Everybody’s heard of John Denver. Well, almost everybody. At the risk of dating myself, I’ve known about Denver and his music for decades. Yet, I never took the time to examine or play John’s music. Until now. He inspired me to cover “Jenny Dreamed of Trains” in my last blog. Here, I’m taking on one of John’s favorite and most popular songs: “Poems, Prayers, and Promises.”
Released in 1971, “Poems” finds Denver taking stock of his twenty-eight-year-old life. Although he still had many years to live, the song sounds like it is written by someone nearing the end of their life. (Maybe that’s why I’m taking it up now.)
The song is prescient because John died tragically and prematurely in a plane crash at the age of fifty-four after years of personal turmoil. His immense talent and worldwide fame took their toll on him and his marriage.
Still, “Poems, Prayers, and Promises” is an optimistic, wise, and beautiful work of art. Let’s leave it at that. Here’s my cover.
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