John Denver’s 10 best songs, ranked

23 September 2026, 23:56

John Denver was one of music's most omnipresent voices of the 1970s. Picture: Getty/Alamy

By Thomas Edward

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Few artists soundtracked the 1970s quite like him.

Seemingly forever clutching an acoustic guitar, John Denver's dulcet tones radiated with positivity whenever his voice was beamed through the radio.

No wonder he was one of the 70s best-selling artists, in a decade where adult contemporary and easy listening ruled the airwaves.

The bespectacled singer was as renowned for his immaculate songwriting as he was his love of nature and the open road.

A sometime television personality, it was Denver's timeless songs that established him as an icon of the era.

Throughout his career, he sold approximately 33 million records, released 33 albums, and recorded 300 songs of which he wrote 200 himself.

An impressive resume for an artist who was unrelenting in his creative output, one that was nourished by his passion for environmental issues and a love of humanity.

Tragically, John Denver met his demise in 1997 at the age of just 53, being the only fatality after crashing a light aeroplane which he was piloting himself.

Let's delve into the legacy Denver left behind, with his best ten songs ranked – keep reading to find out which made the top spot.

‘Calypso’

John Denver - Calypso (Official Audio)

'Calypso' was an homage to the boat of the same name, which was bought by sea explorer Jacques Cousteau, who also inspired the song.
Denver spent time with Cousteau upon his boat, and it reinforced his passion for the environment and conserving the natural world, as Cousteau was on a mission to clean up the oceans.
Paying tribute to his and the Calypso's vital work, Denver spent months writing the song in a sea shanty style, which paid off eventually as the initial B-side became a huge fan favourite.
‘Rocky Mountain High’

John Denver - Rocky Mountain High (Official Audio)

John Denver by name, John Denver by nature – largely because he wrote songs about his love of the state of Colorado in which Denver is the largest city.
That includes 'Rocky Mountain High', which Denver wrote about his profound love of the mountains in his home state after witnessing an epic meteor shower whilst on a fishing trip with his wife and friends.
In his autobiography he wrote: "I had my guitar with me and a fishing rod. At some point, I went off in a raft to the middle of the lake, singing my heart out. I went back and lay down next to Annie in front of our tent, thinking everybody had gone to sleep, and thinking about how in nature all things, large and small, were interwoven, when swoosh, a meteor went smoking by. Everybody was awake, and it was raining fire in the sky."
‘Back Home Again’

John Denver - Back Home Again (from The Wildlife Concert)

The thing about musicians is that they often have to perform, tour, and be away from home for extended periods of time. 'Back Home Again' is about what the title suggests.
Denver loved life's simple pleasures – home cooking, strolls with his wife Annie, spending time with friends and family. So he wrote a song about it whilst being on tour.
Ironically, the singer-songwriter's increasingly popularity meant he had to spent significant chunks of his life away from home, which only made him pine for it more.
Sadly, the distance from home and the time spent away from his wife Annie affected his personal life which ultimately resulted in their divorce in 1982.
‘Fly Away’

John Denver with Olivia Newton John "Fly Away"

John Denver had a penchant for flying – his supersized tour jet was called 'The Starship' and his love of piloting was the cause of his early death.
So he understandably thought about it a lot, especially when he felt isolated and lonely, which he wrote about in the gorgeous 1975 hit 'Fly Away'.
Featuring Olivia Newton-John on backing vocals, both she and Denver were outcast from the country music community during their careers, so felt a kinship in one another.
Fans love it too – 'Fly Away' hit the top spot on the US Billboard Adult Contemporary chart, one of nine number one hits he scored throughout his career.
‘I’m Sorry’

John Denver - I'm Sorry (from The Wildlife Concert)

Released on 1975 album Windsong, 'I'm Sorry' was the sound of John Denver's tail being between his legs, apologising to his wife for the neglect of their relationship.
Written about his first wife Ann Martell as their marriage was crumbling, he made an effort to make things right with 'I'm Sorry'.
The song's success had an adverse effect however, contributing to his popularity which took John Denver back on the road and back into the throes temptation.
The self-pitying plea to get his wife back became a number one hit for John Denver still, and was the last time a song of his reached the Top 10 of the US Billboard charts.
‘Thank God I'm a Country Boy’

