My baby loves John Denver. He was laying in bed with me a couple nights ago and there was a special on PBS on John Denver. He was captured and enraptured. "Mommy, Zhon Denvuh. Moah (more)? He doesn't understand that there is nothing I can do about commercials.
He especially loved the duet by John Denver and Johnny Cash, singing 'Country Roads Take Me Home'. "Mama Zhon Denvuh, guy, gee-taah (guitar)?"
Personally, I am partial to 'Sunshine On My Shoulders'.
When I was a little girl my parents were divorced. Every other weekend the three of us would go to visit our dad. We joined three other "yours, mine and ours" siblings. There were three boys and three girls. The three boys slept in the rooms to the right of the stairs and my sister and I to the left in a double bed (our younger sister slept downstairs). Often, as we went to sleep, dad would sit on the steep stairs and play his guitar and sing to us.
As I watched the special this week, it dawned on me that my dad must have been younger than 30 at the time. With six kids. I know how tired I am sometimes at night now that I have six of my own. He must have been tired too. I am glad he took that time. It is precious to me.
It was the 70's so we got to hear songs from that era like The Rose, Unchained Melody, Misty - and lots of John Denver. It must have been when John Denver was in his heyday.
'Sunshine On My Shoulders' is my song. I don't know if dad ever sang it just to me. If he didn't, I must have pretended it was just for me. As a young adult I realized I would get teary eyed when he sang it. When my own baby came along, I cried more and wanted dad to sing it to my baby as he played the guitar. Now I cry whenever I hear it. Even when I was watching the special with my baby.
I can't really share with you why I cry. But it has to do with divorce and separation and wanting to belong.
I'm glad my baby loves John Denver. I think I will sing the Sunshine song to him.
And hold him close, and let him know he belongs.
I love John Denver.
6 comments:
Yes, John Denver was 'in his heyday' in the 70's. I vividly remember singing along to many of his songs on the car radio.
We lived in Montana when I was in preschool to 1st grade, and I can still picture a beautiful stretch of road we were on while singing "Country Roads". I lip-synced Sunshine on My Shoulders for years after. But my all-time favorite was "Grandma's Feather Bed." (Hey - I was a kid!)
I think your baby has good taste. :D
oooh I love John Denver too...I always wondered if it had to do with childhood nostalgia or if it was just innately John Denver. Hearing any of his songs send my memories back to the giant silver blue station wagon that our family drove in my early childhood. It's hard to hear JD and not immediately visualize my mother. And since her name was Ann... I always assumed that "Annie's Song" was for her. "Follow Me" was a song from my parents wedding and my mom would often sit at the piano and play it from memory.
His music has a magic that stirs such emotion. He has a magic that makes us all feel like we belong. How special?! Thanks for the stroll down memory lane.
Huge fan here, too. What a sweet post. *hugs*
I watched that special too. It was wonderful. My dad had John Denver 8-tracks, so we grew up on him. Still love his music.
Tiffany,
I, too, was a "yours, mine, ours" kid, and you are so right on: it has to do with divorce, separation, and wanting to belong. I still get teary eyed when I hear songs from that era. Also, when I smell eucalyptus. My dad had it in a vase in his bathroom. Funny the things we remember...
I'm adding you to my blog roll if that's ok.
Emily (burlsgirl, from WTM)
I love "Sunshine on My Shoulders" too. :) There is a really cute board book from the library that we have checked out a few times, that is an illustrated version of "Sunshine on My Shoulders." It is so cute!
Blessings,
Michele :)
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