"Hickory Wind" was co-written by Gram Parsons and Bob Buchanan during a train ride from Florida to Los Angeles in early 1968. It first appeared on The Byrds' Sweetheart of the Rodeo album. The song is often considered Parsons' signature tune, and his decision to play it at the Grand Ole Opry in 1968, instead of a planned cover, surprised the country music establishment and became a key part of his legend. It's interpreted as a reflection on bittersweet nostalgia, simple childhood pleasures, and the challenges of fame and city life.