John Denver Album

Jessie went away last summer a couple of months ago
After all our time together it was hard to see her go
She called me right up when she arrived asked me one more time to come
Livin' on the LA freeway ain't my kind of havin' fun
I think I'd rather be a cowboy I think I'd rather ride a range
I think I'd rather be a cowboy than to lay me down in love and lady's chains

When we were just beginning it was such an easy way
Myin' backup in the mountains makin' songs for sunny days
She got tired of pickin' daisies and cookin' my meals for me
She can live the life she wants to yes and it's all right with me
I think I'd rather be a cowboy

I'd rather live on the side of a mountain
Than wander through the canyons of concrete and steel
I'd rather laugh with the rain and sunshine
And lay down my sundown in some starry field

Oh but I miss her in the mornin' when I awake alone
The absence of her laughter is a cold and empty sound
But her memory always makes me smile and I want you to know
I love her yes I love her just enough to let her go
I think I'd rather be a cowboy
I think I'd rather be a cowboy

This song appears on two albums, and was first released on the Farewell Andromeda album, and has also been released on the John Denver album.


I saw a Berkley woman
Sittin' in her rockin' chair
A dulcimer in her lap
A feather in her hair
Her breasts swayed freely
With the rhythm of the rockin' chair
She was a-sittin' and a-singin' and a-swayin'
Her cheeks were red I declare

Twas hard to believe
What my eyes showed me then
The colour in her cheeks
Was just her natural skin
She wore no makeup
To make her look that way
She was a natural mama with the red cheeks
What more can I say

Well I finally realised
There was hunger in my stare
In my mind I was swayin'
With the woman in the rockin' chair
But the lady I was livin' with
Was standin' right by my side
She saw my stare and she saw my hunger
And Lord it made her cry
So with anger on her face
Yes and the hurt in her eyes
She scratched me and she clawed me
She screamed and she cried
“Oh you don't give me near
All the lovin' that you should
Yet you're ready to go and lay with her
You're just no damn good�?

Well I guess she's probably right
Oh I guess I'm probably wrong
I guess she's not too far away
She hasn't been gone very long
And I guess we could get together
And try it one more time
But I know that wanderlust would come again
She'd only wind up a-cryin'

Well now you've heard my story
Plain as the light of day
It's hard to feel guilty for lovin' the ladies
That's all I gotta say
'Cept a woman is the sweetest fruit
That God ever put on the vine
I'd no more love just one kinda woman
Than drink only one kinda wine

Words and Music by Bryan Bowers

Please daddy, don't get drunk this Christmas.I don't wanna see my mamma cry.Please daddy don't get drunk this Christmas.I don't wanna see my mamma cry.
Just last year when I was only seven.Now I'm almost eight as you can see.You came home a quarter past eleven.Fell down underneath our Christmas tree.
Please daddy, don't get drunk this Christmas.I don't wanna see my mamma cry.Please daddy don't get drunk this Christmas.I don't wanna see my mamma cry.

Mamma smiled and looked outside the window.She told me: "Son, you better get upstairs."But then you laughed and hollered: "Merry Christmas."I turned around and saw my mamma's tears.
Please daddy, don't get drunk this Christmas.I don't wanna see my mamma cry.Please daddy don't get drunk this Christmas.I don't wanna see my mamma cry.
Please daddy, don't get drunk this Christmas.I don't wanna see my mamma cry.Please daddy don't get drunk this Christmas.I don't wanna see my mamma cry.No, I don't wanna see my mamma cry.

Angel From Montgomery

John Prine

I am an old woman
Named after my mother,
My old man is another
Child that's grown old
If dreams were lightning
And thunder were desire
This old house would have burnt down
A long time ago

Make me an angel that flies from Montgomery,
Make me a poster of an old rodeo
Just give me one thing that I can hold on to,
To believe in this livin' is just a hard way to go

When I was a young girl
I had me a cowboy
He weren't much to look at,
Just a free ramblin' man.
But that was a long time
And no matter how I try,
The years just flow by
Like a broken down dam.

Make me an angel that flies from Montgomery,
Make me a poster of an old rodeo
Just give me one thing that I can hold on to,
To believe in this livin' is just a hard way to go

There's flies in the kitchen
I can hear 'em in there buzzin'
And I ain't done nothin'
Since I woke up today.
How the hell can a person
Go to work in the mornin'
Come home in the evenin'
And have nothin' to say?

Make me an angel that flies from Montgomery,
Make me a poster of an old rodeo
Just give me one thing that I can hold on to,
To believe in this livin' is just a hard way to go

(Repeat Chorus)

All of my life I've been so happy
While I have had you by my side
And now you say you're gonna leave me
For to become someone else's bride

Oh the river of love it has gone muddy
And the flowers they are dying on the shore
And the blue skies have all turned to darkness
And the nightingales will sing no more

What can I do to hide my sorrow?
What can I do to ease my pain?
And how can I keep these tears from fallin'?
Oh darlin' won't you come back hpme again?

