‘Thank God I'm A Country Boy’
A Reason To Smile
Happy Sunday! This week’s reason to smile is one of those toe-tapping, infectious, high-energy songs that you may not know the words to, but by the second verse, you’re singing along just the same. It is John Denver’s celebration of all things country, “Thank God I’m a Country Boy.”
The song was written by John Martin Sommers, a member of Denver’s band, in December 1973. Denver recorded it 52 years ago today. It simultaneously reached number one on the country charts as well as the Hot 100.
The song is a classic Texas two-step, which may account for why it makes you feel like getting up to swing your partner. You can feel the audience buy-in during this live performance, driven by Denver’s joyful vocals and his fast-paced fiddle, replacing his ubiquitous guitar.
Denver was one of the most popular and best-selling country and folk singer-songwriters of the 1970s. AllMusic has called him “among the most beloved entertainers of his era.”
Thank God for John Denver and I too am thankful for growing up a country boy.
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Stay Steady,
Dan
I've never really been a country music person but boy did I love John Denver. And I do know all the words to that song and many others of his. I bet many of us can sing along to his songs. He was lost to us way too young. But I'm glad he was here for the time he was, for the joy he brought so many.
How time flies….I remain a big fan of John Denver and so sorry he died so young! I first visited Colorado and the beautiful Maroon Bells National park near Aspen because he wrote about coming there and falling in love with the beauty and a lady while being surrounded by friends and nature. It was so beautiful there that I could hardly breathe. Wonderful ballads like Angel from Montgomery and Annie’s song captured my experiences growing up and deeply touched me.