He WROTE THIS SONG!! He is the only American singer/songwriter to have TWO of his signature songs adopted as state songs. ‘Take Me Home, Country Roads’ (West Virginia-since the first stanza says ‘Almost heaven, West Virginia…’ ) and ‘Rocky Mountain High’ for Colorado!
Which is hilarious... because he wasn't singing about West Virginia... he was singing about western Virginia. He hadn't even been to the state of West Virginia when he wrote the song.
John wrote the song about going out on tour and having to leave Annie behind. However, it really resonated with the young men going off to Vietnam and the wives and girlfriends they left at home.
Cass Elliot (aka Mama Cass) was indeed a member of The Mamas and The Papas. She also had a few solo successes before her life was cut short. Rest In Peace, Cass Elliot. This song was written and recorded by John Denver, and released in 1966 in the big middle of so much going on at that time -- The Vietnam War didn't end until 1975, the Kent State shooting happened in 1970 during a college campus Vietnam War protest, the Watergate break-in occurred in 1972, and this was also during the U.S. and Russia Cold War which didn't end until 1991 -- all this in the midst of the Civil Rights protests. A big part of the Vietnam protests were because many felt that we had no business in that war, which later was proven true. Another reason for the protests was because during that time, the draft was in effect, and those who did not feel we had any business over there did NOT want to be drafted into the military. It was definitely a very politically turbulent time for the U.S., and I remember all of it like it was yesterday. Thanks for the reaction! ✌💙✌
Mama Cass was in The Mamas and The Papas! She had such an amazing voice! John wrote this song about his life as a touring musician, being on the road, and how hard that life can be in a relationship! U should definitely check out some more John Denver and Cass Elliot's solo music! Poems, Prayers and Promises is one of my favorite John Denver songs!
Cass Elliot had a huge single success after leaving The Mamas and The Papas, with Make Your Own Kind of Music; like so many iconic artists of that period, her life was cut short too early.
Vietnam....we watched our mothers cry and our brothers die. They went as innocent young men and came back shattered to a nation that would spit on them and ignore their wounded souls.
Yes. My brother and husband were ones who were fortunate to come home. They did get spit on. I have to say that the dignity with which those young men withstood the taunts and the spitting was incredible. They held their composure and kept their pride in our country in tact in the face of it.
When he wrote the song it was titled I Hate to Go, Peter, Paul and Mary recorded it first and the title was changed to Leaving on a Jet Plane. Listen to their version it was a big hit
When I was in the Air Force I would always go to the NCO Club whenever they had a band playing. Usually some local or little known group, but occasionally a well known singer. But no matter who was performing they always HAD TO sing this song as the last song of the night. And everyone would dance with thier loved one and many tears were shed.
She would die less then 2 years later of a heart attack at just 32. She was a beautiful person. John singing this song always makes me cry, after all he died in a plane crash. He was just incredible.
Three of my most favorite songs by John Denver are " I Want to Live," " Wings that Fky Us Home,"and The Flower that Shattered the Stone." I miss him very much in this world, but he left us with a HUGE Discography. He was definitely a poet who spoke to my heart. Thank you for your reactions. They are always spot on.
Boy you and I really missed out on the golden era of genuine voices in music. This is when talent was pure and shows gave a damn about talent. It is true that John died in a single engine plane that he was the pilot for. That took place in the eighties. What this song is speaking about is a man who is going to be a soldier who is leaving his loved ones. John wrote this song in 1965 and it was a big hit for the pop trio Peter Paul and Mary.
Let’s put an end to the rumor John eliminated himself. No, the NTSB report clearly indicates the crash occurred because of error: mainly the placement of the fuel tank switch, was was on the left behind the pilot seat of the Rutan Long E-Z he was getting acquainted with. To reach the switch-part of engine restart procedures- he had to twist left in the cockpit and use pliers to switch tanks. The ergonomics of that caused his right foot to press the right rudder pedal, which accidentally forced him into a stall. Being at 500 feet over the bay at Monterey, he had no time to recover. Being so low and running out of gas were his errors; placement of the switch was not. With his flight hours he could have ditched had he not stalled, but Long E-Zs do not ditch well and tend to nose in on impact with water due to the fixed rear landing gear. Things were looking up for him in 1997 and he was not depressed. He did NOT intentionally kill himself. It was an accident of plane design, familiarity with a new aircraft and errors of not having enough gas and other things. He did write this song, not Mamma Cas. She was joking. John was a new rising star in 1972 when this was filmed. He had just penned Rocky Mountain High and was on his way up. Vietnam was about to end. He became RCA’s best-selling artist, I believe. It’s not “creepy” John died flying. He loved flying. He died doing what he loved, and we still miss him. He was one of a kind. And fans still gather every October in Aspen to celebrate him and have for 27 years.
