Goddamn if that isn't some beautiful natural imagery. Nobody did mountains and forests and springtimes like John Denver.
To the countdown:
5) Me First And The Gimmie Gimmies
Next.
4) Honey Ryder
Fun Fact: There used to be a football player at The US Naval Academy named Wave Ryder. No word on if he has a sister named Honey.
I thought this one was overproduced, and the vocalist wasn't really selling it IMHO.
Senses: 10% filled. Like a late morning, nearby a couple of trees.
3) Cameron Payne
I liked this one. Mr Payne has much different vocal stylings than Mr Denver. More of a smoky lounge than clear mountain air. But he makes it work his way quite convincingly. He's selling the feels, which means everything for this song. There's not a lot of production behind him to distract from the vocals, which IMHO is what this song is all about.
Senses: 65% filled. Like a big mural of a forest on the wall of your neighborhood bar.
2) Red Dirt Girls.
This is a love song, right ? And love is happy, right ?* The RDGs have the happiest sounding version. Its the only version that sounds like they're singing to someone still in the room. This interpretation works for me, and bonus points for not just trying the same thing as The Legend.
Senses: 72.5% filled. Like a warm sunny day, in some nearby woods that haven't been carved up for a new subdivision yet.
*although word on the street is that Only Love Can Break Your Heart.
1) John Denver
This song is nothing if it's not deeply personal. Its literally named after someone, presumably someone very real and near and dear to John Denver. He requires five different nature similes to describe how much she rocks his world, and we know that he thanks God he's a country boy.
As such, there's no way anyone else could sing this song so passionately, so convincingly, unless they also loved nature and someone named Annie just as much as John Denver did.
I feel like there is a palpable sense of longing, and loss in this song? Is Annie okay? John really misses her. He is just sitting around the cabin all day thinking up nature similes. Come back Annie, let him love you again.
I could make some suggestions if you're looking for some. But also I really like the randomness of the things you pick. Going from Bjork to John Denver is wild.
You’re more than welcome to make suggestions. But as an avid seeker of cover songs, I can continue with the randomness. Next week, though, I am sharing covers based on lovely Lou’s suggestion!
I love this song. I knew it long before I knew Take Me Home, Country Roads and even before I had any idea who John Denver was. Looking forward to diving in to these!
It’s hard to go wrong with a cover of a song as beautiful as this but the instrumentation on the original is pretty much impossible to beat imo. I love the Me First and the Gimme Gimmes version for doing something different with it and the others are all very lovely but I don’t really like the slower tempo of the Red Dirt Girls version.
Of course, Denver's own version is the best. It's cool to hear the "rock" version by Me First and the Gimme Gimmes. The most emotionally resonant version though may be Honey Ryder's. Really nice vocal!
Me First and the Gimmie Gimmies all day!
Not surprised by that response, Kevin!
Unsubscribe :)
LOL. I like the Gimmes version, too!
Goddamn if that isn't some beautiful natural imagery. Nobody did mountains and forests and springtimes like John Denver.
To the countdown:
5) Me First And The Gimmie Gimmies
Next.
4) Honey Ryder
Fun Fact: There used to be a football player at The US Naval Academy named Wave Ryder. No word on if he has a sister named Honey.
I thought this one was overproduced, and the vocalist wasn't really selling it IMHO.
Senses: 10% filled. Like a late morning, nearby a couple of trees.
3) Cameron Payne
I liked this one. Mr Payne has much different vocal stylings than Mr Denver. More of a smoky lounge than clear mountain air. But he makes it work his way quite convincingly. He's selling the feels, which means everything for this song. There's not a lot of production behind him to distract from the vocals, which IMHO is what this song is all about.
Senses: 65% filled. Like a big mural of a forest on the wall of your neighborhood bar.
2) Red Dirt Girls.
This is a love song, right ? And love is happy, right ?* The RDGs have the happiest sounding version. Its the only version that sounds like they're singing to someone still in the room. This interpretation works for me, and bonus points for not just trying the same thing as The Legend.
Senses: 72.5% filled. Like a warm sunny day, in some nearby woods that haven't been carved up for a new subdivision yet.
*although word on the street is that Only Love Can Break Your Heart.
1) John Denver
This song is nothing if it's not deeply personal. Its literally named after someone, presumably someone very real and near and dear to John Denver. He requires five different nature similes to describe how much she rocks his world, and we know that he thanks God he's a country boy.
As such, there's no way anyone else could sing this song so passionately, so convincingly, unless they also loved nature and someone named Annie just as much as John Denver did.
I feel like there is a palpable sense of longing, and loss in this song? Is Annie okay? John really misses her. He is just sitting around the cabin all day thinking up nature similes. Come back Annie, let him love you again.
Another fantastic song by song breakdown. We’ll ignore your lack of love for the Gimmes! What will next week bring?
I could make some suggestions if you're looking for some. But also I really like the randomness of the things you pick. Going from Bjork to John Denver is wild.
You’re more than welcome to make suggestions. But as an avid seeker of cover songs, I can continue with the randomness. Next week, though, I am sharing covers based on lovely Lou’s suggestion!
Oh, yay! Thank you ☺️
I love this song. I knew it long before I knew Take Me Home, Country Roads and even before I had any idea who John Denver was. Looking forward to diving in to these!
It’s hard to go wrong with a cover of a song as beautiful as this but the instrumentation on the original is pretty much impossible to beat imo. I love the Me First and the Gimme Gimmes version for doing something different with it and the others are all very lovely but I don’t really like the slower tempo of the Red Dirt Girls version.
I think I chose these covers more for the vocal delivery than the instrumentation, Lou, so you make a great point.
"Annie's Song" was a #1 hit for Denver, whereas "Take Me Home", while charting high, didn't get there.
True. It's funny how that impacts listens and covers, isn't it?
Of course, Denver's own version is the best. It's cool to hear the "rock" version by Me First and the Gimme Gimmes. The most emotionally resonant version though may be Honey Ryder's. Really nice vocal!
Glad you enjoyed several of the covers!
There's also Tom Paxton's "Annie's Going To Sing Her Song" -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q7sTUwkf39I