"Against the Wind" is a song written and recorded by the American singer-songwriter Bob Seger for his eleventh studio album of the same name. It was released as the second single from the album in April 1980 through Capitol Records. Seger recorded the ballad during a two-year process that begat his eleventh album; it was recorded with producer Bill Szymczyk at Criteria Studios in north Miami, Florida. Sonically, "Against the Wind" is a mid-tempo soft rock tune with piano backing. It was recorded with Seger's Silver Bullet Band, and features backing vocals from Eagles co-frontman Glenn Frey. "Against the Wind" explores the space between care and indifference from friends and loved ones. It centers on maturation and memories, like many other Seger songs, and carries a tender, mellow tone. Seger pulled from his high school years as a cross-country runner to form the song's title–a metaphor for growing old. "Against the Wind" became one of Seger's most successful singles, reaching number five on the Billboard Hot 100. It also charted in Canada, Australia, and Belgium. It received high marks from music critics, with many praising Seger's songwriting. The song has been celebrated by generations of contemporary country artists, with covers ranging from Garth Brooks to Brooks & Dunn. Background "Against the Wind" developed over a two-year period when Seger was recording its parent album. He was driven by the desire to have a number one album, and aimed to record hit singles for his eleventh album, emphasizing a deliberately commercial sound. Seger felt more comfortable than before working in the studio. He personally opened up more to others, and distinguished it as the most fulfilled he had felt as a songwriter to that point. For Against the Wind, he worked with Eagles producer Bill Szymczyk. The recording process was handled at higher-quality studios than before, with an emphasis on polish and getting "things right." The song includes backing vocals from Eagles singer-songwriter Glenn Frey. Seger and Frey had met in the mid-1960s when they were both working the Detroit club scene, and had remained close since; a year prior, Seger co-wrote and made a guest appearance on the Eagles' "Heartache Tonight". Themes Like much of its parent album, "Against the Wind" is a mellow, mid-tempo ballad with country-rock overtones. Steve Pond at Rolling Stone identified it as one of many Seger "mediums": mid-tempo tunes with "loping tempos, [and] subdued instrumentation."