Earth Songs - John Denver > Reviews > Far Out Earth Songs

Author's product rating:   

Originality	Groundbreaking
Lyrics	Thought-provoking
Quality and consistency of tracks	Flawless
How does it compare to the artist's other releases	Outstanding
Value for Money

Advantages:	Melodic ecological messages
Disadvantages:	Noth everyone's style of music

Recommend to potential buyers:

yes

Full review

Earth Songs

The reasons I am writing this review
There are just some artists that you seem to connect with. John Denver was one of these artists for me. His songs embodied many of my beliefs and hopes both personal and global. I was lucky to have watched him perform live in Liverpool before his tragic death in 1997. An experience I will always remember.
Earth songs conveys a number of important ecological messages that we should all be aware of and remember in our daily lives.

Dedication
To John Denver who died on October 12th 1997.

Introduction
The album is a collection of songs written and performed by John Denver.
Denver performed at the Earth Day celebrations on April 22nd 1990 in Washington. He sang a selection of ecology-themed tunes, which he later recorded for the album Earth Songs. The proceeds from sales went to the National Wildlife Federation. The tracks chosen for the album reflect John Denver’s interest in nature.

The album is recorded on the Music Club label and was released on 31st December 1993. It retails at £7.99.

The Artist
John Denver was born Henry John Deutschendorf Jr on December 31st 1943 in Roswell, New Mexico. John once said of his music, “My purpose in performing is to communicate the joy I experience in living”. His popularity soared and John began to express own feelings more through his songs.

He was one of the first artists to share environmental message through his music. In a 1995 interview, Denver stated. "When I write a song, I want to take the personal experience or observation that inspired it and express it in as universal a way as possible. I'm a global citizen. I've created that for myself, and I don't want to step away from it. I want to work in whatever I do…towards a world in balance, a world that creates a better quality of life for all people."

The Songs
Windsong is a taken from the album of the same name and is about communing with nature, a tribute to the natural force and quality of the wind. “The wind is the symbol of all that is free”

Rocky Mountain Suite (cold nights in Canada) is a warning of the danger of the ever-expanding population, urbanisation and industrialisation. It was written for a documentary in which John and Canadian Mounty, Tommy Tompkins went in search of the lost herds of bighorn sheep, “living in danger from too many people, too many machines”

Rocky Mountain relays a similar message by emphasizing the natural qualities of the mountains “more people, more scars upon the land”

Sunshine On My Shoulders is a slow dreamy song, a reminder of the good things in life like sunshine and friendship. “Sunshine almost always makes me high”.

The Eagle And The Hawk was written as a theme song for a documentary The Eagle and the Hawk featuring Morley Nelson an ornithologist. John joined Nelson in a campaign to restore a Red-tailed Hawk and a Bald Eagle back to health. It starts quietly building up to crescendos in imitation of the eagle soaring upwards. “Reach for the heavens, and hope for the future, and all that will be, not what we are”.

Eclipse features a clarinet and a percussion whose sound resembles that of a clock pendulum. The lyrics illustrate the negative effects of industrial emissions not only on the Earth but also on the narrator. As the sun gradually sets, he realizes that the smoggy air eclipses his view of the mountains. Sometimes he fears he'll "never see the sun again," perhaps due to air thick enough with pollution to block the sun. “it's enough to make the world roll up and die”.

The Flower That Shattered The Stone was written in 1990 with Joe Henry. It was recorded with Kosetsu Minami, a Japanese artist and environmentalist working to preserve Lake Biwa, a freshwater lake in Japan. “Paint us a rainbow without any end”.

Raven's Child was written in 1990 after the oil disaster in Alaska. “Raven's child is chasing salvation”

Children Of The Universe “A heritage of vision was given to us all”

American Child was written for another documentary filmed in 1978, Alaska: American Child in which John travelled with several bush pilots to discover the wildness and natural beauty of Alaska. “Men can be free.”

To The Wild Country was another song written about Alaska. “I worry on worldly ways and means”

Calypso was the ship on which captain Jacques Cousteau and his crew sailed to discover more about the life in the oceans. In 1975 John spent time with Cousteau to film his work. The song features the sound of the ships bell. “To live on the land we must learn from the ocean, to be true as the tide and free as the wind swell”.

Islands was another song written whilst on board Calypso. “we are so much more than islands”

Earth Day, Everyday. Especially written for Earth day, a happy hopeful song. “Celebrate Earth Day, every day”

The Album Cover
A drawing of John with the globe of the Earth in his hands. Trees and animals surround him.

Reasons to buy

John Denver has a relaxing versatile voice that can sooth and inspire at the same time.
The songs are catchy yet meaningful
For anyone who has an interest in the preservation of our earth.