Poems, Prayers & Promises - John Denver

I think John Denver may be one of the better arguments for "natural talent" in music. It's an annoying argument, and often one wonders what it even means. You're not BORN with the ability to play an instrument. Except some people say you ARE sometimes. But only...if the circumstances are right?? I've never really understood this back and fourth. "Natural" seems like such an odd thing to say, when one really needs to put work and time and emotion into an album. Does that just come naturally?

No I think John Denver was an incredibly passionate writer that really dug into his songs with his heart more than his head. That's NOT natural talent. His voice however...well...

"Natural talent" often assumes that one person has an easy or even trivial time of doing something that is rather difficult for someone else. In this case, I think that's exactly what we're talking about, except the qualities are not in skill or prowess but in ability to create emotion. John Denver really just has a voice that makes you want to cry. I don't know what else to say. It's the truth. It's clear he doesn't intend it in every song, he's just singing lyrics he wrote. Nonetheless, even when singing joyful melodies there is a poignant nature to his tone. It's incredible.

As aforementioned, his writing comes swooping along, broadening the scope of what's possible to evoke in his music. Ironically, one of the more intentionally poignant songs on the album, Denver's cover of "Let It Be", falls flat in its attempt to achieve nirvana, while the title song manages to create a small swimming pool worth of tears nearly every time you hear it. It's as though he's at his best when he's just writing his own feelings down. A skill The Kid LAROI thinks he has. He does not.

Also this album has take me home country roads to the place where I belong west virginiaaaaaa mountain mommaaaaaa...take...yeah...well...

Warm. Deep. Serene.

Simple 9.0