My mother loved John Denver and Annie's Song was her favorite. The day she passed away I was sitting at the foot of her bed. She was close to passing we all knew it. All my family was outside so I pulled out my guitar and started singing this song. She never opened her eyes but she smiled and a few minutes after I finished she passed away.
@@karenmatthews1751 it was my way of telling her bye. I knew I wouldn't be able to look at her in her coffin, because that wasn't her. So I said my last goodbye before she passed..
Thank God I’’m a country boy… absolutely… Many of you will remember that John Denver died tragically in an airplane crash in Monterey Bay, near the Pebble Beach Golf Course about 25 years ago., Many of the caddies on the course will tell you that putts on certain greens there break toward John Denver… Very dark humor…
Fun fact. He and wife Annie had an argument. He left the house to ski and to clear his mind (they lived on the mountain). While skiing, he realized how nature and his love for Annie filled up his senses. Each snow flake seemed amplified. Each bird singing. The noise of the snow shifting on trees. He said he wrote the song in 10 minutes. His love for Annie. 10 minutes. He FELT that song to his core. ♥️
And yet they split up. Guess he got tired of being filled. After that I never heard this song in the same way again. I always would wonder what Anne would be thinking and feeling whenever she heard it- knowing he was with someone else. Sigh, such is life.
He’s definitely a tenor. Mama Cass Elliot, the Mamas & the Papas, called him the greatest folk singer of our generation. That’s one hell of a compliment coming from one of the greatest folk groups of any time.
Around '92, I made a mix tape for my then girlfriend. Someone whom I would spend the next nearly 30 years with as her husband. Any time she would hear this song, she would mention, with a smile in her eyes, that this was on her tape. This May, after a 5 month battle with cancer, she went home. Thank you for reacting to this song. I miss her dearly, but this brought back a flood of wonderful memories. Always let the people you love, know how you feel.
All I can say to you is you found your true love. You spent 30 years together and not a lot of people can say that. Your a lucky man . I was married 20 years and we grew apart. I still love her. Remember your Memories with your wife will never go away.
And love their reaction! Calypso is different but amazing in its own way. when on Jacques Cousteau's ship Calypso. Wondering if they ever reviewed Glenn Campbell Gentle on My Mind , Lineman (I don't particularly like Rhinestone Cowboy)
I don’t know what this other person is talking about!!! But I know what u mean!! Country Roads just is such an American staple of a song!! And it gets me emotional!!
A few others to try. Poems, Prayers, and Promises, Thank God I'm a Country Boy, Take Me Home Country Roads, The Eagle and the Hawk, Calypso, Leaving On a Jet Plane.
As a child of the 70's it's hard to describe how big a part of life John Denver was. We loved the Muppets in our house and seeing him on the show is one of those childhood snapshots that will always be there. Hearing his voice brings back simple times. He truly is an American treasure.
John Denver is my favorite singer of the 1970's. So many great songs and sung with such heart. The only time I ever felt heartbroken when a celebrity died was when John Denver died. I really felt like I knew him.
A friend and I found out as we were going into class at A&M, by our prof. We both started crying and he was like, "just go, and listen to Poems Prayers & Promises; I'm out as soon as class is done." We were wrecked! We were Parks & Rec majors, so the whole department was solemn that day.
We lost John Denver, Princess Diana and John Jr Kennedy all in the same year, was like the end of the world as we knew it, forever changed and not for the better..
Yes! We saw him at the Fox in Atlanta a few months before he died, and his voice was so mellow and amazing. I cry every time I hear this song or "For You".
Absolutely John Denver was a tenor, and an incredibly talented one. Amber, when he goes from what you call his higher range to his mid range, that is when he goes from his “head voice” to his “chest voice.” Pretty much all singers do that, whether they realize it or not. Professionals know all about that. The ease with which a singer transitions from chest voice to head voice, and vice versa, depends on many factors including how much control they have over their instrument (their voice) and the physical mechanics of singing (well.) Not all great singers make those transitions as well as others, and some types of music require it more than other types. But the vocalists who make it big almost always have mastered the ability to make those transitions appear seamless even though they really aren’t. John Denver was a master at that.
The vocal might sound unimpressive to someone who isn't a singer, but holding notes as long and loud as John Denver could takes a lot of practice at breath control.
@@willdwyer6782 I wasn't implying John's vocals were not special. They are and he is very talented. He is a singer that doesn't try any impress with his vocals by all the loops and runs and hooplah some singers use to impress people with their voice. He uses his voice to sell the song and does so brilliantly.
Definitely "Calypso". Man, that's a song where you feel the waves, taste the spray and just go on a wonderful voyage. A beautiful tribute to Jacques Cousteau. May he and John both RIP
As a kid in the mid 70's I remember John having a Christmas special that came on T.V. every year. I believe it was called John Denver's Rocky Mountain Christmas. I watched that show every year religiously. Such a talent!
I've suggested it a couple of times before, but "City of New Orleans" by Arlo Guthrie is a great folk song. I would suggest the studio version. So catchy and great visuals from the story it tells.
