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 'John Denver - Greatest Hits (November 3, 1973) Remaster (2010)' Review!

 Surely, the all-American Hit, "Take Me Home, Country Roads" is no stranger to any casual listener of radio, or any other form of music in the last 40 years. Still, when one considers the name of John Denver, does one think of anything else other than John's door-opening smile, granny glasses, and anthemic acoustic guitar playing that has been the heartbeat of backroads, grassroots America for generations now? I think not! Nonetheless, realizing that the man who called the Rocky Mountains home had more than just a couple of big Hits, is for the casual listener perhaps one chore too many; but, you would indeed be selling the man and his music short by doing so. I was hooked after hearing and purchasing the single, "Rocky Mountain High" back in 1973, but as time wore on, and my musical tastes came and went, I grew further away from John's down home vibes. In fact, it wasn't until I married that I got my first good listen to the original version of "Greatest Hits" in the mid-eighties; my wife being a semi-fan. It was then that I had realized that John wrote and sings a pretty good version of the "Mamas & Papas" Hit, "Leaving, On A Jet-Plane", and that songs like "Sunshine On My Shoulders" kind of stick in your ear long after listening. Sadly, John's life ended far too soon in 1997, but some of the songs on this fantastic compilation, now expanded from 11 to 25 gems, remain as timeless as the man and his many dreams shall ever remain. So, journey back in time with John Denver, and relive his formative years between 1965-1972, from his auspicious beginnings with the "Mitchell Trio" in 1965 (whom my brother claims to have seen in a small club just a few years later in 1968, and moved him to join his high school glee club), through to his unique self-produced effort, "John Denver Sings" from 1966, on to his first RCA release, "Rhymes & Reasons" in 1969, and all of his subsequent early successes with "Poems, Prayers & Promises" in 1971 & the groundbreaking, "Rocky Mountain High" in 1972. All of this rounded out with a few rare Hits from less popular albums, three sizable "Beatles" covers, and an excellent reworking of "Mr. Bojangles" make this one disc you'll want to have in your collection. So, check this one out, and possibly you will finally be able to answer the $64,000 question: was John Denver more a Folk singer, a Country music star, or a closet Rocker at heart? - Rick Wilson, former Rock Radio Journalist with Radio Canale Grandé.

 A quick review:

 01) Take Me Home, Country Roads (1971) ***** (Poems, Prayers & Promises) Classic Folk Hit!
 02) Follow Me (1970) ***** (Take Me To Tomorrow) Nice pied-piper effort!
 03) Starwood In Aspen (1972) ***** (Aerie) One of the first of his many ballad tributes to Aspen, Colorado.
 04) For Baby (For Bobbie) (1972) ***** (Rocky Mountain High) Who is Baby and/or Bobbie? Nice tune, either way!
 05) Rhymes & Reasons (1969) ***** (Rhymes & Reasons) Lyrically, as topical as when it was written.
 06) Leaving, On A Jet-Plane (1969) ***** (Rhymes & Reasons) For John, omen of times to come?
 07) The Eagle & The Hawk (1972) ***** (Aerie) John Denver was a crooner at heart, and this one truly soars!
 08) Sunshine On My Shoulders (1971) ***** (Poems, Prayers & Promises) A bit lengthy & repetitive, but...
 09) Goodbye, Again (1972) ***** (Rocky Mountain High) Nice live song mixed with "..Jet-Plane".
 10) Poems, Prayers & Promises (1971) ***** (Poems, Prayers & Promises) John Denver a poet and a prophet!
 11) Rocky Mountain High (1972) ***** (Rocky Mountain High) The "new" state song of Colorado!
 12) I Guess He'd Rather Be In Colorado (1971) ***** (Poems, Prayers & Promises) Buying votes back in 1971!
 13) Daydream (1969) ***** (Rhymes & Reasons) Early blueprint for many a Hit.
 14) Friends With You (1972) ***** (Aerie) Amazing omission from the original collection!
 15) Everyday (1972) ***** (Aerie) Nice Buddy Holly cover, done with mirrors! Irie!
 16) Mother-Nature's Son (1972) ***** (Rocky Mountain High) "Beatles" cover, or simply reincarnated?
 17) She Won't Let Me Fly Away (1972) ***** (Aerie) Coulda, woulda, shoulda Hit!
 18) Aspenglow (1970) ***** (Take Me To Tomorrow; later on Rocky Mountain Christmas) The actual first tribute to Aspen by John Denver!
 19) Mr. Bojangles (1970) ***** (Whose Garden Was This?) Fabulous cover of a Jerry Jeff Walker song, made popular by the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band a year later in 1971!
 20) Let It Be (1971) ***** (Poems, Prayers & Promises) Denver sings this one better than Macca! Believe it!
 21) Golden Slumbers: medley (1970) ***** (Whose Garden Was This?) One of the first mash-ups!
 22) Paradise (1972) ***** (Rocky Mountain High) John's first taste of Country music, and dedicated to the hardest working, thankless people on the Earth, the coal-miners; especially, the ones in Pennsylvania & China!
 23) Long, Tall Texan (1965) ***** (The Mitchell Trio - That's The Way It's Gonna Be) Barber Shop Trio (Quartet? lol) gone wild!
 24) Farewell Party (1966) ***** (John Denver Sings) Did anyone do this for John, or was it all just tears?
 25) Minor Swing (1966) ***** (John Denver Sings) John Denver & Co. jamming some nice guitar! As John says, "Spastication, at its finest!"