She's Like the Wind

"She's Like the Wind" is a 1987 song by American actor and singer Patrick Swayze from the soundtrack to the film Dirty Dancing. The song features additional vocals from singer Wendy Fraser. The ballad^[3] reached number three on the US Billboard Hot 100 and number one on the Adult Contemporary chart.^[4]

"She's Like the Wind"
Single by Patrick Swayze featuring Wendy Fraser
from the album Dirty Dancing: Original Soundtrack from the Vestron Motion Picture
B-side	"Stay" (performed by Maurice Williams and the Zodiacs)
Released	December 1987^[1]
Recorded	November 1986
Genre	Soft rock^[2]
Length	3:54
Label	RCA
Songwriter(s)	Patrick Swayze Stacy Widelitz
Producer(s)	Michael Lloyd
Patrick Swayze featuring Wendy Fraser singles chronology
"She's Like the Wind" (1987) "Raising Heaven (in Hell) Tonight" (1989)

Production

Swayze and Stacy Widelitz co-wrote the song in 1984. It was originally intended for the soundtrack of Grandview, U.S.A.^[5] and was meant to be about Jamie Lee Curtis' character in the film.^{[citation needed]} However, the song was not used in that film. During production of Dirty Dancing in 1987, Swayze played the demo for producer Linda Gottlieb and director Emile Ardolino. They loved it and passed it on to Jimmy Ienner and Bob Feiden, the soundtrack's executive producers.^[5] It was recorded for the soundtrack in November 1986, with Michael Lloyd producing. The song, like the film in which it was featured, was a success, reaching number three on the Billboard Hot 100 and number one on Adult Contemporary, and was a hit around the world. It is still in rotation on radio. The soundtrack album was number one for 18 weeks.^{[note 1][4]}

During his appearance on the August 7, 2020 episode of the podcast The Joe Rogan Experience, actor Rob Lowe mentions that Swayze tried to shop the song to the producers of Lowe's 1986 film, Youngblood for inclusion on its soundtrack, but the song was rejected.^[6]

Music video

The music video in black and white features clips from the movie Dirty Dancing. The video can be seen on the Ultimate Dirty Dancing DVD.

Releases

The song was released commercially on 7" vinyl in many countries, with a 3-track 12" maxi single and 2-track cassette also produced. CD singles were a relatively new format, however; a 2 and 3-track 5" CD and Japanese mini CD single were commercially released.

Track listing

7" vinyl single - US^[7]

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"She's Like the Wind"	P. Swayze, S. Widelitz	3:49
2.	"Stay"	Maurice Williams	1:34

CD single - France^[8]

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"She's Like the Wind"	P. Swayze, S. Widelitz	3:49
2.	"Stay"	Maurice Williams	1:34

Cassette single - US

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"She's Like the Wind"	P. Swayze, S. Widelitz	3:49
2.	"Stay"	Maurice Williams	1:34

Personnel

• Patrick Swayze - Lead vocals
• Wendy Fraser - Harmony and co-lead vocals
• Laurence Juber - Guitar^[9][10]
• Gary Herbig - Saxophone^[11]
• Dennis Belfield - Bass^[12]
• Paul Leim - Drums^[10][12]
• Stacy Widelitz - Oberheim OB-8 synthesizer^[12]

Charts

Weekly charts Chart (1987–1988) Peak position Australia (Kent Music Report)^[13] 6 Austrian Singles Chart^[14] 15 Canada RPM Adult Contemporary^[15] 1 Canada RPM Top Singles^[16] 4 Canada The Record Top Singles^[17] 5 Dutch Mega Top 100^[14] 13 German Singles Chart^[18] 14 Irish Singles Chart^[19] 4 New Zealand Singles Chart^[14] 27 Norwegian Singles Chart^[14] 7 South African Singles Chart^[20] 13 Swedish Singles Chart^[14] 8 Swiss Singles Chart^[14] 23 UK Singles Chart^[21] 17 US Billboard Hot 100 3 US Billboard Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks 1 US Cash Box Top 100^[22] 2 Chart (1992–93) Peak position French SNEP Singles Chart^[14] 7 Chart (2009) Peak position Swiss Singles Chart^[23] 67

Year-end charts Chart (1988) Rank Canada^[24] 27 US Billboard Hot 100^[25] 40 US Cash Box^[26] 38

Certifications

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI)^[27]	Gold	400,000^‡
^‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Cover versions

Lumidee and Tony Sunshine version

"She's Like the Wind"
Single by Lumidee featuring Tony Sunshine
from the album Unexpected
Released	January 13, 2007
Label	TVT
Producer(s)	J. Marty, T.C. Love
Lumidee singles chronology
"Dance!" (2006) "She's Like the Wind" (2007) "Crazy" (2007)

American recording artists Lumidee and Tony Sunshine covered the song for Lumidee's second album, Unexpected (2007). It was released as the lead single from Unexpected in the US and Europe on April 3, 2007.