There may never be another melody that has the sweetness and passion of John Denver's masterpiece .... It is truly iconic ... it will be played forever
"Sunshine on my Shoulders" is a lovely song by John Denver. Cat Stevens, Al Stewart, and Crosby, Stills, and Nash are some other folk-flavored artists of the era.
I had a friend who worked for John Denver (his Lear jet stuff -Windstar) and got to meet John several times and saw him in concert 3 or 4 times. I can't say enough. This man was so talented. I was a fan even before. Seeing him perform live was phenomenal and I'll never forget the feelings his music brings out in your soul. Annie's song still brings tears to my eyes.
Hey guys, John Denver played the lead in a great comedy movie. He is an ordinary guy who God taps to spread his message. His wife is played by Teri Garr and God is played perfectly by George Burns. Super funny and made for the whole family.
Annie's Song was written as an ode to Denver's wife at the time. He said he wrote this song in about ten minutes one day on a ski lift to the top of a mountain, as the physical exhilaration of having just skied down a very difficult run, and the feeling of total immersion in the beauty of the colors and sounds that filled his senses inspired him to think about his wife. According to Annie, she knew that while it initially was a love song to be given to her by him, she recognized that the song had actually become, for him, more like a prayer. So many other great songs from him. Poems, Prayers, & Promises is one of my favorites. Sunshine On My Shoulders and Thank God I'm A Country Boy are also wonderful. And i can't forget to mention Leavin' On A Jet Plane. So, soooo good!!
Aww man, I absolutely love this song. Again, it reminds me of my childhood. John Denver wrote such beautiful music. I can just hear my mom singing this. She had such a beautiful voice. RIP mom, I miss you everyday.😢
This has to be one of the most iconic love songs of the 20th Century, in its sentiment, purity and just all round feel-good factor. It was one of my Dad's favourites - he was a fan of John Denver's music and it wouldn't surprise me if it made him think of my Mum, who was called Anne (but hated anyone calling her Annie). This is the first time in a long while I've heard "Annie's Song". I still remember all the lyrics from when I was little, but what I didn't realise was what an emotional effect it would have on me. Such a beautiful song and his death was such a tragedy.
His songs have been my life's soundtrack. I've climbed mountains, lived in Montana, hiked/camped alone. All because of the awe of nature he painted in his songs.
I was a kid when John Denver exploded onto the music scene in the early 70's. I have heard a LOT of amazing artists in my time but JD has always been my favorite. I have to tell this story about Annie's Song. I was a young teenager and I had a small radio by my bed & one Saturday night I fell asleep listening to music. I don't how much later I awoke hearing Annie's Song .....I can't describe the feeling that overwhelmed me. The beauty of the melody & lyrics felt it took my soul into a heavenly dimension. I was numb with joy, peace and love. Even now tears are welling up as I remember those precious few moments that night.
John Denver was a singer-songwriter & actor. He had so many great hits in the 70's-80's. Some of his signature songs were "Take Me Home, Country Roads", "Poems, Prayers & Promises", "Annie's Song", "Rocky Mountain High", "Calypso", "Thank God I'm A Country Boy" & "Sunshine On My Shoulders". John appeared in several films & television specials during the 70's-80's, including the 1977 hit "Oh, God!", in which he starred alongside George Burns.
John was such a talent. The story is that John was skiing and decided to take one more run. He had been thinking about writing a song for his wife. On the lift (long ride up) he wrote this song in his head. Took his last run for the day and went home to firm up the melody and get the words on paper. Always amazes me how these truly great writers can have a song just pour out of them in such a short amount of time. What a gift. Try the beautifully soaring sounds of his song Calypso. It is a tribute to Oceanographer and environmentalist Jacques Cousteau. Jacques' research boat was the Calypso.
You can’t go wrong with any song. My personal favorite is Calypso. My dream was to be a marine biologist and work with Jacques Cousteau. Calypso is a tribute to him.
I do love John Denver. I don't know how he did it, but you can hear and feel nature in every song he sang. You just have to close your eyes and soar with him. Annie's Song has always been one of my favorites, along with Sunshine On My Shoulders.
A wonderful artist. A great tune. How many weddings included this tune. Just love it! Thank you. Please reaction to John's "Looking For Space". What a song about life's ups and downs, and a way to cope.
Rob and Amber, I loved watching your faces as John Denver took you on a journey with his song. I could clearly see that he was moving you the way he has moved me for the last 50 years. The man was a great singer and song writer, but more importantly, he was a great human being.
John Denver did indeed "sing" at my wedding over 47 years ago. His song "Follow Me" was performed by a friend as a part of the Introit prior to the ceremony. The other song performed was Noel Paul Stookey's ("Paul" of folk group Peter, Paul and Mary) "Wedding Song". I knew Amber was going to "fall in love" when she heard "Annie's Song". It's amazing the way John Denver is able to put all of his feelings and heart-felt emotion into the words and music of a song. If I remember the story correctly, John and Annie had a spat one morning. Later that day when John was on a ski lift taking in all of the wonder and beauty of the Rocky Mountains, the words and music of "Annie's Song" just came to him. If you want to hear some more of this type of John Denver song, listen to his recordings of "Poems, Prayers, and Promises" and "Back Home Again". To hear two beautiful voices together, listen to "Fly Away", his duet with Olivia Newton-John.
