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The songs and music of the late great John Denver
are destined to live with us forever, with crowd-pleasing
tunes such as "Take me home, country roads", "Leaving
on a jet-plane", "Annie's Song", "Back
home again" and "Sunshine on my shoulders",
to name just a handful of songs Denver released to both critical
and popular acclaim, still proving as popular today with music
fans as they were when they were first released over 30 years
ago.
Though Denver's career spanned 25 years or more until his
untimely death in October 1997, it is the music and songs
of his mid-1970's pomp that are particularly remembered to
this day.
All great recording artists have their "Imperial"
spell where they can do no wrong and seemingly rule the music
charts and Denver's was the period from 1971-74, when he made
his name, forged his reputation and largely created his legacy
that remains to this day.
Despite his great popularity, especially in America but his
fame was equally worldwide, it could never be said that John
Denver was a fashion icon or a musical innovator, he created
no new styles and though his legacy remains rightfully intact
he has never quoted as a musical influence on coming generations,
however his music was hugely successful and no matter how
the critics sneered he left his mark indelibly upon the music
industry.
He was successful purely because he looked and sounded like
a good-old fashioned all American boy, with an easy listening
style that was both comfortable and pleasing on the ear and
with blond choir boy looks to match, he really was the nice
boy you could imagine bringing home to meet your mother without
giving her a coronary.
His sweet innocent uncomplicated and most of all highly melodic
musical style was the perfect vehicle for the themes that
he chose to write and sing about as they also encompassed
the All-American but slightly gawky image he had. This is
particularly emphasised in one of his truly classical and
highly memorable chart-topping smashes "Annie's Song",
a loving paen to his then first wife Annie Martell.
Not only do the touching lyrics lay plain the sincerity of
his love for her but the simple but unforgettable melody and
music score underline it as Denver shows his top form in composing
an effective tune to dress his nakedly autobiographical words.
And it obviously worked for this song carries a highly prized,
though unofficial, honour of being the most played song at
wedding parties the world over. A pretty heady feat and not
a bad one for a song which Denver himself happily admitted
he composed in just 10 minutes as he waited for a ski lift
in the resort of Aspen Colorado.
Which not only makes you wonder how good a song it would've
been if he'd spent longer on it, not that it probably could
be bettered, but what a true and natural talent John Denver
was to be able to compose such a highly memorable song in
such a short space of time.
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