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John Denver |
John Denver: "Rocky Mountain High"
Edited by Peter Y. Chou |
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45 rpm vinyl record |
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John Denver wrote the lyrics to the folk song "Rocky Mountain High"
with music by John Denver & Mike Taylor about Colorado. It was released on October 30, 1972 and went to #9 on the US Hot 100 in 1973. Denver took nine months to write this song. It was certified Gold (April 10, 2017) by the Recording Industry Association of America for sales of 500,000 digital downloads. The song became a major piece of 1970s pop culture, and well-associated piece of Colorado history. In 1985, Denver testified before Congress that the "high" in his song was not to promote drug abuse. It was inspired by his move to Aspen, Colorado. He explained the banning of this song— "This was obviously done by people who had never seen or been to the Rocky Mountains, and also had never experienced the elation, celebration of life, or the joy in living that one feels when he observes something as wondrous as the Perseid meteor shower on a moonless, cloudless night, when there are so many stars that you have a shadow from the starlight, and you are out camping with your friends, your best friends, and introducing them to one of nature's most spectacular light shows for the first time. He was born in the summer of his 27th year Coming home to a place he'd never been before He left yesterday behind him, you might say he was born again You might say he found a key for every door When he first came to the mountains his life was far away On the road and hanging by a song But the string's already broken and he doesn't really care It keeps changing fast and it don't last for long But the Colorado rocky mountain high I've seen it rainin' fire in the sky The shadow from the starlight is softer than a lullabye Rocky mountain high (Colorado) He climbed cathedral mountains, he saw silver clouds below He saw everything as far as you can see And they say that he got crazy once and he tried to touch the sun And he lost a friend but kept his memory Now he walks in quiet solitude the forest and the streams Seeking grace in every step he takes His sight has turned inside himself to try and understand The serenity of a clear blue mountain lake And the Colorado rocky mountain high I've seen it raining fire in the sky You can talk to God and listen to the casual reply Rocky mountain high Now his life is full of wonder but his heart still knows some fear Of a simple thing he cannot comprehend Why they try to tear the mountains down to bring in a couple more More people, more scars upon the land And the Colorado rocky mountain high I've seen it rainin' fire in the sky I know he'd be a poorer man if he never saw an eagle fly Rocky mountain high It's Colorado rocky mountain high I've seen it rainin' fire in the sky Friends around the campfire and everybody's high Rocky mountain high Rocky mountain high Rocky mountain high Rocky mountain high Rocky mountain high Rocky mountain high |
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