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.
Pegasus
John Denver Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Tell the story that you told of sailors drinking tea
Tell the one about the man who saddled up the wind
Pegasus and flying fish and woodsmen made of tin
A kid knows what he wants to be before he's nine or ten
Cowboys, clowns, and men of war and someone else's friend
But nine grows into big boys' pants and then to scars and pain
There's days to fall and days to rise and days for making haste
Days for seeking out yourself but no days you can waste
Nighttimes filled with love so good it aches to rest it down
Endless hallways dark with sleep and rivers dark with sound
Peaceful valleys, animals and children asking me
Tell the story that you told of sailors drinking tea
Tell the one about the man who saddled up the wind
Pegasus and flying fish and woodsmen made of tin
Children climbing on my arms and pigeons on my head
Get thee up my little man and dream a dream instead
dream a dream of rocking chairs and flying through the night
Dream until the morning's gone and turned the dark to light
Then come and get your daddy if he hasn't blown away
Rock him in your children's hands and help him find his way
Take him to your hiding place and let him come inside
He'll never tell your secret, cross my heart and hope to die
Peaceful valleys, animals and children asking me
Tell the story that you told of sailors drinking tea
Tell the one about the man who saddled up the wind
Pegasus and flying fish and woodsmen made of tin
John Denver's song Pegasus is undoubtedly a beautiful tune that speaks to the joys of childhood and the resiliency of the human spirit. The opening lines of the song speak of peaceful valleys, animals, and children asking the songwriter to tell them stories from his experiences. The first story is one of sailors drinking tea, followed by one about the man who saddled up the wind, and then of Pegasus and flying fish alongside woodsmen made of tin.
Denver reflects that as a kid, one knows what they want to be before they turn nine or ten- be it cowboys, clowns, and men of war, or someone else's friend. However, growing up can be tough and come with its own set of challenges such as scars and pain that come with age. Denver personifies life's phases- nine as the beginning, a youngster yearning to achieve the unrealistic, someone who tries as an adult in their 20s, and then the realization that life is finite.
In the third and final stanzas, Denver reflects upon peaceful valleys, animals, and children asking him to tell stories once again. This time, he speaks of his progeny scaling his arms and of pigeons on his head. He urges them to dream a dream instead, of flying through the night until morning light. Denver reminds the children to get their daddy if he hasn't blown away and reassures them that they can share their hiding place with him, and he will never divulge their secret.
Line by Line Meaning
Peaceful valleys, animals and children asking me
The singer is in a serene surrounding, while children and animals seek stories from their elders.
Tell the story that you told of sailors drinking tea
The singer is requested to retell an interesting story as shared by him previously.
Tell the one about the man who saddled up the wind
The request is to narrate a story of a person who possessed extraordinary powers and did something unique.
Pegasus and flying fish and woodsmen made of tin
The stories requested are supposed to be imaginative and extraordinary, involving creatures or people with mythical abilities.
A kid knows what he wants to be before he's nine or ten
Children usually have a clear idea of their future ambitions before reaching the age of ten.
Cowboys, clowns, and men of war and someone else's friend
They aspire to be cowboys, clowns, warriors, or even a loyal friend of someone else.
But nine grows into big boys' pants and then to scars and pain
As they grow older, responsibilities increase, and life becomes more challenging, leading to experiences that can leave a lasting mark on their psyche.
Twenty's fast and hard as nails but doesn't come again
The artist reminisces how fast his twenties passed, and the struggles he faced during this challenging phase, which can never come back.
There's days to fall and days to rise and days for making haste
Life is unpredictable, with both ups and downs; hence, we must seize the opportunities as they come.
Days for seeking out yourself but no days you can waste
While one should take time to find themselves, it's not a good idea to waste precious time, which can never come back.
Nighttimes filled with love so good it aches to rest it down
The singer recalls the love of those gone and how it pains to let go of the happy memories during the night.
Endless hallways dark with sleep and rivers dark with sound
The artist describes the deep trance-like state of sleep and how the surrounding sounds can drown in it.
Children climbing on my arms and pigeons on my head
The singer is surrounded by children and pigeons that seem to enjoy his company.
Get thee up my little man and dream a dream instead
The singer asks the child to wake up and imagine something creative instead of just dozing off to sleep.
dream a dream of rocking chairs and flying through the night
The child is suggested to think of rocking chairs and night skies in their dreamscape.
Dream until the morning's gone and turned the dark to light
The artist urges the child to dream until they wake up to the bright light of day.
Then come and get your daddy if he hasn't blown away
If the artist is not there when the child wakes up, they should look for him and bring him closer.
Rock him in your children's hands and help him find his way
The child could help the singer, who might be lost or directionless, by providing him some stability and affection.
Take him to your hiding place and let him come inside
The singer needs a safe haven where he can hide, and the child's comforting place could be just that.
He'll never tell your secret, cross my heart and hope to die
The artist promises not to reveal the location of the child's hiding place and swears on his heart that he'll keep it.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Reservoir Media Management, Inc.
Written by: JOHN DENVER, JOE HENRY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Ben - Moderator
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J Parker
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