Well Written Songs Week: Day 1 - Wind Beneath My Wings

This week is well written songs week. Songs that have the best lyrics and are sung well. Today is 'Wind Beneath My Wings'.

It must have been cold there in my shadow,
to never have sunlight on your face
You were content to let me shine, that's your way
You always walked a step behind

So I was the one with all the glory,
while you were the one with all the strength
A beautiful face without a name for so long
A beautiful smile to hide the pain

Did you ever know that you're my hero
and everything I would like to be?
I can fly higher than an eagle
'cause you are the wind beneath my wings

It might have appeared to go unnoticed
but I've got it all here in my heart
I want you to know I know the truth, of course I know it
I would be nothing without you

Did you ever know that you're my hero?
You're everything I wish I could be
I could fly higher than an eagle
'cause you are the wind beneath my wings

Oh, the wind beneath my wings
You, you, you, you are the wind beneath my wings
Fly, fly, fly away. You let me fly so high
Oh, you, you, you, the wind beneath my wings
Oh, you, you, you, the wind beneath my wings

Fly, fly, fly high against the sky
So high I almost touch the sky
Thank you, thank you
Thank God for you, the wind beneath my wings

'Wind Beneath My Wings' was written in 1982 by Jeff Silbar and Larry Henley. They recorded a demo of the song, which they gave to musician Bob Montgomery. Montgomery then recorded his own demo version of the song, changing it from the mid-tempo version he was given to a ballad. Silbar and Henley then shopped the song to many artists, eventually resulting in Roger Whittaker becoming the first to release the song commercially. It appeared on his 1982 studio album, also titled 'Wind Beneath My Wings'.

Following Whittaker's recording, many other artists recorded the song, including Sheena Easton. Easton's version appeared on her 1982 studio album Madness, Money & Music, though it was not released as a single by her record company.

But the highest-charting version of the song to date was recorded in 1988 by singer and actress Bette Midler for the soundtrack to the film Beaches. This version of 'Wind Beneath My Wings' was released as a single in early 1989, spent one week at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart in June 1989, and won Grammy Awards for both Record of the Year and Song of the Year in February 1990. On October 24, 1991, Midler's single was also certitifed Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America for shipment of one million copies in the United States.