was first published on 6 November 1990, the album Crazy World Scorpions. Decoupling as a single only followed in February 1991, came into the German charts up at rank 1, placed also in many other European countries in the top ranks of the charts. In addition, a Russian and a Spanish version of the song were recorded. Overall, the single sold worldwide than 9 million copies, making it one of the most successful German films; the Hamburg evening paper even goes more than 14 million singles worldwide. With the single The Scorpions hold the record for the biggest selling single by a German band or a German artist.
The song reached number one on the charts, also of Germany and in Austria and Switzerland in eleven countries. In the U.S. Billboard charts it was number four in the UK charts number two on the charts. Overall, the song was in the charts in 78 countries, Wind of Change became the most successful single of 1991, and meistgespieltem song on the radio in 1991 worldwide.
Versions ( Select)
Cover versions
As one of the first cover versions appeared the flutist James Galway, whose self-titled album Wind of Change between 22 January and 2 February 1994 in the Whitfield Street Studios, London, was born. The tenor Jose Carreras published on 24 September 2001 Wind of Change along with Klaus Meine on his album Around the World. Another version was performed by the Gregorian Chants with elements of Gregorian chant and released on the album Rock Ballads on 2 May 2001. Boppin'B brought the song on 25 May 2006 on their album hits the market.
The group took Adoro of Wind of Change under the title as the wind turns a German version of the song, and released it in 2010 on their album Luck, Adam Green and Macaulay Culkin sang the song 2010 live in Berlin. 2005, the song in the ZDF program Our best was elected " Jahrhunderthit ".
Other songs with the same name
- By Peter Frampton in 1972 on his eponymous solo album, Wind of Change
- By Hawkwind in 1974 on the album Hall of the Mountain Grill