2022.07.10 03:40
Lyrics
Take Me Home, Country Roads" received an enthusiastic response from West Virginians.
On November 1, 2017, the West Virginia Tourism Office announced it had obtained the right to use "Take Me Home, Country Roads", in its marketing efforts. "'
Country Roads' has become synonymous with West Virginia all over the world," said West Virginia Tourism Commissioner Chelsea Ruby. "It highlights everything we love about our state: scenic beauty, majestic mountains, a timeless way of life, and most of all, the warmth of a place that feels like home whether you've lived here forever or are just coming to visit." The opening phrase of the song, "Almost heaven", became a primary tourism office slogan.
The song was played at the funeral of West Virginia Senator Robert Byrd at the state capitol in Charleston, West Virginia on July 2, 2010.
The Mountain State Brewing Company based in Thomas, West Virginia produces an amber ale named "Almost Heaven," which it says is "named after John Denver's ode to West Virginia, Country Roads".
He was born in the summer of his 27th year
The song is actually full of veiled sadness. It is about a man that dies and does not make it home, though from his perspective,
"heaven" is making it home to his love. On one hand, he doesn't know he has died as he reunited with her in his perception of heaven, but in reality she still waits missing him at home with all their future held. It seems she is yet to find out he won't make it home. Most people don't notice the sad pretense of the song because the music is sweet and happy, they don't catch the sweeping reference of the man's impending death in the first verses.
The beginning of the song goes like this " there's a storm across the valley, clouds are rolling in, afternoon is heavy on your shoulders. There's a truck out on the 4 lane a mile or more a way and the whining of it's wheels just makes you colder. He's an hour away from riding on your prayers up in the sky..."
My experience at the Yellowstone, Montana
I and my family were recently visiting the West Yellowstone National Park for 5 days, lodging at upper cast? in a tent having our bed with a domed glass ceiling over our heads offering the vision of innumerable stars in this wonderful Yellowstone sky!
We had two sons, Henry and James, two grandsons, Connor and Lucas. We visited the Park twice and made some other trips.
We boarded the United Airlines from the Newark and Bozeman Airports back and forth.
When we were approaching the Bozeman, I found the vast Rocky Mountains below us,which reminded me of the late famous singer, John Denver and his songs. That’s how I posted some of them, esp., Country Roads and Rocky Mountain High. Please take a little time and enjoy these songs.
A91A41FC-8BF5-4019-84E2-198F7D83DF5C (1).MOV
Kwan Ho Chung - July 10, 2022
2022.07.10 03:49
2022.07.10 05:32
John Denver (1943 – 1997) was originally Henry John Deutschendorf Jr.
I heard a lot of Colorado people saying that he has nothing to do with the City of Denver,
the Rocky Mountains, or the state of Colorado.
He might have lived in Aspen, CO for a short time (I am not sure about this).
The Williams Lake in the text above is located in the Snow Mass Wilderness near Aspen.
Looking through his songs, he must have been a very sensual person with a love of nature
and his surroundings.
To me, he's one of the greatest and "respectable" artists and singers of our time.
2022.07.11 03:35
Following is John Denver's life story out of Wikipedia.
Henry John Deutschendorf Jr. (December 31, 1943 – October 12, 1997), known professionally as John Denver, was an American singer-songwriter, actor, activist, and humanitarian whose greatest commercial success was as a solo singer. After traveling and living in numerous locations while growing up in his military family, Denver began his music career with folk music groups during the late 1960s. Starting in the 1970s, he was one of the most popular acoustic artists of the decade and one of its best-selling artists. By 1974, he was one of America's best-selling performers; AllMusic has called Denver "among the most beloved entertainers of his era".
Denver recorded and released approximately 300 songs, about 200 of which he composed. He had 33 albums and singles that were certified Gold and Platinum in the U.S by the RIAA, with estimated sales of more than 33 million units. He recorded and performed primarily with an acoustic guitar and sang about his joy in nature, disdain for city life, enthusiasm for music, and relationship trials. Denver's music appeared on a variety of charts, including country music, the Billboard Hot 100, and adult contemporary, earning 12 gold and four platinum albums with his signature songs "Take Me Home, Country Roads", "Poems, Prayers & Promises", "Annie's Song", "Rocky Mountain High", "Calypso", "Thank God I'm a Country Boy", and "Sunshine on My Shoulders".
Denver appeared in several films and television specials during the 1970s and 1980s, including the 1977 hit Oh, God!, in which he starred alongside George Burns. He continued to record into the 1990s, also focusing on environmental issues as well as lending vocal support to space exploration and testifying in front of Congress to protest censorship in music. He lived in Aspen for much of his life, and he was known for his love of Colorado. In 1974, Denver was named poet laureate of the state. The Colorado state legislature also adopted "Rocky Mountain High" as one of its two state songs in 2007, and West Virginia did the same for "Take Me Home, Country Roads" in 2014.
An avid pilot, Denver died in 1997 at age 53 in a single-fatality crash while piloting a recently purchased light plane.
Recently my wife and I joined my sons and grandsons for the trip to the Yellowstone National Park, West Yellowstone, Montana from June 25 through June 29 and stayed in a tent for two people.
The local temp was 40 degrees at night and 70 degrees during the daytime.
We stayed in the wild called Under Campus, West Yellowstone, Montana.
We had a great time.
Please enjoy John Denver's Country songs.