“I’m Sorry” hits a lot like this one. “Fly Away” just makes me a teary mess, especially in light of how he passed. But the song that really takes me to my happy place is “Back Home Again.”
Annie's Song is one of THE most beautiful songs ever. Perfect combination of voice, lyrics & music. Never get tired of hearing it. One of my aunts sang this to my uncle at their wedding when I was a kid, in a little country church decorated with autumn leaves, bittersweet & greenery. I thought she made the song up & was surprised when I got a little older & heard it on the radio. #lol
I hear guitar, flute, piano violin base and maybe the oboe horn. I grew up with John Denver. One of my presents for my 16th Birthday was his album Rocky Mountain High. It is wonderful to see the younger generation appreciate what we liked in the 60’s and 70’s his voice and words he paints a picture with, still to this day he can make me tear up. Thank you for sharing you thoughts on this very talented person.
"Take Me Home, Country Roads" might give this song a run for its money as far as being your favorite. It's a must-listen. "Sunshine On My Shoulders" is also great. Also, you should look into the band Bread, from this same time period and genre. "If" and "Everything I Own" are standouts.
When she said John made her feel like she was soaring, I was thinking, " just wait until she gets hold of 'The Eagle and Hawk' or 'Eagles and Horses'."
“Sunshine on My Shoulders” is beautiful and “Leaving on a Jet Plane”… there’s a great live version he did with Mama Cass. Or for a bit of fun “Grandma’s Feather Bed”… loved this when I was a kid…takes me straight back there every time I hear it.
"This Old Guitar" is the song that sums up John's Story. When his Grandma gave him a guitar for his 10th birthday "good job Grandma" he lost the guitar on one of his road trips but found it a year later and that"s when he wrote "This old Guitar" !! i play about about 10 to 15 of John;s songs he got me started finger picking !!!
I can’t listen to him without crying. So many have died young, Petty, Prince etc, but John was this sweet soul living life the way he loved. Such an outdoorsman and lover of nature. He does much much MUCH to young. I loved him.
When this song came out we all wished we were Annie and that he was singing directly to us. This is one of the most beautiful love songs ever recorded. Great choice. Lovely reaction 🎄🌺✌️
I cry almost every time I hear his beautiful voice. I was devastated when he died and still miss him. My favorite JD songs are Poems, Prayers and Promises and This Old Guitar but really, they're all good. I also want to make one suggestion. If you haven't yet, and I don't think you have, you owe it to yourselves and us old folks to listen to James Taylor's Fire and Rain. Once it gets under your skin, you'll never forget it.
@@gib59er56 I am not too sure on that. He is VERY introverted…is it possible you might be seeing that instead? I am shocked he works through it and can perform to large crowds
@@kejo7779 Both this & Calypso are my favorites from him. I remember vividly when he passed. I was so sad and sorry, and so was everyone else - even heavy metal folks were genuinely sad that we lost John Denver.
John Denver just has this glorious voice and this is one of my favourites of his! He wrote it on a ski lift for his then wife after they'd had a fight. And their daughter used it at her wedding after he'd passed. You should check out "Fly Away"
I was about 14 years old when this song came on the radio in my parent’s car back in the early 1970s. I couldn’t breathe while he was singing this incredible song. I remember also crying softly because I had never before been so touched by a song on the radio. We had no TH-cam to go back and listen to it over and over, but as soon as I found the 45 record, I begged my Mom to buy it. I had never done that before. Over 45 years later this song still transports me to another time and place. Such a beautiful message sung by an even more beautiful singer. Such love sung in every syllable. He is so missed. 😢
The song that introduced me to John Denver in high school. He died when I was seven years old in a plane crash. He wrote this for his first wife, Annie. He is my all-time favorite singer-songwriter of the 70's!
A favorite John Denver song of mine, is one of his shortest, "The Hawk and the Eagle" - it shows off his range and power so well, and just gives me shivers every time I hear it.
Every single wedding I went to in the late 70's and early 80's they played or someone sang this song and "We've Only Just Begun" I heard them so much it took me a long time to be able to hear those 2 songs without rolling my eyes and sighing in aggravation. But....I'm much older now and find both songs beautiful and tear inducing. No one makes music like this anymore. "Sunshine on My Shoulder" and "Country Roads" are 2 of my favorites by John Denver
My mother loved John Denver and Annie's Song was her favorite. The day she passed away I was sitting at the foot of her bed. She was close to passing we all knew it. All my family was outside so I pulled out my guitar and started singing this song. She never opened her eyes but she smiled and a few minutes after I finished she passed away.
every mother needs a son like you. i'm crying now.
Wow
what a great thing you did for her!
@@karenmatthews1751 it was my way of telling her bye. I knew I wouldn't be able to look at her in her coffin, because that wasn't her. So I said my last goodbye before she passed..
@@moonlightmile70s96 me too
So many great songs. "Take me home country roads", "Sunshine on my shoulders", "Calipso", "Thank God I'm a country boy", "Leaving on a jet plane".
Love Calipso.
