He recorded and performed primarily with an acoustic guitar and sang about his joy in nature, his disdain for city life, his enthusiasm for music, and his relationship trials. Denver's music appeared on a variety of charts, including country music, the Billboard Hot 100, and adult contemporary, in all earning him twelve gold and four platinum albums with his signature songs "Take Me Home, Country Roads", "Annie's Song", "Rocky Mountain High", "Thank God I'm a Country Boy", and "Sunshine on My Shoulders".
Denver starred in films and several notable television specials in the 1970s and 1980s. He continued to record in the 1990s, also focusing on environmental issues by lending vocal support to space exploration and testifying in front of Congress in protest against censorship in music. He lived in Aspen, Colorado for much of his life and was known for his love of Colorado which he sang about numerous times. In 1974 Denver was named poet laureate of the state. The Colorado state legislature also adopted "Rocky Mountain High" as one of its two state songs in 2007. Denver was an avid pilot and died at the age of 53 in a single-fatality crash of his personal experimental aircraft.
I Guess He'd Rather Be in Colorado
John Denver Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I guess he'd rather be in Colorado
He'd rather spend his time out where the sky looks like a pearl after a rain
Once again I see him walkin Once again I hear him talking to the stars he makes
And asking them for bus fare
I guess he'd rather be in Colorado
In the dawn the subways comin in the dawn I hear him hummin'
Some old song he wrote of love in Boulder Canyon
I guess he'd rather be in Colorado
I guess he'd rather be in Colorado
I guess he'd rather work out where the only thing you earn is what you spend
In the end up in his office
In the end a quiet cough is all he has to show
He lives in New York City
The lyrics to John Denver's "I Guess He'd Rather Be in Colorado" reflect the thoughts of a narrator who observes another person who seems to dream about being in Colorado while living in New York City. The singer assumes that the person would rather be in Colorado because that is where he finds peace and tranquility, and where nature is still evident despite urbanization. The opening line, "I guess he'd rather be in Colorado," sets the tone for the entire song by introducing the intriguing idea that the person would prefer to be in a different place. The next line, "He'd rather spend his time out where the sky looks like a pearl after a rain," poetically sets the scene in Colorado and highlights the snowcapped mountains that are present in the state.
The singer continues to describe the person's behavior by saying, "Once again I see him walking/ Once again I hear him talking to the stars he makes/ and asking them for bus fare." This description shows that the person is not happy in his present circumstances and yearns for something more fulfilling. The singer adds that the person would rather play his banjo in the morning in Colorado when the moon is scarcely gone. Here, John Denver creates an image of the early hours in Colorado where the stars are still visible and the moon provides some light. The person in the song might be searching for this type of peaceful moment in his life. The lyrics describe the person humming an old song he wrote about love in Boulder Canyon. This specific mention connotes the idea that the person is longing for something he used to have or something he created before coming to New York and hasn't found in the city. Ultimately the singer concludes that he guesses that the person would rather work somewhere, "where the only thing you earn is what you spend." This statement reflects the person's deep sense of dissatisfaction with his current situation and longing to live in a simpler way.
Line by Line Meaning
I guess he'd rather be in Colorado
He would rather be in Colorado.
He'd rather spend his time out where the sky looks like a pearl after a rain
He would rather spend his time in a place where the sky looks beautiful after it rains.
Once again I see him walkin
The singer is watching the subject walk.
Once again I hear him talking to the stars he makes
It seems as if the subject is talking to the stars in the sky that he imagines.
And asking them for bus fare
The subject is asking the imaginary stars for money.
He'd rather play his banjo in the morning when the moon is scarcely gone
He would rather play his banjo in the morning when the moon is still up.
In the dawn the subways comin in the dawn I hear him hummin'
The singer hears the subject hum a tune as the subways start running in the morning.
Some old song he wrote of love in Boulder Canyon
The subject is singing a song he wrote about love in Boulder Canyon.
I guess he'd rather be in Colorado
He would rather be in Colorado.
I guess he'd rather work out where the only thing you earn is what you spend
The subject would rather work in a place where he only earns what he spends.
In the end up in his office
The subject works in an office.
In the end a quiet cough is all he has to show
After working in the office, all he has is a quiet cough to show for it.
He lives in New York City
The subject lives in New York City, but would rather be in Colorado.
Lyrics ยฉ BMG Rights Management, RESERVOIR MEDIA MANAGEMENT INC
Written by: TAFFY DANOFF, WILLIAM THOMAS DANOFF
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Ben - Moderator
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J Parker
SonicHits just gets worse and worse. Albums that don't play,songs that don't play, tracks that are NOT the named song or even the right artist, adverts that cover content and cause the site to interrupt and buffer inthe middle of songs. I've got to find a better music site!
@yakumoarasida
He is singing about the places I've never been to and probably won't be ever, but his music makes me feel like I know the spirit and nature of Colorado and West Virginia... So touching, soft and... so real. This music has found the way to my heart and will live there forever like a sign of good-old days and bitter-sweet memories.
@kellysmith4625
My suggestion? GO!! You'll NEVER be the same...trust me. Went in 1996 and never looked back.
@yakumoarasida
@Kelly Smith I hope I will do it one day ;)
@kellysmith4625
@Yakumo Arasida Fpr your sake...I hope you do, too. It will change your life. Those mountains just have this way about them... Peace to you and yours...
@blacksludgetoxapex5035
You must go someday! I went on a honeymoon roadtrip to Colorado this September. Not a single day has gone by that I don't wish I was back there again. Words cannot describe the beauty of the Rockies!
@yakumoarasida
@Hyperspace oh, I'm so happy for you, it's wonderful! It seems kinda difficult to fulfil my dream nowadays, but I still have my hope! :)
@starweaverfirefly2176
John lights up the stage when he smiles. So, so deeply missed.
@teresadaigle6991
Johns songs in later years were amazing...loved his early ones too, but these just get to me even more. I got goosebumps every time he sang.