John Denver - Thank God I'm A Country Boy (Official Audio)

John Denver wrote the bulk of his own songs. But 'Thank God I'm A Country Boy' was actually written by his bandmate Martin Sommers.
Still, the song's sentiment was perfect for Denver who had an affinity for the countryside and nature.
According to 'Thank God I'm A Country Boy', all a man needs is a good fiddle (the instrument...) and a good woman, of which the narrator has both. Job's a good'n then!
Initially released on Denver's 1974 album Back Home Again, it was in fact a knee-slapping live version of the song that became a huge hit, giving Denver his third number one single.
‘Sunshine on My Shoulders’

John Denver - Sunshine On My Shoulders (Official Audio)

"On one level it was about the virtues of love. On another, more deeply felt level, it reached for something the whole world could embrace."
That's what John Denver said about his spiritual 1971 ode to the world outside with 'Sunshine On My Shoulders'
Funnily enough, the heartwarming song was actually inspired by the gentle rain falling on Denver whilst he was strolling in Minnesota during early Spring.
His deep love of life's simple things took a while to resonate, but became a hit two years after its initial release after appearing on a made-for-TV-movie called Sunshine which told the story of a dying woman recording messages for her family during her final days.
‘Annie's Song’

John Denver - Annie's Song (Official Audio)

The gorgeous 'Annie's Song' was probably the quickest song John Denver ever wrote, taking him about 10 minutes in total to put his words to paper.
Overcome with emotion about the breakup of his marriage with first wife Ann Martell, Denver reflected on the joy he felt in life alongside her after they had briefly separated.
Denver wrote in his autobiography: "Suddenly, I'm hypersensitive to how beautiful everything is. All of these things filled up my senses, and when I said this to myself unbidden images came one after the other. All of the pictures merged and I was left with Annie. That song was the embodiment of the love I felt at that time."
It's message was felt deeply by listeners, who propelled 'Annie's Song' to number one in the US. It was also his only number one song in the UK.
‘Leaving On A Jet Plane’

Leaving on a Jet Plane - John Denver and 'Mama' Cass Elliott | The Midnight Special

'Leaving On A Jet Plane' was a number one hit – but not for John Denver.
The young aspiring songwriter wrote 'Leaving On A Jet Plane' in 1967 before he embarked on a solo career, so the song was recorded by Peter, Paul and Mary who took it to the top of the charts.
One of Denver's most iconic songs, it conjures the hope and optimism of leaving everything behind to start a new life.
"This is a very personal and very special song for me. It doesn't conjure up Boeing 707s or 747s for me as much as it does the simple scenes of leaving. Bags packed and standing by the front door, taxi pulling up in the early morning hours, the sound of a door closing behind you, and the thought of leaving someone that you care for very much," he later said about the song.
As it would happen, 'Leaving On A Jet Plane' was the reason why Denver started getting booked as a solo performer, which kickstarted his career and paved the way for him to become one of the biggest artists of the 1970s.
‘Take Me Home, Country Roads’

John Denver - Take Me Home, Country Roads (Official Audio)

'Take Me Home, Country Roads' is absolutely John Denver's finest song, hence why it's taken our top spot.
An anthem for returning home, to the place we belong, is a sentiment so universal that it doesn't really matter which location Denver's actually singing about.
A song so synonymous with West Virginia, any time the name of the state is uttered you'd expect some one to sing or shout "mountain mama" in response.
The ironic thing about this song, is that neither John Denver or his friends Bill and Taffy Danoff that co-wrote it had ever been to West Virginia.
"I just thought the idea that I was hearing something so exotic to me from someplace as far away. West Virginia might as well have been in Europe, for all I knew," Bill Danoff told NPR in 2011.
If it were up to the Danoffs however, it would've been recorded by Johnny Cash as they thought it wouldn't fit Denver's chipper style.
It was the correct choice to introduce Denver to the song – the first time they played it at a gig in Washington DC, the entire crowd clapping and sang along.
His 1971 recording of 'Take Me Home, Country Roads' broke John Denver into the mainstream and cemented him as an icon.