Weren't For The Wind

Album: Still Hungover (2024)
Charted: 18
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • "Weren't For The Wind" is a cinematic ballad with a dusty, road-worn melody. Ella Langley examines her restless spirit and tendency to move on from relationships and places, using the wind as a metaphor for her wanderlust.
  • While Langley hasn't outright confirmed that "Weren't For The Wind" is ripped from the pages of her own romantic history, it has all the hallmarks of a song written by someone who has packed up a few too many times and left a handful of bewildered exes in her wake.

    In a conversation with Tracy Lawrence, Langley spoke about her restless personality and constant drive to pursue opportunities in her music career. She mentioned having a "determined drive" and a "passionate personality," which aligns with the themes of restlessness and wanderlust in "Weren't For The Wind."
  • Langley co-wrote the song with the Nashville-based songwriters Johnny Clawson and Joybeth Taylor.

    Johnny Clawson is a songwriter and artist from Leesburg, Virginia, who signed his first publishing deal with SMACKSongs in 2022. He's co-written songs for established artists like Blake Shelton ("Texas") and Chris Young ("Getting Older").

    Joybeth Taylor is a singer-songwriter originally from Pelham, Alabama, who moved to Nashville to pursue her songwriting career. She released her debut EP as an artist, I See Memories, in 2019. Taylor co-penned six tracks for Langley's debut album, Hungover.

    Joybeth Taylor isn't just one of Ella's go-to co-writers, she's also out on the road with her. The two met right when Langley moved to Nashville and have written many of Ella's songs together. "This is our first song to radio together, so it's really special," Langley told Audacy's Katie Neal of "Weren't For The Wind."
  • Production duties fell to Langley's go-to collaborator Will Bundy, who ensured that the track's rhythm captured exactly the kind of breezy, untethered energy that Langley seems to embody in real life.
  • "Weren't for the Wind" landed on Still Hungover, the deluxe edition of Hungover, and was chosen as the first single from the reissue in early 2025.

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Yoko Ono

Yoko OnoSongwriter Interviews

At 80 years old, Yoko has 10 #1 Dance hits. She discusses some of her songs and explains what inspired John Lennon's return to music in 1980.

Holly Knight ("The Best," "Love Is A Battlefield")

Holly Knight ("The Best," "Love Is A Battlefield")Songwriter Interviews

Holly Knight talks about some of the hit songs she wrote, including "The Warrior," "Never" and "The Best," and explains some songwriting philosophy, including how to think of a bridge.

Laura Nyro

Laura NyroSongwriting Legends

Laura Nyro talks about her complex, emotionally rich songwriting and how she supports women's culture through her art.

Sarah Brightman

Sarah BrightmanSongwriter Interviews

One of the most popular classical vocalists in the land is lining up a trip to space, which is the inspiration for many of her songs.

Supertramp founder Roger Hodgson

Supertramp founder Roger HodgsonSongwriter Interviews

Roger tells the stories behind some of his biggest hits, including "Give a Little Bit," "Take the Long Way Home" and "The Logical Song."

U2 Lyrics

U2 LyricsMusic Quiz

How well do you know the lyrics of U2?