Thank God I’’m a country boy… absolutely…
Many of you will remember that John Denver died tragically in an airplane crash in Monterey Bay, near the Pebble Beach Golf Course about 25 years ago., Many of the caddies on the course will tell you that putts on certain greens there break toward John Denver… Very dark humor…
He has a lot of great sings. "Take me home country roads" has got to be my favorite. It's definitely one of his greats.
Wasn't Jet Plane a Mama Cass cover?
@@davemcbroom695 It was a John Denver song that was very successfully covered by the folk-music trio, Peter, Paul, & Mary back in '67.
Possibly the most romantic and pure love song ever written. It can make me cry.💕
Ive said for decades that Annie's Song is in my top 2 or 3 of the BEST love songs EVER!!
If I'm watching him sing it, there's no way I can make it through without getting deeply emotional ...
Fun fact. He and wife Annie had an argument. He left the house to ski and to clear his mind (they lived on the mountain). While skiing, he realized how nature and his love for Annie filled up his senses. Each snow flake seemed amplified. Each bird singing. The noise of the snow shifting on trees. He said he wrote the song in 10 minutes. His love for Annie. 10 minutes. He FELT that song to his core. ♥️
Very nicely said thank you
So sad he didn't get to die in her arms.😥
He had the lyrics down within 10 minutes. The tune took a bit longer.
And yet they split up. Guess he got tired of being filled. After that I never heard this song in the same way again.
I always would wonder what Anne would be thinking and feeling whenever she heard it- knowing he was with someone else.
Sigh, such is life.
😥
He’s definitely a tenor. Mama Cass Elliot, the Mamas & the Papas, called him the greatest folk singer of our generation. That’s one hell of a compliment coming from one of the greatest folk groups of any time.
He also did a duet of Leaving on a Jet Plane with her. I've seen itvon TH-cam
@@JB-gr3jl They sang it together on the very first "Midnight Special" episode in 1972.
@@JB-gr3jl Yes - so great - Cass was promoting voting for young people - th-cam.com/video/NKdknYaSHgE/w-d-xo.html
a troubadour for our times
I feel happy to have seen it way back on TV as a teenager.
Around '92, I made a mix tape for my then girlfriend. Someone whom I would spend the next nearly 30 years with as her husband. Any time she would hear this song, she would mention, with a smile in her eyes, that this was on her tape.
This May, after a 5 month battle with cancer, she went home.
Thank you for reacting to this song. I miss her dearly, but this brought back a flood of wonderful memories.
Always let the people you love, know how you feel.
Very sorry for your loss. Hope you can take comfort knowing you had 30 great years.
So very sorry for your loss, but also glad for you that this brought back those happy memories.
All I can say to you is you found your true love. You spent 30 years together and not a lot of people can say that. Your a lucky man . I was married 20 years and we grew apart. I still love her. Remember your Memories with your wife will never go away.
Oh, I'm so sorry for your loss. I'm glad you had a beautiful marriage together.
The cost of love is grief.
One of the most beautiful love songs ever written. His voice is so pure and clean.
And love their reaction! Calypso is different but amazing in its own way. when on Jacques Cousteau's ship Calypso.
Wondering if they ever reviewed Glenn Campbell Gentle on My Mind , Lineman (I don't particularly like Rhinestone Cowboy)
Google how he wrote it, if you don't know.
John Denver's voice goes directly to your heart.
lso Csalypso when he was ion Jacque Cousteau's ship. also the latter very highly and beautifully produced. Folk sort Ode to Billy Joe?
I don’t know what this other person is talking about!!! But I know what u mean!! Country Roads just is such an American staple of a song!! And it gets me emotional!!
I've always said about this song - I want someone to love me like that. "Let me drown in your laughter, let me die in your arms." Oh, my heart.
Yes
It’s out there somewhere…wish you luck finding your other half.
I hope you find it. As Luther Vandross once sang, "There's nothing better than love".
"Sunshine on My Shoulders" - the ultimate soothing and most beautiful Denver song
gorgeous song
This one is superb too!
A few others to try. Poems, Prayers, and Promises, Thank God I'm a Country Boy, Take Me Home Country Roads, The Eagle and the Hawk, Calypso, Leaving On a Jet Plane.
Absolutely. There are also some badass samples/remixes of Sunshine, proving the point.
Agreed! "Sunshine On My Shoulder" 💙💙
As a child of the 70's it's hard to describe how big a part of life John Denver was. We loved the Muppets in our house and seeing him on the show is one of those childhood snapshots that will always be there. Hearing his voice brings back simple times. He truly is an American treasure.
Far out! Don’t forget Oh, God! He was surprisingly good in the film.
Same. I loved him on the Muppets.
Grandma's Feather Bed...saw that episode 😁
I wish kids these days could all grown up watching the classic Muppets and listening to John Denver. ❤
Grandma's feather bed episode
Can't listen to John sing without crying. Not ugly crying just soft weeping. His voice was pure and beautiful. Such a kind person and a terrible loss.
I can't hear it without shedding a tear. I sing it to my disabled child from time to time.
Same. His voice evokes so much feeling that the only thing I can do is cry. So beautiful.
