Wild Winds Are Blowing 1969

Fontana Records - 297 967 TF

German Picture Cover of "Wild Winds Are Blowing".

The newly shorn Slade were launched onto an unsuspecting public over a period of a few weeks leading up to the release of their single. On October 11th. 1969, New Musical Express featured an ad stating 'There Is Only One Slade' at the back on page 18. The following week it had moved to page 7 and included agency information. On the week of release they got a full page ad to themselves but notice that they are not The Slade.

Wild Winds Are Blowing (Winsley & Saker) & One Way Hotel (Lea, Holder & Powell) was originally released as a mono Fontana Records 7" recording on 24th October 1969 as TF 1056. I believe it's the first song produced by Chas Chandler and the first appearance of Montgrove on a Slade release. It was performed as The Slade (having dropped Ambrose sometime during the preceding couple of weeks) and the release shown here is a European copy.

New Musical Express:  18th October 1969

Disc: 27th October 1969

At the time, Chandler wanted the group writing their own songs for the new album but he was keen to have a hit single before releasing it. He told the band he'd been sent a song from a publishing company that was perfect for the group. Wild Winds Are Blowing was written by Jack Winsley and Bob Saker who worked together on quite a number of records following this period (the Bee Gees being of note) "a Winsak production" being their particular trademark. It would be interesting to know how early in their writing career this song came.

I think it's fair to say that the critics were not particularly objective, seeing the 'skinhead image' for what it was, they treated the music with the same contempt. In all honesty, the group did not think highly of Wild Winds Are Blowing either, Jim Lea, in particular, claims to have never liked the song.

One Way Hotel is an earlier version of the Polydor recording that would feature on Play It Loud a year later. Supposedly, a tale of one mans descent into madness, its legato vocal, 'picked guitar' refrain and contrasting rinforzando (sudden loud accented chord sections) conjure up a sorrowful tale of homelessness. This particular version is notable for some jazzier guitar riffs and can be found on the Salvo release, The B-Sides Collection.

Wild Winds Are Blowing appears to be the same recording as included on Sladest except in mono. The cover art is here 4.02 MB

Dutch Picture Cover of "Wild Winds Are Blowing".

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Wild Winds Are Blowing
(Winsley & Saker)

Jenny, John and Sister Suzie
Say that I've been bad
Now I don't know what they're talkin' about
But their daddy sure is mad

I can't understand it
Why they're getting so uptight
I don't think I'll stick around here
I ain't looking' for a fight

Wild winds are blowing
Rivers keep on flowing
So I'd better get going
And try to leave it all behind
Wild winds are blowing
Rivers keep on flowing
So I'd better get going yeah
To get a little peace of mind

Her brother keeps on calling 'round
To see what I intend
But I ain't never in when he calls
It's sad to lose a friend

I bought myself a ticket
But I don't wanna leave this town
And there's a lot of people right here
Who don't want me around

Wild winds are blowing
Rivers keep on flowing
So I'd better get going
And try to leave it all behind
Wild winds are blowing
Rivers keep on flowing
So I'd better get going yeah
To get a little peace of mind

I heard her Uncle Sammy
He's a polishing his gun
I don't like the look on his face
So I think I'd better run

I better get on a greyhound bus
Before her folks arrive
Coz I am just a young man
And I wanna stay alive

Wild winds are blowing
Rivers keep on flowing
So I'd better get going
And try to leave it all behind
Wild winds are blowing
Rivers keep on flowing
So I'd better get going yeah
To get a little peace of mind

Wild winds are blowing yeah (Repeat)

One Way Hotel
(Holder, Lea & Powell)

They asked me to sleep on the floor
The people were running galore
They asked for the time to make a number of changes and I let them

I sat on my case in the hall
The window and ceiling looked tall
How long does it take to make a number of changes when you let them

The case of another man was opened and the contents were lying on the floor
I could tell by his face he's a man like myself that's for sure

I was there for a fortnight or more
The place is full up to the door
My mind was deranged and my habits were changed since I let them

I finished my job nine till four
I thought that my boss knew the score
It makes you feel sick when you think of the tricks they get up to

The locks on the windows were made by yourself not to open
Come to think of it now that if I were a child they'd be broken

I've now spent a year behind this door
The doctors would see me no more
They asked me to sign with a pen on the line
I was done for!