Rhymes and Reasons-1969

His first LP was full of hippie anti-establishmentism (The Love of Common People, The Ballad of Spiro Agnew, The Ballad of Richard Nixon (complete silence!), Today Is The First Day Of The Rest Of My Life, I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel To Be Free), and few of his own songs such as Daydream, Circus (which I played over and over all the time), and Rhymes and Reasons. He also put at least one piece of whimsy on his LPs, and I though that "(You Dun Stomped) On My Heart" was so freaking funny, and the epitome of Country Western Music. And even when he covered others' music, like My Old Man, he made it sound like his own.

Take Me To Tomorrow-1970

This LP had more of his own stuff that lived on for his whole career like Take Me To Tomorrow, Follow Me, Aspenglow, Anthem-Revelation, and Sticky Summer Weather. He had his silly song, Forest Lawn, and covered James Taylor's Carolina In My Mind.

Whose Garden Was This?-1970

This was one that I listened to one song, Whose Garden Was This?, so much that I had to buy it 3 times, which represented a hell of a lot of baby sitting money at the time. I think this one had the least original music, and really odd covers like The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down, Mr. Bojangles, Eleanor Rigby, Golden Slumbers, Sweet Sweet Life; and Jingle Bells! I loved this album for that one danged haunting hippie world-is-doomed anti-war song.

Poems, Prayers and Promises-1971

He continued to pay homage to the Beatles and James Taylor (Let It Be, Junk, Fire and Rain). He adds in an angry Wooden Indian and a very interesting poem The Box, which I memorized and thought myself so hip for it. Amid all of that, he introduced his signature Country Roads and Sunshine on My Shoulders, although I preferred his Guess He'd Rather be in Colorado.

I wish I had a link for Aerie (1972) because The Eagle and the Hawk is one of my favorite songs. No one in the world can touch it, it can't be done. It is unsingable by anyone else. Period. And I can't think of another song about which I can say that. Oh sure, there are many songs that no one can do better, but I'm saying no one can even sing this. End of discussion. He still covers others with Everyday, Casey's Last Ride, City Of New Orleans, and Friends With You, and does his sill thing with Blow Up Your TV.

Rocky Mountain High-1972
Ok, duh, here's the theme...how many signature songs can one guy have? And his covers (Mother Nature's Son, Paradise, Darcy Farrow) are flawless and consistent with his prior selections. For some reason I played a permanent groove in the For Baby (For Bobbie) track cuz it made me cry. I still don't really know why, but I know it still does. He smokes Vivaldi with his own Season Suite.

Farewell Andromeda-1974

Is it legal for me to say each one these albums is my favorites? I usually don't like his covers as well as his original songs, but I like Berkeley Woman and We don't Live Here No More as well as his I'd Rather Be A Cowboy. And Rocky Mountain Suite (Cold Nights in Canada) is another one that cokes me up when I sing it.

John Denver's Greatest Hits-1974

I don't know why I bought this one, since I had all of his other albums, but I liked him that much. I'm including the link because there is a sample of the Eagle and the Hawk song mentioned above.

Back Home Again-1974

Thank God I'm A Country Boy was probably my least favorite of all of the famous songs. I much preferred Grandma's Feather Bed and The Music Is You, as there is a bit of yodeling in them, and God knows I want so badly to yodel someday. Tonight when we were watching the program, Annie's Song took on a new meaning, and yes it made me cry, when MOTH sang it to me...I am his "Annie."

An Evening With John Denver-1975

I almost never listened to this one because I'd learned every nuance of his recordings and the live versions weren't the same.

Windsong-1975

This was the last album I bought AND listened to (I bought Spirit, but I don't remember ever listening to it), with the exception of a Christmas album and, much later, another greatest hits but I don't know which one. It was clear that things at home were not so good (Looking For Space, I'm Sorry, Fly Away) and I felt that he wasn't the same old country guy any more. But one song hearkened to his original spirit, and that was Calypso. Not only did he donate all proceeds from that song to the Jaques Cousteau fund, but he had yodeling in it. That, and somehow he made me feel as if I were sailing swiftly on the water when I listened to it. Amazing.

The very last album I bought was much later, and I only bought it for one song, a result of seeing the music video...yes there was a John Denver music video. It wasn't a good video, hell if I hadn't been listening I'd not known it was him.. He'd gotten contacts, gained some weight and wasn't HIM anymore. His voice was, though, and it called to me at a time when the love in my marriage was completely dead and buried. Dreamland Expresshad only one song on it and that was Don't Close You're Eyes Tonight, and he didn't even write it. But it touched me at the right time in my life, just as his early music did.

MOTH and I sometimes get a little smug in our dislike of "treehuggers," and for me it's mainly because the loudest ones so often never walk their talk. Like Gore wanting to get rid of combustible engines while being chauffeured around in a limo...don't get me started. But John Denver really did believe in what he preached, and practiced it. He founded Windstar if you want to check it out. As I wrote this, I found he'd done many things I never heard about.

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