Mandolin Wind
Mandolin Wind is a Rod Stewart song written by Stewart. It first appeared on his 1971 album Every Picture Tells a Story and was later the B-side to his single "(I Know) I'm Losing You." Mercury released it as a 7-inch single in 1977. The track has since appeared on many Rod Stewart collections and live albums, and was later recorded by the Everly Brothers (1972) for Stories We Could Tell and by Earl Scruggs (1977) for Strike Anywhere; both versions show up on various compilations.
Critics have praised the song highly. In Rolling Stone, John Mendelsohn called it nearly as good as Maggie May, the album’s standout single. The Rough Guide named it the album’s highlight, and AllMusic’s Stewart Mason said it is equal in power to Maggie May, with Stephen Thomas Erlewine calling it heartbreakingly poignant. Cash Box noted its mood as reminiscent of Maggie May’s introspective moments, while Record World praised it despite its length. Billboard called it an excellent Rod Stewart composition, and some reviews suggested it had strong single potential. Biographers Tim Ewbank and Stafford Hildred call it a stunning ballad.
Musically, the song blends rock and folk, using mostly acoustic instruments with a prominent mandolin. Stewart has said the mandolin sounds romantic and that his goal is to play Mandolin Wind so it sounds like the record. The exact mandolin player is not clear. Liner notes say the mandolin was played by the mandolinist from Lindisfarne, though the name was forgotten by Stewart. Over the years, claims have surfaced that Ray Jackson of Lindisfarne played it on Maggie May, or that Martin Quittenton played mandolin; some sources even suggest Davey Johnstone may have appeared on early sessions.
This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 08:34 (CET).