"Windy" is a pop song written by Ruthann Friedman and recorded by the Association. The song reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in July 1967, becoming the group's second U.S. No. 1 hit following "Cherish" in 1966. Billboard ranked the record as the No. 4 song for 1967.
The lead vocals were sung primarily by guitarist and new band member Larry Ramos along with vocalist Russ Giguere (both would sing lead together in the band's last Top 40 hit "Time for Livin'). Ramos, who was of Filipino descent,LAtimes.com "Passings - Larry Ramos" May 5, 2014. Retrieved Feb. 5, 2024. was one of the few Asian-American lead singers at the time to have a number one hit single.
Composition Friedman was introduced to the Association by her friend and Beach Boys lyricist Van Dyke Parks. She wrote "Windy" in waltz time, but the group's producer Bones Howe changed it to the more common to ensure the song's commercial appeal.
Friedman had written the song about a man but the Association changed the gender in the lyrics. In an interview with Songfacts, she said:
However, in another interview with Songfacts in 2014, she explained that the song was about herself:
A demo of the song, recorded by Ruthann Friedman appears on her album, Windy: A Ruthann Friedman Songbook.The Second Disc, June 25, 2013 - NEWS, "Windy: A Ruthann Friedman Songbook" Explores The Solo Side of The Songwriter By Joe Marchese
Recording The process of recording the vocals was exhausting. The session started in the early afternoon and ended at 6:30 a.m. the next day, and the group then took an 8:30 a.m. flight to a live performance in Virginia. The band was so tired of recording that producer Bones Howe gathered everyone in the studio to sing the track's ending, including songwriter Ruthann Friedman.
Because of the poor sales of the Association's last album Renaissance, on which the group performed all of the songs, Howe recruited session musicians (later known as the Wrecking Crew) for "Windy" and the rest of the Insight Out album in order to achieve a radio-friendly sound. The identity of the musicians who played on the final version of the single is uncertain because the song was recorded during several sessions.
Personnel According to the AFM contract sheet, the following session musicians appeared on the track.
Ray Pohlman Hal Blaine Dennis Budimir Al Casey Mike Deasy Bones Howe Larry Knechtel Joe Osborn Gary Coleman Bill Holman Bud Shank Gene Cipriano Vincent DeRosa Richard Perissi
Chart history
Weekly charts Chart (1967)PeakpositionAustralia (Go-Set)35Canada RPM Top Singles1New Zealand (Listener)Flavour of New Zealand, 15 September 19676South Africa (Springbok)14U.S. Billboard Hot 100Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles 1955–1990 - 1U.S. Cash Box Top 100Cash Box Top 100 Singles, July 8, 19671 US Record World Singles Chart1
Year-end charts Chart (1967)RankCanadaRPM Top 100 Singles of 196711U.S. Billboard Hot 100Musicoutfitters.com4U.S. Cash BoxCash Box Year-End Charts: Top 100 Pop Singles, December 23, 19677
All-time charts Chart (1958–2018) PositionUS Billboard Hot 100393
Notable cover versions Later in 1967, an instrumental version by jazz guitarist Wes Montgomery became his highest-charting Hot 100 hit when it peaked at No. 44. It also reached No. 10 on the Billboard Easy Listening chart. Andy Williams also recorded the song.
See also List of recordings of songs featuring Hal Blaine
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