Maps of Music

Rhymes & Reasons (1969)

Where the lyrics of Rhymes & Reasons take you, and where it was really made.

This debut album's best-known song, 'Leaving on a Jet Plane', was first recorded in 1966 under another title, and its 1969 single never entered the charts.

Key places

Recorded at RCA Studios, New York (1969)

Recording site Record Plant Studios — The source lists RCA Studios in New York City as the recording location. Only the city-center coordinates are used here, so the exact building is not pinned. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Album story

Overview

• Rhymes & Reasons is the first commercial studio album by American singer-songwriter John Denver
• Released October 1969 by RCA Records
• Reissued on CD by Legacy Recordings in 2005
• Includes 'Leaving on a Jet Plane', one of Denver's best-known songs
• Original LP listing: side A has eight songs totaling 17:40, side B has six songs totaling 19:02

Background

• 'Leaving on a Jet Plane' was written and recorded by Denver in 1966
• It first appeared on his debut demo recording John Denver Sings under the title 'Babe I Hate to Go'
• He made several copies of the demo and gave them out as Christmas presents that year
• Producer Milt Okun convinced him to change the title, and it was renamed 'Leaving on a Jet Plane' in 1967
• After the 1969 success of the Peter, Paul and Mary version, Denver recorded the song again for this album
• The single was released in October 1969 but failed to enter the charts

Recording

• Milton Okun is credited as producer and arranger
• Jim Crotty and John Woram are credited as sound engineers
• Jean Goldhirsch is credited as production assistant
• 'Leaving on a Jet Plane' was recorded on 29 May 1969
• Other tracks were recorded between 26 May and 10 June 1969
• Denver sang and played guitar; Paul Griffin and Stann Free played piano and organ
• Russ Savakus played bass and violin; Herbie Lovelle and Ted Sommer played drums
• Paul Prestopino played guitar and mandolin
• Marvin Stamm and John Glasel played trumpet and flute; Ray Alonze, Al Richmond and Richard Berg played French horn
• George Marge played flute, English horn and baritone saxophone

Sources: en.wikipedia.org · it.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

Reappraisal

• Italian Wikipedia calls it the first official album by Denver
• Denver's earlier 1966 LP John Denver Sings was released in only 300 copies
• Italian Wikipedia says the album includes two of the singer's most famous songs: the title track and 'Leaving on a Jet Plane'
• Despite its later fame, the single 'Leaving on a Jet Plane' failed to enter the charts
• Denver re-recorded the song in 1973 for John Denver's Greatest Hits, and that version appears on most of his compilation albums
• The Discogs master notes describe the song as one of Denver's best-known songs, released as a single through RCA Records in October 1969
• The 1969 single was issued alongside the album's release, but it did not reach the charts

Records

• Released by RCA Records in October 1969
• Reissued on CD by Legacy Recordings in 2005
• The 2005 CD edition was published by RCA/Legacy Records with catalogue number 82876 68963 2
• The 2005 CD reissue lists the original tracks with updated timings and credits
• The album marks the first commercial studio album in Denver's catalogue

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

Trivia

• Denver first recorded the song in 1966 as 'Babe I Hate to Go' and gave out copies of the demo as Christmas presents that year.
• Producer Milt Okun persuaded him to change the title, which became 'Leaving on a Jet Plane' in 1967.
• The 1969 success of the Peter, Paul and Mary version led Denver to record the song again for this album.
• His 1966 LP John Denver Sings was released in only 300 copies, according to Italian Wikipedia.
• Although the song became one of his best-known, the single failed to enter the charts.

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

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