Going Whichever Way The Wind Blows

Album: Under The Waves (2006)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • Pete Droge wrote this song for a 2002 independent film he scored called Tattoo: A love Story. It's an instrumental motif in the film but turns into a song in the end. Droge released the song on his 2006 album Under The Waves.
  • Droge wrote "Going Whichever Way the Wind Blows" with his longtime musical and romantic partner, Elaine Summers. As he working out the song, she was cooking in the kitchen. He was working out the melody using nonsense words and syllables, planning to write real lyrics later. At one point in his mumblings, Summers thought she heard him sing the phrase "going whichever way the wind blows." She thought it was a great theme for the song, and told Pete, who didn't recall singing those words but liked them and used them as the title.
  • The song is about surrendering to fate, letting live take you where it will. This works if you can stay in the moment and enjoy the journey. It's a message that informs Droge's life and work. Speaking with Songfacts about writing with Summers, he said: "It's always a little different, and that's what we love about songwriting. Sometimes there's a core idea right away. Other times, it reveals itself as we work."
  • The song got a lot of attention when it was used in a 2008 commercial for the Toyota Sequoia where a family uses it for car camping. It's a rare commercial with no dialogue - just the song and some ambient sounds. The song also appears in a 2007 episode of the show Men In Trees and a 2013 episode of Legit.

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

David Bowie Lyrics Quiz

David Bowie Lyrics QuizMusic Quiz

How well do you know your David Bowie lyrics? Take this quiz to find out.

Carl Sturken

Carl SturkenSongwriter Interviews

Hitmaker Carl Sturken on writing and producing for Rihanna, 'N Sync, Christina Aguilera, Kelly Clarkson, Donny Osmond, Shakira and Karyn White.

Corey Hart

Corey HartSongwriter Interviews

The Canadian superstar talks about his sudden rise to fame, and tells the stories behind his hits "Sunglasses At Night," "Boy In The Box" and "Never Surrender."

Martyn Ware of Heaven 17

Martyn Ware of Heaven 17Songwriter Interviews

Martyn talks about producing Tina Turner, some Heaven 17 hits, and his work with the British Electric Foundation.

Jon Foreman of Switchfoot

Jon Foreman of SwitchfootSongwriter Interviews

Switchfoot's frontman and main songwriter on what inspires the songs and how he got the freedom to say exactly what he means.

Stan Ridgway

Stan RidgwaySongwriter Interviews

Go beyond the Wall of Voodoo with this cinematic songwriter.