Until the release of Rhymes and Reasons, most people knew of "Leaving, On a Jet Plane" only as a Peter, Paul, and Mary tune. Very few people had ever heard of a sandy-haired folk singer named John Denver. Five years later, this young man was the best-selling recording artist in America.
The Rhymes and Reasons reissue from BMG contains early favorites like "Leaving" and the title track of "Rhymes and Reasons." There are also two bonus tracks – "Rusty Green" and "Take Me to Tomorrow." Along with the songs that went on to become huge hits are politically biting nuggets like "The Ballad of Spiro Agnew" and "The Ballad of Richard Nixon." While those cuts don’t hold up as well as the more well-known tracks, they do capture the essence of the autumn of 1969 when this was recorded.
One of my favorite things about reissues is that you get the opportunity to revisit yesterday, but with better sound. For John Denver fans, this release is a real treasure. The clarity of the title track lends greater resonance to the message of the song. The timelessness of the simple lyrics really hit home after September 11, 2001.
So you speak to me of sadness And the coming of the winter Fear that is within you now It seems to never end …Though the cities start to crumble
And the towers fall around us
…For the children and the flowers
Are my sisters and my brothers
Their laughter and their loveliness
Could clear a cloudy day
Rhymes and Reasons didn’t just mark the debut of John Denver, it hinted at what was yet to come. For long time fans, this is an essential addition to their collection. For new fans, R&R is a great opportunity to follow the development of a singer/songwriter who changed with the times but never lost his passion. And that passion touched the hearts of millions.
Article comments
1 - Eric Olsen
very nice Joanie, you always do a good job in a very readable manner - thanks!
2 - Barbara
I've loved this album since the day it was first released. I hope new people will hear him and embrace his lovely, at times haunting, insightful, funny music.
3 - Natalie Davis
Awesome album. John Denver was a fixture of the folk scene in the Maryland-DC area before he became a big star; I've loved his music nearly my entire life, and this album is still one of my favorites.
Funny memory occurs: Shortly after Mr. Denver's untimely death, I attended a costume party called the Saints and Sinners ball. Everyone was instructed to dress up as some good or evil dead person. I went as Princess Diana, which to my mind was pretty damned clever. Man, was I outclassed: One dude showed up as a Nazi, which was repulsive but generally admired as ballsy (talk about meeting the "sinner" requirement). But the favorite costume of the night featured a friend who wore a cowboy hat and glasses and carried an acoustic guitar. The stroke of genius was that around his midsection was a large carboard airplane. Baaaad taste, but hilariously dark. (Did I mention that this was a party for journalists and our pals? Yeah, we're sick, sick so-and-sos...)
Anyway, when I returned home afterward, my guilt was so intense that Rhymes and Reasons went onto the turntable.
My assumption is that my irreverent chum intended his costume to represent a saint. I likely am incorrect in that -- and anyone who knows the singer's story knows he was far from perfect -- but this fan always will consider John Denver saintly.
4 - Joanie
The best thing about listening to JD is that you're immediately transported to a place where life is okay and nothing else matters. While you can't live there, you can certainly escape for as long as the music plays.
My daughter often lamented the fact that John Denver wasn't her father. That was her greatest wish from the ages of 3 to 5. She mourned for 3 full months when he died, too.
I have to admit that if it weren't for Denver, I never would have attempted instant messaging. I know that sounds crazy, but it was another fan (from Scotland) who encouraged me to try IMing. The rest is history.
5 - Diane Tortice
I have loved this album since it came out too,John Denver has inspired me for many years,his very talented voice is like velvet to me,I miss him very much.
6 - Eve
John Denver's music and message will live forever. The people who do not get his music and his message are simply too absorbed in the craziness of this world and I feel sorry for them because they are missing the beauty and universality of it all. I know the things that are happening right now are devastating, I feel them, but we should keep hope and the message of a better world alive; one world, one big family.