Oh the river of love it has gone muddy
And the flowers they are dying on the shore
And the blue skies have all turned to darkness
And the nightingales will sing no more

Tomorrow I will take you to the station
And see that you're safely on that train
And when that 2:19 has departed
I'll never ever see your smile again

Oh the river of love it has gone muddy
And the flowers they are dying on the shore
And the blue skies have all turned to darkness
And the nightingales will sing no more
And the blue skies have all turned to darkness
And the nightingales will sing no more


Words and Music by John Sommers

Up in a meadow in Jasper, Alberta
Two men and four ponies on a long, lonesome ride
To see the high country and learn of her people
The ways that they live there, the ways that they die
One is a teacher, and one a beginner
Just wanting to be there, wanting to know

And together they're trying to tell us a story
That should have been listened to long, long ago
How the life in the mountains is living in danger
From too many people, too many machines
And the time is upon us, today is forever
Tomorrow is just one of yesterday's dreams

Cold nights in Canada and icy blue winds
The man and the mountains are brothers again
Clear waters are laughing, they sing to the skies
The Rockies are living, they never will die
Up in a meadow in Jasper, Alberta
Two men and four ponies on a long, lonesome ride.

This song was first released on the Farewell Andromeda Album. It is the only album it has been released on.

On a snow covered night
Up in Eastern Wyoming
Another lazy day
Lookin' for the sun

In a draughty old cabin
Outside a whiskey basin
Another shining light
And a good man on the run

There's a lady back in Laramie
And her reason no one else can see
For him to spend
The winter on his own

Nothing much for him to do tomorrow
Just a matter of survival
Another friendly fight
In a life chocked full of fun

Yodalling

It's a special kind of medicine
And all that you can do is win
Though it tastes so sweet
You can refuse

Put your heart on the table
Fill your fountain with moonshine
Another empty case of
The Whiskey Basin Blues

Yodalling

Words and music by John Denver

Heard you had some trouble
Thought I'd try to help you
In my time I've had a little trouble too
If you let it get you down
You know I'll bet you
It will get you down and walk around on you

Sweet misery
She loves her company
She's in a crowd when she is all alone
She doesn't care - follow you ev'rywhere
She is most happy when she makes you moan

My dog had some puppies
Would you like to have one
He will be your friend and he will lick your face
He will never cheat you
He won't try to beat you
Help you be a winner in the human race

Sweet misery
She loves her company
She's in a crowd when she is all alone
She doesn't care - follow you ev'rywhere
She is most happy when she makes you moan

Heard you're feelin' better
Glad you found some happy
In my time I've had a little happy too
If let it get you up
I will get you up and keep you smilin' through

Sweet misery
Don't need your company
She's in a crowd when she is all alone
She doesn't care - follow you ev'rywhere
She is most happy when she makes you moan

Oh, we want to call him Zachary
We抣l raise him in the mountains
He抣l bathe in the crystal fountains
Shining laughter in the sun

And we want to call her Jennifer
She抣l dance in fields of flowers
She抣l sing in summer showers
Lending music to the time

Oh, we want to live forever
In this mirror sea tomorrow
All the joy and all the sorrow
We can only hope to share

Make believe your on a boat with no water around.
Picture yourself at a circus, without any clowns.
Pretend that you're on a highway, without any end.

Then empty the ashtray,
Sweep up the floor,
Put a lock on your door.
If somebody calls in the morning,
Just say we don't live here no more.

Draw me a picture of an island without any seas.
Show me a map of the whole world without boundaries.
Build me a home without windows or doors to go in.

Then empty the ashtray,
Sweep up the floor,
Put a lock on your door.
If somebody calls in the morning,
Just say we don't live here no more.

-----

Dream of a time when the tides ebbing now rise again.
Then you will know that to die is not really to end.
Living and dieing are both your most intimate friends.

So empty the ashtray,
Sweep up the floor,
Put a lock on your door.
If somebody calls in the morning,
Just say we don't live here no more.

If somebody calls in the morning,
Just say we don't live here no more.

Welcome to my morning
Welcome to my day
Yes, I'm the one responsible
I made it just this way
To make myself some pictures
And see what they might bring
I think I made it perfectly
I wouldn't change a thing

(La la la, la-la-la-la-la-la)
(La la la, la-la-la-la-la-la)

Welcome to my happiness
You know it makes me smile
And it pleases me to have you here
For just a little while
While we open up the spaces
Try to break some chains
And if the truth is told
They will never come again

(La la la, la-la-la-la-la-la)
(La la la, la-la-la-la-la-la)
(La la la, la-la-la-la-la-la)

Welcome to my evening
The closing of the day
You know, I could try a million times
Never find a better way
To tell you that I love you
And all the songs I play
Are to thank you for allowing me
In the lovely day you made

Welcome to my morning
Welcome to my day
Yes, I'm the one responsible
I made it just this way
To make myself some pictures
And see what they might bring
I think I made it perfectly
I wouldn't change a thing

(La la la, la-la-la-la-la-la....etc.)