John Denver is my favorite singer of the 1970's. So many great songs and sung with such heart. The only time I ever felt heartbroken when a celebrity died was when John Denver died. I really felt like I knew him.
A friend and I found out as we were going into class at A&M, by our prof. We both started crying and he was like, "just go, and listen to Poems Prayers & Promises; I'm out as soon as class is done." We were wrecked! We were Parks & Rec majors, so the whole department was solemn that day.
We lost John Denver, Princess Diana and John Jr Kennedy all in the same year, was like the end of the world as we knew it, forever changed and not for the better..
Reading these comments the lyrics Sometimes I feel like a Sad Song pops into my head.
I felt it too.
This is the greatest love song ever written and I'll die on that hill.
Sorry but it's "when a man loves a woman" but willing to say this is second.
@@EM1R8T1961 agree to disagree
As it was my wedding song, I will stand with you on that hill. 😁
Second to unchained melody
As he aged his voice became richer. Absolutely wonderful. He still gives me goosebumps.
That’s the truth.
His voice did become richer. I loved the way his songs made me feel. Thank you John. 😊
Yes! We saw him at the Fox in Atlanta a few months before he died, and his voice was so mellow and amazing. I cry every time I hear this song or "For You".
Absolutely John Denver was a tenor, and an incredibly talented one. Amber, when he goes from what you call his higher range to his mid range, that is when he goes from his “head voice” to his “chest voice.” Pretty much all singers do that, whether they realize it or not. Professionals know all about that. The ease with which a singer transitions from chest voice to head voice, and vice versa, depends on many factors including how much control they have over their instrument (their voice) and the physical mechanics of singing (well.) Not all great singers make those transitions as well as others, and some types of music require it more than other types. But the vocalists who make it big almost always have mastered the ability to make those transitions appear seamless even though they really aren’t. John Denver was a master at that.
My favorite John Denver song is "Calypso". But for a fun John Denver song, check out "Thank God I'm a country boy". I think you’ll really enjoy it. 🤠
ya, Calypso!
I love "Calypso" too!
For a fun song. "Grandma's Feathered Bed"
He used to say that Calypso was the best song he ever wrote.
Calypso is so uplifting and inspiring. Also my favorite of his songs.
He not only sung it like an angel, he composed this beautiful tribute of love to his then wife. Rest in peace, Mr. Denver.
He said he wrote it after a fight with Annie and he was on the ski lift and everything just came to him during that ride up the mountain.
This is a most beautiful love song. He delivers this from the heart without “trying” to impress vocally. Let’s the words sell the message.
The vocal might sound unimpressive to someone who isn't a singer, but holding notes as long and loud as John Denver could takes a lot of practice at breath control.
@@willdwyer6782 I wasn't implying John's vocals were not special. They are and he is very talented. He is a singer that doesn't try any impress with his vocals by all the loops and runs and hooplah some singers use to impress people with their voice. He uses his voice to sell the song and does so brilliantly.
He wrote this for his wife. Beautiful natural voice. This is folk music at it's finest.🤗
One of the most beautiful love songs ever written ❤
One of those singers that can bring tears to your eyes, especially this song. Annie was his wife. An amazing songwriter, musician and an angelic voice
"Calypso" is gorgeous, and so is "I'm Sorry". A personal favorite of mine is the more country sounding "Some Days Are Diamonds, Some Days Are Stones".
Calypso is a must listen to ..
Definitely "Calypso". Man, that's a song where you feel the waves, taste the spray and just go on a wonderful voyage. A beautiful tribute to Jacques Cousteau. May he and John both RIP
His voice was so pitch perfect and yet there was no autotune back in those days.
As a kid in the mid 70's I remember John having a Christmas special that came on T.V. every year. I believe it was called John Denver's Rocky Mountain Christmas. I watched that show every year religiously. Such a talent!
Yes! I watched every year. Merry Christmas.
👍
… also John Denver and the Muppets Christmas Special was spectacular, The Peace Carol from that show is my mother’s favorite Christmas song 🙂
It is so beautiful to see the next generation seeing what we saw so many years ago. Love you guys❤️
Sunshine on My Shoulders….beautiful
This is the perfect introduction to Mr. Denver. The sweetest most romantic song sung in the warmest, sweetest voice on the planet.
I've suggested it a couple of times before, but "City of New Orleans" by Arlo Guthrie is a great folk song. I would suggest the studio version. So catchy and great visuals from the story it tells.
I love Willie Nelson's version
Arlo Guthrie has quite a few really great songs, including "City Of New Orleans".
@@BradReddekopp the motorcykle song (with the story of the significance of the pickle!)
@@wonsworld61 "Alice's Restaurant" is great but probably too long for a reaction video. "Coming Into Los Angeles" is great, too.
@@BradReddekopp actually I have seen a reaction video to Alice's Restaurant. Two college kids if I remember.
There may never be another melody that has the sweetness and passion of John Denver's masterpiece .... It is truly iconic ... it will be played forever
"The Eagle and the Hawk" - John Denver. Underrated, underappreciated, and generally lesser known song of his. It always makes my mood soar.
Yes I second. Soar is the word...
Yes! A must listen!!!!
OMG you are right Eagle and The Hawk is awesome.
