“Winter Winds” is the second single by the London folk quartet Mumford & Sons, released from their debut album, Sigh No More. It was released in the UK on 6 December 2009, where it peaked at number 44; in Belgium it reached number 29. Marcus Mumford has said that this is his favorite song to sing live. It was written by Winston Marshall.[2]
Fraser McAlpine of the BBC Chart Blog gave the song a positive 5-star review stating that it would serve as an “amazing Christmas carol equivalent” for a ‘winterval’ type holiday, as “it’s quietly optimistic, pleased without being smug, melancholy but uplifting” and “sure of itself, but only because all the lessons learned have been hard-won, and generally reflective of times gone by”.[3]
Shooting for the video took place in November 2008, at Blue Bell Hill in Kent. Many of the scenes utilised the Kits Coty field. On the night of its debut on YouTube the video hit 250,000 views, breaking the release record previously held by Lady Gaga, of 200,000 views.