John Denver – Leaving On A Jet Plane (Audio)

Lyrics:

All my bags are packed, I’m ready to go
I’m standing here outside your door
I hate to wake you up to say goodbye
But the dawn is breaking, it’s early morn
The taxi’s waiting, he’s blowin’ his horn
Already I’m so lonesome I could die

So kiss me and smile for me
Tell me that you’ll wait for me
Hold me like you’ll never let me go
‘Cause I’m leaving on a jet plane
Don’t know when I’ll be back again
Oh babe, I hate to go

There’s so many times I let you down
So many times I’ve played around
I tell you now, they don’t mean a thing
Every place I go, I’ll think of you
Every song I sing, I’ll sing for you
When I come back, I’ll bring your wedding ring

So kiss me and smile for me
Tell me that you’ll wait for me
Hold me like you’ll never let me go
‘Cause I’m leaving on a jet plane
Don’t know when I’ll be back again
Oh babe, I hate to go

Now the time has come to leave you
One more time, let me kiss you
Close your eyes, I’ll be on my way
Dream about the days to come
When I won’t have to leave alone
About the times I won’t have to say

Oh, kiss me and smile for me
Tell me that you’ll wait for me
Hold me like you’ll never let me go
‘Cause I’m leaving on a jet plane
Don’t know when I’ll be back again
Oh babe, I hate to go
But I’m leaving on a jet plane
Don’t know when I’ll be back again
Oh babe, I hate to go

“Leaving on a Jet Plane” is a song written by John Denver^[1] in 1966 and most famously recorded by Peter, Paul and Mary. The original title of the song was “Babe, I Hate to Go”, as featured on his 1966 studio album John Denver Sings, but Denver’s then producer Milt Okun convinced him to change the title. Peter, Paul and Mary recorded the song for their 1967 Album 1700 but only released it as a single in 1969.^[2]

It turned out to be Peter, Paul and Mary’s biggest (and final) hit, becoming their only No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in the United States. The song also spent three weeks atop the easy listening chart^[3] and was used in commercials for United Airlines in the late 1970s. The song also topped the charts in Canada, and reached No. 2 in both the UK Singles Chart and Irish Singles Chart in February 1970.

In 1969, John Denver recorded a version of the song for his debut solo album, Rhymes & Reasons, and re-recorded it in 1973 for John Denver’s Greatest Hits. His version was featured in the end credits of The Guard.

Lawsuit

In the 1980s the song prompted litigation involving the British group New Order. The band’s single “Run 2” (1989) was the subject of a lawsuit brought by Denver, who argued that its wordless guitar break was based on his “Leaving on a Jet Plane”. An out-of-court settlement ensured that the song would never be re-released in its original form.^[4]

Chart performance

Weekly charts

Year-end charts

John Denver’s official audio for ‘Leaving On A Jet Plane’. Click to listen to John Denver on Spotify: http://smarturl.it/JohnDenverSpotify?IQid=JohnDLJP

As featured on The Essential John Denver. Click to buy the track or album via iTunes: http://smarturl.it/EssentialJD?IQid=JohnDLJP
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More from John Denver
Take Me Home, Country Roads: https://youtu.be/1vrEljMfXYo
Rocky Mountain High: https://youtu.be/eOB4VdlkzO4
Sunshine On My Shoulders: https://youtu.be/diwuu_r6GJE

More great 70s videos here: http://smarturl.it/Ultimate70?IQid=JohnDLJP

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