IMO,, "Eagle and the Hawk" is his greatest song.
I figured out that opening riff and playing it on a 12 string is just pure power!
"Sunshine on my Shoulders" is a lovely song by John Denver. Cat Stevens, Al Stewart, and Crosby, Stills, and Nash are some other folk-flavored artists of the era.
I had a friend who worked for John Denver (his Lear jet stuff -Windstar) and got to meet John several times and saw him in concert 3 or 4 times. I can't say enough. This man was so talented. I was a fan even before. Seeing him perform live was phenomenal and I'll never forget the feelings his music brings out in your soul. Annie's song still brings tears to my eyes.
Agree..John was the most generous performer. Invited audience to sing along where others told us to be quiet they were the stars. Wonderful memory.
Hey guys, John Denver played the lead in a great comedy movie. He is an ordinary guy who God taps to spread his message. His wife is played by Teri Garr and God is played perfectly by George Burns. Super funny and made for the whole family.
Yes. The movie is called Oh God!. There were three of them but John Denver was only in the first one
@@PlumbPitiful George Burns as "God" LOL
Sorry. Real dumb movie. And really really bad message.
"Oh God!" was a fun movie. I also really liked "Oh God! Book 2" with the little girl who could see God.
It was the inspiration for Bruce Almighty.
Annie's Song was written as an ode to Denver's wife at the time. He said he wrote this song in about ten minutes one day on a ski lift to the top of a mountain, as the physical exhilaration of having just skied down a very difficult run, and the feeling of total immersion in the beauty of the colors and sounds that filled his senses inspired him to think about his wife. According to Annie, she knew that while it initially was a love song to be given to her by him, she recognized that the song had actually become, for him, more like a prayer.
So many other great songs from him. Poems, Prayers, & Promises is one of my favorites. Sunshine On My Shoulders and Thank God I'm A Country Boy are also wonderful. And i can't forget to mention Leavin' On A Jet Plane. So, soooo good!!
Yes! Sunshine on my Shoulders!! Love!!
Makes me cry every time. Hands down, the most beautiful love song ever written.
Aww man, I absolutely love this song. Again, it reminds me of my childhood. John Denver wrote such beautiful music. I can just hear my mom singing this. She had such a beautiful voice.
RIP mom, I miss you everyday.😢
I was fortunate enough to see John Denver in concert years before he passed. On of the best concerts I've ever been to.
John Denver will ALWAYS be my favorite. Since I was 15 y.o. 67 now.
This has to be one of the most iconic love songs of the 20th Century, in its sentiment, purity and just all round feel-good factor. It was one of my Dad's favourites - he was a fan of John Denver's music and it wouldn't surprise me if it made him think of my Mum, who was called Anne (but hated anyone calling her Annie). This is the first time in a long while I've heard "Annie's Song". I still remember all the lyrics from when I was little, but what I didn't realise was what an emotional effect it would have on me. Such a beautiful song and his death was such a tragedy.
His songs have been my life's soundtrack. I've climbed mountains, lived in Montana, hiked/camped alone. All because of the awe of nature he painted in his songs.
I was a kid when John Denver exploded onto the music scene in the early 70's. I have heard a LOT of amazing artists in my time but JD has always been my favorite. I have to tell this story about Annie's Song. I was a young teenager and I had a small radio by my bed & one Saturday night I fell asleep listening to music. I don't how much later I awoke hearing Annie's Song .....I can't describe the feeling that overwhelmed me. The beauty of the melody & lyrics felt it took my soul into a heavenly dimension. I was numb with joy, peace and love. Even now tears are welling up as I remember those precious few moments that night.
John Denver was a singer-songwriter & actor. He had so many great hits in the 70's-80's. Some of his signature songs were "Take Me Home, Country Roads", "Poems, Prayers & Promises", "Annie's Song", "Rocky Mountain High", "Calypso", "Thank God I'm A Country Boy" & "Sunshine On My Shoulders". John appeared in several films & television specials during the 70's-80's, including the 1977 hit "Oh, God!", in which he starred alongside George Burns.
OMG, I've been waiting for this one. "Sunshine on my shoulders" is another great 1 from him.
His voice might be the most pure male voice of all time!!
Na sorry, Nat King Cole
@@madformorgan7848 to each there own.
Such a sweet song. Look at him! He is simply adorable and his voice and guitar are lovely. Another one gone too soon.
"Sunshine on My Shoulders" is a great John Denver song. ..."Take Me Home Country Roads" is also great.
John Denver was a master of folk country. Great reaction!
John was such a talent. The story is that John was skiing and decided to take one more run. He had been thinking about writing a song for his wife. On the lift (long ride up) he wrote this song in his head. Took his last run for the day and went home to firm up the melody and get the words on paper. Always amazes me how these truly great writers can have a song just pour out of them in such a short amount of time. What a gift. Try the beautifully soaring sounds of his song Calypso. It is a tribute to Oceanographer and environmentalist Jacques Cousteau. Jacques' research boat was the Calypso.
You can’t go wrong with any song. My personal favorite is Calypso. My dream was to be a marine biologist and work with Jacques Cousteau. Calypso is a tribute to him.
