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"Cast Your Fate to the Wind"
US 7" single
Single by Vince Guaraldi
from the album Jazz Impressions of Black Orpheus
A-side	"Samba de Orpheus"
Released	18 July 1962
Genre	Jazz
Length	2:58
Label	Fantasy 563X Vocalion EPV-F.1280
Songwriter(s)	Vince Guaraldi
Vince Guaraldi singles chronology
"Cast Your Fate to the Wind" (1962) "Zelao" (1963)
Alternate cover
UK 7" single cover art

"Cast Your Fate to the Wind" is an American jazz instrumental selection by Vince Guaraldi; later, a lyric was written by Carel Werber. It won a Grammy Award for Best Original Jazz Composition in 1963.

It was included on the album Jazz Impressions of Black Orpheus (credited to the Vince Guaraldi Trio), released by Fantasy Records on April 18, 1962.

Fantasy actually released "Cast Your Fate to the Wind" as the B-side of the bossa nova-flavored "Samba de Orpheus" single. However, U.S. radio disc jockeys preferred the more accessible, catchy "Cast Your Fate to the Wind", propelling it to No. 22 on the Billboard Hot 100 pop chart and No. 9 on the Easy Listening chart. In an effort to exploit the unexpected popularity of the song, Fantasy retitled Jazz Impressions of Black Orpheus as Cast Your Fate to the Wind for future album pressings.

Peanuts

Peanuts executive producer Lee Mendelson cited "Cast Your Fate to the Wind" as the tune he heard on the radio that prompted him to commission Guaraldi to compose music cues for the 1963 documentary A Boy Named Charlie Brown, which was ultimately not broadcast due to a lack of sponsorship. The resulting album, Jazz Impressions of A Boy Named Charlie Brown, proved to be popular enough to retain Guaraldi's services for A Charlie Brown Christmas. The collaboration between Guaraldi and the entire Peanuts franchise lasted until Guaraldi's death in 1976. "Cast Your Fate to the Wind" has been covered by many artists in a wide range of genres, including both male and female solo vocalists, pop, folk, and rock groups, as well as many instrumental performers.

Cover versions

Instrumental versions

• In 1965, the British easy listening group Sounds Orchestral redirected the tune away from the jazz-influenced midsection to more of a nightclub sound and concluded the tune with a short piano section. That version attained No. 5 in the UK, No. 10 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart, No. 1 on the US Easy Listening chart, and No. 5 on the Canadian AC charts.

Vocal versions

• In 1966, North Hollywood singer Shelby Flint released a version of the song which peaked at No. 61 on the Hot 100, No. 11 on the Easy Listening chart, and No. 92 in Canada.

In film

• The song was featured Good Morning, Vietnam (1987).
• The song was featured in The In Crowd (1988).
• Allen Toussaint's version is played during the credits for the 2013 film The Wolf of Wall Street.
• Allen Toussaint's version was also played during the credits for the 2023 black romcom film Hit Man.

Charts

Personnel

Vince Guaraldi Trio

• Vince Guaraldi – piano
• Colin Bailey – drums
• Monty Budwig – double bass

See also

• List of number-one adult contemporary singles of 1965 (U.S.)
• List of jazz standards

References

1. Best Original Jazz Composition award winners Retrieved February 27, 2012.
2. Vince Guaraldi Trio, Jazz Impressions of Black Orpheus Retrieved February 27, 2012.
3. ^ "Cast Your Fate to the Wind" at Billboard.com
4. ^ "Cast Your Fate to the Wind" at discogs.com Retrieved 6 May 2020.
5. Bang, Derrick. Liner notes for A Boy Named Charlie Brown: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (2017); Kritzerland, Inc. Retrieved 7 May 2020
6. ^ Whitburn, Joel (2002). Top Adult Contemporary: 1961-2001. Record Research. p. 227.
7. "RPM AC Singles - August 23, 1965" (PDF).
8. "RPM Top 100 Singles - October 17, 1966" (PDF).

• 1960s instrumentals
• 1962 songs
• 1965 singles
• Cameo-Parkway Records singles
• Compositions by Vince Guaraldi
• Fantasy Records singles
• Jazz compositions in A-flat major
• Johnny Rivers songs
• Pop instrumentals
• Pop standards
• Pye Records singles
• Song recordings produced by John Schroeder (musician)
• We Five songs