Thank you, I was half in saying essentially all the same things you said. Still miss John Denver. He loved flying, loved life, loved nature. I still play his music a lot. In fact I have watched this particular video they are watching many many times.
And this was the first Midnight Special which was a“Rock the Vote” to get young adults out to make choices at the ballot box 🗳 instead of complaining and thinking they couldn’t do anything about Vietnam, inflation, laws etc. the vote was their voice. Same as today. And The Midnight Special ended up running for about a dozen or so years. A fun show. Great bands. And that one show there with John Denver and Mama Cass Elliott has every genre about 10 bands and comics. It’s on UA-cam in full. Worthy of watching
I lived in the Monterey area when he crashed. He took off from the Monterey Airport which is close to the Pacific. He flew over the Monterey shoreline then out across the Pacific Grove shore and tragically crashed into the shoreline rocks. Your details about his experimental plane reserve fuel tank are consistent with what I have always heard.
Such a beautiful yet heartbreaking song from Cass Elliot & John Denver. It was in 1966 he wrote this song for his first wife. John Denver's love life was as intricate as his music!!
Cass Eliot was an amazingly gifted, joyful singer. Great solo songs include "It's Getting Better" and "Make Your Own Kind of Music." Unfortunately, Cass did have to endure extremely harsh criticism about her appearance, even from her fellow members of the Mamas & the Papas. She actually hated being called "Mama Cass." RIP Cass Eliot. Her voice and sheer tenacity made her a star and a legend.
@@kens32052 Yes. Cass Eliot performed a duet with Tom Jones on the "This Is Tom Jones" show (Mar 21, 1969). Their soul medley included Otis Redding's "Respect" and the Holland-Dozier-Holland number "I Guess I'll Always Love You".
@@kens32052 Yep. Janis Joplin performed a duet with Tom Jones on his show, which aired on December 4, 1969. Their version of "Raise Your Hand" was widely heralded as one of the best duets ever performed on the show. Jones later recalled, "when Janis and I did the rehearsal for Raise Your Hand she looked at me and said, ‘Jesus, you can really sing!' I thought, thank God people like Janis Joplin had taken note.” 🤩 The duet boosted both Jones’ and Joplin’s reputation, as it gave Jones more street credibility and introduced Joplin to a wider audience.
I tear up every time I hear this song because of the way John Denver died. He was my first crush as a little kid! He had such a beautiful voice and timber. I recently discovered your videos and truely enjoy the way you bring yourself into each reaction. Thanks for doing what you're doing!
From Wikipedia... "Leaving on a Jet Plane" is a song written and recorded by American singer-songwriter John Denver[1] in 1966, originally included on his debut demo recording John Denver Sings as "Babe I Hate to Go". He made several copies and gave them out as presents for Christmas of that year.[2] Denver's then producer Milt Okun convinced him to change the title; the song was renamed "Leaving on a Jet Plane" in 1967.
@@005uz345 And JD did write moral, enviro, and protest style songs, this definitely could have started out that way, even if he didn't promote it as such.
It helped change the national perspective of the undeclared war. Technically, it was a police action. Burning draft cards, leaving the country for Canida and the Four Dead in Ohio all helped bring the reality of that war to front and center of politics and to the public.
John Denver had just purchased the home-built aircraft. It was propeller driven (not jet) with two fuel tanks. However, the switch to change tanks was behind him. He could not reach it. The plane ran out of fuel while he was trying to switch tanks.
The significance of Cass Elliot talking about trying to get the vote out was that in 1971 the 26th Amendment to the Constitution was ratified; this lowered the voting age from 21 years old to 18 years old.
John Denver was 53 when he died. He was flying an experimental plane, very tempermental. The NTSB report speculated he was trying to reach a fuel switch when he splashed.
Protests grew during the late 1960s and early 70s and played a significant role in ending the Vietnam War. During protests, National Guardsmen shot four at Kent State, and police killed two at Jackson State, an HBCU.
Nixon?? Not a chance. John was an amazing man and major bleeding heart liberal. I met him here in Colorado, when I was so young and still able to idolize. God give me the singer-songwriter era again. Miss you John.
John Denver wrote and recorded “Leaving on a Jet Plane” in 1966, when he was just 23 years old. It was included on his debut demo recording as “Babe, I Hate to Go.” He made copies and gave them to friends as Christmas presents that year.