Dude had a golden voice. Like, solid gold.
I do love John Denver. I don't know how he did it, but you can hear and feel nature in every song he sang. You just have to close your eyes and soar with him. Annie's Song has always been one of my favorites, along with Sunshine On My Shoulders.
Yes! I never thought of it this way, but you hear the crisp air, wind in the trees, just what it is like to be in nature when he sings.
This is probably one of the most beautiful songs ever written. Two other greats are "Sunshine on my Shoulders" and "Country Roads".
John Denver had the voice of an Angel. When I hear this song I feel like I’m floating into Heaven.
Another of John Denver's beautiful ballads is "Fly Away", which was recorded with Olyvia Newton John.
A wonderful artist. A great tune. How many weddings included this tune. Just love it! Thank you. Please reaction to John's "Looking For Space". What a song about life's ups and downs, and a way to cope.
This was our first dance at our wedding in1995. It still says how I feel about my wife today. Love it.
John Denver's first wife (Annie) said that her favorite of John's songs was "Perhaps Love." His voice is so pure!
Wow, he wrote this love song for her and then they divorced? Or did she pass?
@@RLucas3000 They divorced...
One of the greatest ballads ever written. All these years later It still brings me to tears. 🙏🏼
I walked down the aisle to this song at my beautiful back yard wedding, the words were perfect.
He does have a wide range vocally and it's beautiful. R.I.P. JD gone way too soon xx
I have never gotten over his passing…
Rob and Amber, I loved watching your faces as John Denver took you on a journey with his song. I could clearly see that he was moving you the way he has moved me for the last 50 years. The man was a great singer and song writer, but more importantly, he was a great human being.
My favorite John Denver song. What a story teller…a truly gifted poet.
John Denver did indeed "sing" at my wedding over 47 years ago. His song "Follow Me" was performed by a friend as a part of the Introit prior to the ceremony. The other song performed was Noel Paul Stookey's ("Paul" of folk group Peter, Paul and Mary) "Wedding Song". I knew Amber was going to "fall in love" when she heard "Annie's Song". It's amazing the way John Denver is able to put all of his feelings and heart-felt emotion into the words and music of a song. If I remember the story correctly, John and Annie had a spat one morning. Later that day when John was on a ski lift taking in all of the wonder and beauty of the Rocky Mountains, the words and music of "Annie's Song" just came to him. If you want to hear some more of this type of John Denver song, listen to his recordings of "Poems, Prayers, and Promises" and "Back Home Again". To hear two beautiful voices together, listen to "Fly Away", his duet with Olivia Newton-John.
“I’m Sorry” hits a lot like this one. “Fly Away” just makes me a teary mess, especially in light of how he passed. But the song that really takes me to my happy place is “Back Home Again.”
@@tendersoulsretreat5863 that’s right! Thank you for mentioning that!
Back Home Again is also one of my favorites, but then again I have many favorites of his!
@@kykittykat2435 same! It really is hard to nail down a favorite, they’re all so personal to me!
@@allisonreed7682 I really love Flying for Me about the Challenger space shuttle. So sad that it’s the way he died 😥
@@kykittykat2435 yes, heartbreaking!
You will love FLY AWAY with Olivia New Johns background. Hauntingly beautiful.
His smooth voice glides effortlessly over the beautiful lyrics to make one of the most moving love songs of all time.🥰
Annie's Song is one of THE most beautiful songs ever. Perfect combination of voice, lyrics & music. Never get tired of hearing it. One of my aunts sang this to my uncle at their wedding when I was a kid, in a little country church decorated with autumn leaves, bittersweet & greenery. I thought she made the song up & was surprised when I got a little older & heard it on the radio. #lol
I hear guitar, flute, piano violin base and maybe the oboe horn. I grew up with John Denver. One of my presents for my 16th Birthday was his album Rocky Mountain High. It is wonderful to see the younger generation appreciate what we liked in the 60’s and 70’s his voice and words he paints a picture with, still to this day he can make me tear up. Thank you for sharing you thoughts on this very talented person.
"Take Me Home, Country Roads" might give this song a run for its money as far as being your favorite. It's a must-listen. "Sunshine On My Shoulders" is also great.
Also, you should look into the band Bread, from this same time period and genre. "If" and "Everything I Own" are standouts.
Absolutely agree with all of this!!!
If you want to introduce the kids to John, play Grandma's Feather Bed for them. I loved that song when I was a kid. :)
Get them to check out John Denver and the Muppets on You tube, especially the Christmas special.
@@Mr7826 When I saw Grandmas Featherbed I thought of the Muppets😂
@@iainsmith2434 th-cam.com/video/gH_tYxY8AKE/w-d-xo.html
I was going to suggest grandmas feather bed too, it always makes me smile ♥️
When she said John made her feel like she was soaring, I was thinking, " just wait until she gets hold of 'The Eagle and Hawk' or 'Eagles and Horses'."
or Calypso
I loved it so much I didn’t want it to end! When I was little I loved “Sunshine on My Shoulders”. I’d recommend it, I think your girls might like too!