Background

According to Lumidee, the idea to record a remake of Patrick Swayze's 1987 song "She's Like The Wind" was inspired by her European label when she recommended a collaboration with recording artist Tony Sunshine.^[28] She also said, "We'd been talking about working together but hadn't been able to. But he loved the idea of doing something with this song."^[29]

Music video

The music video for this version was directed by Dayo.^[30]

Track listing

1. "She's Like the Wind" (radio edit) – 4:17
2. "She's Like the Wind" (Spanglish version) – 3:53
3. "She's Like the Wind" (instrumental) – 4:18
4. "She's Like the Wind" (a cappella) – 4:15

Charts

Chart (2007)	Peak position
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)^[31]	14
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia)^[32]	22
Canada CHR/Top 40 (Billboard)^[33]	29
Denmark (Tracklisten)^[34]	6
US Billboard Hot 100^[35]	43
US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)^[36]	75
US Latin Rhythm Airplay (Billboard)^[37]	30
US Mainstream Top 40 (Billboard)^[38]	18
US Rhythmic (Billboard)^[39]	23

Notes

1. 9 weeks from December 5, 1987 to January 9, 1988, then 9 weeks from March 12 to May 7, 1988.

References

1. Patrick Swayze Featuring Wendy Fraser - She's Like The Wind, retrieved October 23, 2020
2. Tzioumakis, Yannis (March 18, 2013). The Time of Our Lives: Dirty Dancing and Popular Culture. Wayne State University Press. p. 250. ISBN 978-0-8143-3625-0.
3. Naish, Stephen Lee (April 28, 2017). Deconstructing Dirty Dancing. John Hunt Publishing. ISBN 9781782799726 – via Google Books.
4. Whitburn, Joel (2002). Top Adult Contemporary: 1961–2001. Record Research. p. 238.
5. Swayze, Patrick; Swayze, Lisa Niemi (September 29, 2009). The Time of My Life. Simon and Schuster. p. 173. ISBN 978-1-4391-6591-1.
6. "JRE #1522 - Rob Lowe". The Joe Rogan Experience (Podcast). August 7, 2020. Retrieved October 23, 2020.
7. Patrick Swayze – She's Like The Wind 7" US vinyl single
8. Patrick Swayze – She's Like The Wind CD single - France
9. Callwood, Brett (2017). "Laurence Juber is the ultimate Wing-man." Culver City News, 18 Nov. 2017. Retrieved November 21, 2021.
10. Widelitz, Stacy. "'She's Like the Wind' & My Story Behind the Song." @stacywidelitz.com Retrieved November 20, 2021.
11. Gary Herbig @lastudiomusicians.org Retrieved November 21, 2021.
12. "The Dirty Dancing Soundtrack: the inside story from its hitmaking songwriters." The Strange Brew Retrieved November 21, 2021.
13. Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 302. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
14. "She's Like the Wind", in various singles charts Lescharts.com (Retrieved January 12, 2009)
15. "Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. March 12, 1988. Retrieved November 30, 2018.
16. "Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. March 26, 1988. Retrieved November 30, 2018.
17. Nanda Lwin (1999). Top 40 Hits: The Essential Chart Guide. Music Data Canada. ISBN 1-896594-13-1.
18. German Singles Chart Charts-surfer.de (Retrieved January 12, 2009)
19. Irish Single Chart Irishcharts.ie (Retrieved January 12, 2009)
20. South African Singles Chart [1] (Retrieved 4 December 2013)
21. UK Singles Chart Official Charts Company (Retrieved January 12, 2009)
22. "Cash Box Top 100 3/12/88". Tropicalglen.com. Retrieved April 25, 2021.
23. "She's Like The Wind by Patrick Swayze and Wendy Fraser - Music Charts". Acharts.co. Retrieved April 25, 2021.
24. Carolyn Hope. "Barry's Hits of All Decades Pop rock n roll Music Chart Hits". Hitsofalldecades.com.
25. "Top 100 Hits of 1988/Top 100 Songs of 1988". Musicoutfitters.com. Retrieved April 25, 2021.
26. "Cash Box YE Pop Singles - 1988". Tropicalglen.com. Retrieved April 25, 2021.
27. "British single certifications – Patrick Swayze ft Wendy Fraser – She's Like the Wind". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved March 8, 2022.
28. (Posted: March 26, 2007) Elena del Valle, Puerto Rican singer Lumidee launches second album in April 2007 hispanicmpr.com. Poyeen Publishing. Retrieved 2010-10-31.
29. Gail Mitchell, "R&B singer Lumidee rejects one-hit-wonder tag" Reuters.com. Retrieved 2010-10-31.
30. Lumidee, "She's Like The Wind" (Feat. Tony Sunshine) - Music videos 2009-04-29 at the Wayback Machine BET.com. Retrieved 2010-10-31.
31. "Lumidee feat. Tony Sunshine – She's Like The Wind" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50.
32. "Lumidee feat. Tony Sunshine – She's Like The Wind" (in French). Ultratop 50.
33. "Lumidee Chart History (Canada CHR/Top 40)". Billboard. Retrieved March 22, 2020.
34. "Lumidee feat. Tony Sunshine – She's Like The Wind". Tracklisten.
35. "Lumidee Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard.
36. "Lumidee Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard.
37. "Lumidee Chart History (Latin Rhythm Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved March 22, 2020.
38. "Lumidee Chart History (Pop Songs)". Billboard.
39. "Lumidee Chart History (Rhythmic)". Billboard. Retrieved March 22, 2020.