Against the Wind (Bob Seger song)


"Against the Wind" is a song by Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band from the 1980 album Against the Wind. Released as the second single from the album, it peaked at number 5 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Background and writing

During an interview on WWFX, "100 FM The Pike", Bob Seger said that "Against the Wind" came about from his days as a high-school cross country runner. He described the song as "about trying to move ahead, keeping your sanity and integrity at the same time." The "Jan" Seger references in the opening lyrics of the song refers to Jan Dinsdale, with whom he had a long-term relationship from 1972 until 1983. In Rolling Stone, Seger elaborated on the song's meaning:
The line "Let the cowboys ride!" towards the song's end is a reference to the closing lyrics of the song "Santa Fe/Beautiful Obsession" by Van Morrison.
Seger later said that the line "Wish I didn't know now what I didn't know then" bothered him for a while, but that everyone he knew loved it, so he left it in. He also said that it has since appeared in several other hits by other artists, so that proved it was an acceptable lyric.
Music critic Maury Dean described the theme as being about aging and dealing with "all the burdens we'll ever have to face." Billboard Magazine described "Against the Wind" as "a midtempo folky tale of young love featuring pretty piano backing."
Rolling Stone Magazine critic Dave Marsh stated in his review of the Against the Wind album that none of the ballads contained any memorable lines, but he later amended that to acknowledge that the lines "Well, those drifter's days are past me now/I've so much more to think about/Deadlines and commitments/What to leave in/What to leave out" are not only memorable but also haunting in the way Seger "haltingly expresses his indecisiveness."

Chart performance

Weekly charts

Year-end charts

Cover versions

In 1999, Brooks & Dunn covered this song on the television soundtrack to King of the Hill. This version peaked at number 55 on the Hot Country Songs charts based on unsolicited airplay.
The song was also covered by The Highwaymen on their debut album.
In 1978, two years before the US release, the song was covered by Argentine rock band Plus on their second album Melancolica Muchacha.
The Hold Steady released their version of the song on their 2007 Stuck Between Stations EP.