“Sunshine on My Shoulders” is beautiful and “Leaving on a Jet Plane”… there’s a great live version he did with Mama Cass. Or for a bit of fun “Grandma’s Feather Bed”… loved this when I was a kid…takes me straight back there every time I hear it.
Do you remember Saturday Night in Toledo Ohio? I always loved that one too.
The ultimate love song ever written by one of the best singer ever. RIP John🙏🏻❤️. Loved your reaction ❤️.
The orchestration in this song is fantastic. The violins really draw you in.
"This Old Guitar" is the song that sums up John's Story. When his Grandma gave him a guitar for his 10th birthday "good job Grandma" he lost the guitar on one of his road trips but found it a year later and that"s when he wrote "This old Guitar" !! i play about about 10 to 15 of John;s songs he got me started finger picking !!!
This IS the greatest love song ever.
I can’t listen to him without crying. So many have died young, Petty, Prince etc, but John was this sweet soul living life the way he loved. Such an outdoorsman and lover of nature. He does much much MUCH to young. I loved him.
Me too. Him and Jim Croce.
When this song came out we all wished we were Annie and that he was singing directly to us. This is one of the most beautiful love songs ever recorded. Great choice. Lovely reaction 🎄🌺✌️
It’s so great to see people that appreciate magnificent music and a beautiful talent. He’s definitely missed. 🙏🏼♥️
He was such a wholesome man! Made a movie called “Oh God” that really reflects the kind of man he was!
The world mourned when he passed!
Can't express enough how nice it is to see young people with a great appreciation for music regardless of the genre.
Well said Dan, we were so fortunate to have grown up with the variety of talent and musical genius of the 70s
and 80s..,
His music touched many throughout the years. He is one of my favorite singers. He sounds just as good if not better live. I miss him.
I cry almost every time I hear his beautiful voice. I was devastated when he died and still miss him. My favorite JD songs are Poems, Prayers and Promises and This Old Guitar but really, they're all good. I also want to make one suggestion. If you haven't yet, and I don't think you have, you owe it to yourselves and us old folks to listen to James Taylor's Fire and Rain. Once it gets under your skin, you'll never forget it.
JT is awesome, but not so cool of a person. He is a real egomaniac .
@@gib59er56 I am not too sure on that. He is VERY introverted…is it possible you might be seeing that instead? I am shocked he works through it and can perform to large crowds
The lyrics
The voice
The instrumentals.
Gone tooo soon.
Adore him.
Great job guys!
This song is just an absolute masterpiece, and those beautiful violins!
If you want to hear the full range of his voice, "Calypso" is the song you need to hear next!!
My favorite John Denver song...
@@kejo7779 Both this & Calypso are my favorites from him. I remember vividly when he passed. I was so sad and sorry, and so was everyone else - even heavy metal folks were genuinely sad that we lost John Denver.
My dad says that song reminds him of me.
Love Calypso!
Yes. I love the song ❤️
John Denver just has this glorious voice and this is one of my favourites of his! He wrote it on a ski lift for his then wife after they'd had a fight. And their daughter used it at her wedding after he'd passed. You should check out "Fly Away"
Yes. Fly Away is with a Olivia Newton John.
One of the most beautiful songs ever written. For his wife.
This was played at a lot of weddings. Including his and Annie’s daughter’s wedding. Even though they divorced remained friends until his death
I sang his song "Follow Me" to my wife at our wedding a long, long time ago...sigh.
I was about 14 years old when this song came on the radio in my parent’s car back in the early 1970s. I couldn’t breathe while he was singing this incredible song. I remember also crying softly because I had never before been so touched by a song on the radio. We had no TH-cam to go back and listen to it over and over, but as soon as I found the 45 record, I begged my Mom to buy it. I had never done that before. Over 45 years later this song still transports me to another time and place. Such a beautiful message sung by an even more beautiful singer. Such love sung in every syllable. He is so missed. 😢
The song that introduced me to John Denver in high school. He died when I was seven years old in a plane crash. He wrote this for his first wife, Annie. He is my all-time favorite singer-songwriter of the 70's!
This is quite possibly one of the most beautiful songs ever written.
Yes! I've said that for many years. Always glad to find others who agree!
He was not trained at all. His voice was just innocent and pure and effortless. An absolute treasure.
Annie's Song has always been my favourite John Denver song and always brings a tear to my eye. You are very missed John RIP.
A favorite John Denver song of mine, is one of his shortest, "The Hawk and the Eagle" - it shows off his range and power so well, and just gives me shivers every time I hear it.
Absolutely!
Love that song
This was my Mum's fav song, She passed away when i was small listening to this makes me smile for no reason just imagining her singing to this❤
love this review of john denvers song..what a great song….
John Denver's voice was pristine. His loss was a tragedy for the human race.
His music is his gift to us.
Every single wedding I went to in the late 70's and early 80's they played or someone sang this song and "We've Only Just Begun"
I heard them so much it took me a long time to be able to hear those 2 songs without rolling my eyes and sighing in aggravation.
But....I'm much older now and find both songs beautiful and tear inducing. No one makes music like this anymore.
"Sunshine on My Shoulder" and "Country Roads" are 2 of my favorites by John Denver
We had "We've Only Just Begun" and "My Sweet Lady" at our wedding.