The 28 Best John Denver Songs, from Rocky Mountain High to Calypso

What is John Denver's most famous song?

"Take Me Home, Country Roads" is John Denver's most famous song, a 1971 hit that became an anthem of West Virginia and is sung by crowds around the world. "Annie's Song" is his best-loved love song, and "Rocky Mountain High" is his tribute to Colorado.

John Denver's biggest hits

1. "Take Me Home, Country Roads", 1971: the song that made him a star.
2. "Rocky Mountain High", 1972: his love letter to Colorado.
3. "Sunshine on My Shoulders", 1974: a gentle number one first recorded in 1971.
4. "Annie's Song", 1974: a number one written for his wife, Annie.
5. "Back Home Again", 1974: a warm song about coming home to family.
6. "Thank God I'm a Country Boy", 1975: a live number one full of fiddle.
7. "I'm Sorry", 1975: a heartfelt number one ballad.
8. "Calypso", 1975: a tribute to Jacques Cousteau's research ship.
9. "Fly Away", 1975: a song about longing, with Olivia Newton-John on harmony.
10. "Looking for Space", 1975: a reflective song about finding yourself.

Early John Denver songs

11. "Leaving on a Jet Plane", 1966: written by Denver and made famous by Peter, Paul and Mary.
12. "Rhymes and Reasons", 1969: the title song of his first major-label album.
13. "Follow Me", 1970: a tender love song.
14. "Aspenglow", 1970: an early ode to his adopted mountain town.
15. "Poems, Prayers and Promises", 1971: a gentle reflection on a life well lived.
16. "The Eagle and the Hawk", 1971: a soaring song about freedom.
17. "For Baby (For Bobbie)", 1972: a lullaby-like love song.

Songs from the height of his fame

18. "Grandma's Feather Bed", 1974: a joyful sing-along about family visits.
19. "Sweet Surrender", 1974: a carefree song about letting go.
20. "This Old Guitar", 1974: a tribute to the instrument that changed his life.
21. "Matthew", 1974: a song about an uncle and life on the farm.
22. "Christmas for Cowboys", 1975: a holiday favorite from Rocky Mountain Christmas.

Later John Denver songs

23. "Some Days Are Diamonds (Some Days Are Stone)", 1981: a country hit about life's ups and downs.
24. "Perhaps Love", 1981: a duet with opera star Plácido Domingo.
25. "Shanghai Breezes", 1982: a tender long-distance love song.
26. "Wild Montana Skies", 1983: a duet with Emmylou Harris.
27. "My Sweet Lady", 1971: a quiet song often heard at weddings.
28. "Starwood in Aspen", 1972: a quiet song about the mountain town he called home.

Who was John Denver?

John Denver was born Henry John Deutschendorf Jr. in 1943 in Roswell, New Mexico, the son of an Air Force pilot, and took his stage name from the capital of Colorado, the state he came to love. He sang with the Chad Mitchell Trio in the mid-60s before going solo. In the 1970s he was one of the best-selling artists in America, hosted television specials, starred alongside George Burns in the film Oh, God! and became known for his work on hunger and the environment. He died in 1997 when the small plane he was flying crashed off the California coast.

The story behind Take Me Home, Country Roads

Bill Danoff and Taffy Nivert started writing the song while driving to a family reunion in Maryland, and finished it with Denver after a show in Washington, D.C. Although Denver had little connection to West Virginia at the time, the song became the state's unofficial anthem and, in 2014, one of its official state songs. It is sung at every West Virginia University home football game.

The story behind Annie's Song

Denver wrote "Annie's Song" for his wife, Annie Martell, and said it came to him in about ten minutes on a ski lift in Aspen, as he felt overwhelmed by the beauty around him. It became one of his two number ones of 1974 and one of the most popular wedding songs of the decade.

The story behind Rocky Mountain High

"Rocky Mountain High" was inspired by a camping trip to watch the Perseid meteor shower in Colorado. The song celebrated the beauty of the mountains and warned about threats to nature, and in 2007 Colorado adopted it as one of its official state songs.

John Denver songs for a wedding

"Annie's Song", "Follow Me" and "For Baby (For Bobbie)" are classic first dances for couples who love folk music, and "Perhaps Love" is a moving choice for a ceremony. See our first dance songs for more ideas.

John Denver songs for a memorial

"Poems, Prayers and Promises", "Back Home Again" and "Sunshine on My Shoulders" are gentle choices for a celebration of life, and "Take Me Home, Country Roads" is a favorite farewell for someone who loved the outdoors. See our memorial service songs for more.

John Denver songs for a road trip or camping

For the open road or a night around the fire, play "Take Me Home, Country Roads", "Rocky Mountain High" and "Thank God I'm a Country Boy", and save "Annie's Song" for the stars. For more travel music, see our road trip songs and songs about flying.

A folk song about your story

For a John Denver fan, a personalized folk or acoustic song can tell their story the way he told his: their name, the places they love and the people who matter most. It makes a beautiful anniversary, retirement or birthday gift.

How to create a personalized song

1. Choose a style from 14 genres: folk, acoustic, country and more.
2. Add their name.
3. Share three places or memories that matter to them.
4. Review the lyrics and edit or regenerate them for free before any music is made.
5. Listen to 4 free 45-second previews and choose your favorite.

The full 3 to 4 minute song costs $35.99, or $40.99 for Premium with four full versions and editable lyrics. You get the MP3, a gift page and the lyrics as a PDF.

Give them a song about the places they love: create a song and hear four previews for free.