John Denver – Thank God I’m A Country Boy (Audio)

Lyrics:

[Verse 1]
Well, life’s on a farm is kinda laid back
Ain’t much an old country boy like me can’t hack
It’s early to rise, early in the sack thank God I’m a country boy
Well, a simple kind of life never did me no harm
Raising me a family and working on the farm
My days are all filled with an easy country charm, thank God I’m a country boy

[Chorus]
Well, I got me a fine wife, I got me old fiddle
When the sun’s coming up, I got cakes on the griddle
And life ain’t nothing but a funny, funny riddle, thank God I’m a country boy

[Verse 2]
When the work’s all done and the sun’s setting low
I pull out my fiddle and I rosin up the bow

The kids are asleep so I keep it kinda low, thank God I’m a country boy
I’d play “Sally Goodin'” all day if I could
But the Lord and my wife wouldn’t take it very good
So I fiddle when I can and I work when I should, thank God I’m a country boy

[Chorus]

[Verse 3]
I wouldn’t trade my life for diamonds or jewels
I never was one of them money hungry fools
I’d rather have my fiddle and my farming tools, thank God I’m a country boy
Yeah, city folk driving in a black limousine
A lot of sad people thinking that’s-a mighty keen
Son, let me tell you now exactly what I mean, thank God I’m a country boy

[Chorus]

[Verse 4]
Well, my fiddle was my daddy’s till the day he died
And he took me by the hand and held me close to his side
He said, “Live a good life and play my fiddle with pride
And thank God you’re a country boy.”

My Daddy taught me young how to hunt and how to whittle
He taught me how to work and play a tune on the fiddle
He taught me how to love and how to give just a little
Thank God I’m a country boy

[Chorus]

 

“Thank God I’m a Country Boy”, also known as “Country Boy”, is a song written by John Martin Sommers[1] and recorded by American singer/songwriter John Denver.

The song was originally included on Denver’s 1974 album Back Home Again.

A version recorded live on August 26, 1974, at the Universal Amphitheatre in Los Angeles was included on his 1975 album An Evening with John Denver.

The live version was released as a single and went to No. 1 on both the Billboard magazine Hot Country Singles [2] and Billboard Hot 100 charts.[3] The song topped both charts for one week each, first the country chart (on May 31), and the Hot 100 chart a week later.

“Thank God I’m a Country Boy” was one of six songs released in 1975 that topped both the Billboard Hot 100 and Billboard Hot Country Singles charts. Denver’s two-sided hit “I’m Sorry“/”Calypso” also received that distinction.

File:Thank God I'm a Country Boy.jpg

Background

The song was written by John Martin Sommers, a guitar/banjo/fiddle/mandolin player in Denver’s backup band, on December 31, 1973 (coincidentally Denver’s thirtieth birthday) when he was driving from his home in Aspen, Colorado to Los Angeles.[4]

The song is remarkably similar to a 1973 song by Arlo Guthrie, from his album “Last of the Brooklyn Cowboys”, entitled “Uncle Jeff.”

Content

Sommers recalls that at the time he was feeling “peaceful, happy and content” with his lot in life, and started scribbling some notes about his blissful state along the way. They served as the inspiration for the song.

Structure

The song is in cut (2/2) time that is typical of two-step. Both the verse and chorus comprise eight measures with 3/2 added between the first four measures and last three measures. Emotionally, this creates an intended slight stall.

Chart performance

John Denver version

Chart (1975) Peak
position
US Billboard Hot 100[5] 1
US Adult Contemporary (Billboard)[6] 5
US Hot Country Songs (Billboard)[7] 1
Canadian RPM Top Singles 1
Canadian RPM Adult Contemporary Tracks 1
Canadian RPM Country Tracks 1
Yugoslavian Singles Charts 1

Billy Dean version

Chart (2004) Peak
position
US Hot Country Songs (Billboard)[8] 27

Cover versions

In popular culture

 

John Denver’s official audio for ‘Thank God I’m A Country Boy’. Click to listen to John Denver on Spotify: http://smarturl.it/JohnDenverSpotify?IQid=JohnDIACB

As featured on The Essential John Denver. Click to buy the track or album via iTunes: http://smarturl.it/EssentialJD?IQid=JohnDIACB
Google Play: http://smarturl.it/TGICBGPlay?IQid=JohnDIACB
Amazon: http://smarturl.it/EJDAmazon?IQid=JohnDIACB

More from John Denver
Take Me Home, Country Roads: https://youtu.be/1vrEljMfXYo
Leaving On A Jet Plane: https://youtu.be/SneCkM0bJq0
Rocky Mountain High: https://youtu.be/eOB4VdlkzO4

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

Follow John Denver
Website: http://johndenver.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JohnDenver
Twitter: https://twitter.com/johndenvermusic

Subscribe to John Denver on YouTube: http://smarturl.it/JohnDenverSub?IQid=JohnDIACB

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