Maps of Music

Poems, Prayers & Promises (1971)

Where the lyrics of Poems, Prayers & Promises take you, and where it was really made.

The title track is not the song that became John Denver’s signature. “Take Me Home, Country Roads,” from this same record, did.

Key places

Recorded in New York City (1971)

Recording site Record Plant Studios — The album was recorded in New York City. The source names only the city, so the point sits at the city center. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Album story

Overview

• Poems, Prayers & Promises: fourth studio album by American singer-songwriter John Denver
• Released April 6, 1971 by RCA Records
• Recorded in New York City
• Produced by Milton Okun and Susan Ruskin
• Denver’s commercial breakthrough
• Contains several of his most popular songs
• Closing track “The Box” is a spoken-word poem by Kendrew Lascelles about the futility of war

Background

• Unlike his earlier albums, most songs there were by other songwriters
• Denver wrote more than half of the album’s songs himself
• Centered on acoustic guitar-based, understated arrangements and Denver’s vocals
• Many songs reflect on nature, love, and life
• Title track reflects on his life, the passage of time, the future, love, and human relationships
• Includes interpretations of songs by other musicians: The Beatles’ “Let It Be,” Paul McCartney’s “Junk,” James Taylor’s “Fire and Rain”
• Denver’s own compositions sit alongside these covers

Recording

• Recorded in New York City
• Denver plays guitars and sings
• Session players include Gary Chester (drums), Dick Kniss (double bass), Frank Owens (piano), and Eric Weissberg (banjo, steel guitar)
• Ray Hall credited as recording engineer
• Jean Kaplow credited as production assistant
• Don Wardell credited as executive producer

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Tracklist

Sources: musicbrainz.org

Artist

Formation

• Born Henry John Deutschendorf Jr. on December 31, 1943, in Roswell, New Mexico; took the name John Denver on the advice of Randy Sparks, founder of the New Christy Minstrels.
• Attended Texas Tech University and sang in the folk group "The Alpine Trio" before dropping out in 1963 and moving to Los Angeles.
• Joined The Chad Mitchell Trio in 1965, replacing Chad Mitchell; the trio later became "Denver, Boise, and Johnson".

Members

• Solo artist; worked closely with producer Milt Okun early on and later with manager Jerry Weintraub.
• Collaborated with friends Bill Danoff and Taffy Nivert, who later formed the Starland Vocal Band.

Career

• Left the trio in 1969 for a solo career; first album Rhymes & Reasons on RCA Records.
• "Leaving on a Jet Plane" became a number one hit for Peter, Paul and Mary.
• Breakthrough with Poems, Prayers & Promises (1971) and "Take Me Home, Country Roads", which reached number 2 on the Billboard charts.
• Reached number 1 with "Sunshine on My Shoulders", "Annie's Song", "Thank God I'm a Country Boy" and "I'm Sorry" in 1974–1975.
• Named Country Music Association Entertainer of the Year in 1975.
• Starred in the 1977 film Oh, God! with George Burns.
• Co-founded The Hunger Project and worked for environmental causes through the Windstar Foundation.
• Died in a plane crash off Pacific Grove, California, on October 12, 1997.

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Reception

At release

• Released April 6, 1971 by RCA Records
• Wikipedia describes the album as Denver’s commercial breakthrough
• Wikipedia notes the album features several of Denver’s signature songs, including “Take Me Home, Country Roads” and “Sunshine on My Shoulders”
• Wikipedia counts “Poems, Prayers and Promises,” “My Sweet Lady,” and “I Guess He’d Rather Be in Colorado” among its most popular songs

Reappraisal

• The album is regarded as a commercial breakthrough in Denver’s musical career
• “Take Me Home, Country Roads” was co-written by Bill Danoff, Taffy Nivert, and Denver
• Denver included the song after hearing an unfinished piece Danoff and Nivert had been working on
• It was not an immediate hit, but its popularity grew as RCA Records kept promoting the single
• The song eventually reached No. 2 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 and became one of Denver’s signature songs
• Denver’s official website names “Sunshine on My Shoulders” and “Take Me Home, Country Roads” as notable songs introduced through this album

Records

• The album peaked at number 15 on the Billboard 200

Sources: en.wikipedia.org · ko.wikipedia.org

Trivia

• Denver put an unfinished song by Bill Danoff and Taffy Nivert on the album after hearing it.
• Discogs notes that most releases credit the LP’s B3 track, “Sunshine On My Shoulders,” to “Denver-Kniss-Johnson.”
• Italian Wikipedia gives the original LP credit for “Sunshine on My Shoulders” as Denver/Kniss/Johnson, while other sources list John Denver/Richard Kniss/Mike Taylor.
• The album closes with “The Box,” which is spoken word with no music.

Sources: en.wikipedia.org · www.discogs.com · it.wikipedia.org

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