The AMAZING Cass Eliot certainly was in the Mamas and The Papas!!School!! She was an extremely talented singer. Tragic 😢 That we lost both of them too soon!! ❤❤❤❤
The song is called 4 Dead in Ohio wriiten by Neil Young and recorded by Crosby Stills Nash and Young. I was atationed on the Korean DMZ and my 3 brothers were in Viet Nam when this happened and I cry for them to this day.
From 76 to whenever, we had the Midnight Special live every Friday night and we had SNL live every Saturday night. Its great to be able to relive those times at 60.
PPM’s “version” is the original recording of this song. John recorded demos of his song but never released it for sale. This was his first song to be a hit.
@@lanettezunica7314 Still Cass was not on the original and after this version... without her seems missing. Also a hit was the Peter. Paul and Mary version. Sadly, they are hard to get a reaction of thru.
Peter, Paul and Mary and their recording of "Leaving on A Jet Plane" were to John Denver's career what Patsy Cline's recording of "Crazy" was to the career of Willie Nelson and what Janis Joplin's recording of "Me and Bobbie McGee" released on her last album "Pearl" after her tragic death was to the career of Kris Kristofferson.
cass elliott was the gal in the audience in the Janis Joplin (Ball and chain)vid with her mouth wide open in the audience mouthing WOW at the end. remember?
He is the song writer, a great one. They both died too soon. Peter Paul and Mary made the popular recording of this Denver song. A big hit because many couples were being torn apart by the Vietnam war.
He and Mama Cass were wonderful friends, and they sang *so beautifully* together, didn't they? :) John's plane crash was such a shock. Truly...the country mourned. His little plane was one he had only recently purchased and it had quite a lot of rather unusual customizations done by the previous owner. It was actually one of those customizations that appeared to be largely responsible for the crash.
Gen X who were raised with this older music would know it. Parents will turn their kids onto music they enjoy. I'm a boomer. My son was born in 1978 and my daughter in 1985. They heard my music often and can sing every lyric in many of them. Cass Elliot's 'Dream a Little Dream of Me' or 'Welcome to My World" by Jim Reeves, is what I sang to my kids as I rocked them to sleep. I overheard both my kids singing it to their kids when they were babies. It melted my heart.
That's so true! Mine know Hank Williams Srs songs and would sing with their daddy. It was the music he grew up with ( he was 17 years older than me) they also heard my Bob Edgar, Elvis, Little Richard, Rod Stewart etc. then we listened to Hank Jr Rolling Stones and their music of that time. Music is a wonderful thing to help weave those memories together after the loved ones are gone and makes you smile. ❤❤❤
My 5 year old great-great-nephew will often ask me to play the Yummy Yummy song or the Shake Your Behind song. 😂 The first time he ever tried to dance was to me playing Shake Your Booty by KC & The Sunshine Band. I had also started a thing to get him to eat by changing the lyrics of. Yummy Yummy Yummy by The Ohio Express to "Yummy yummy I got love in my tummy and I got some food for you."
He also sang a duet with Olivia Newton John called "Fly Away". Check it out!!! Also check out "The Midnight Special". It was a late night live music show that had EVERYBODY on it. They would have country, metal, rock & pop all on the same night. It was AMAZEBALLS!!!!!
Just an acoustic guitar and two beautiful voices... 🤙😎 Mama Cass has such a unique and effortless way of harmonizing. John Denver did a cable special back in the 90's, after being out of the limelight for quite a while, and he was still amazing.
This song was about the life of a traveling musician. But my husband and thousands of other American men left home in 1972 for Vietnam. It hits me different when I remember how terrified we were. He came home a year later, only for him to develop an agent orange related cancer, making him too weak to fight off covid. Don't get me wrong, we never regretted his service to his country. But his 1972 jet trip was so scary for me. Him too, probably.
As an AF brat, this song was almost an anthem among a lot of my friends. It especially hit home with our dads as they kissed our mama's goodbye...again, or as we said goodbye to friends. My dad also was exposed to agent orange, took his life too soon.
No, he bought a special plane but the handle to the reserve fuel tank was behind the seat and he was going to put it in the shop and get that moved to an easier access but he wanted to fly it first but there wasn't enough fuel in it. Once it stalls you can't let go of the controls.
John Denver wrote this. Great musician, great singer, great lyricist. You can react to anything he wrote. Neil Diamond is another one that can do no wrong. The 70's brought Folk Music to the forefront. With Folk Music came the Troubadours, . . . the musicians as storytellers.
Mama Cass and John were considered in the genre of folk artist but made such great music they couldn't be denied mainstream recognition. And yes, John wrote this and so many other incredible songs with lyrics that touched the soul.
I loved this song when I was little but I didn’t know it was a John Denver song until I was an adult! My older sister listened to the Peter, Paul and Mary version! Great reaction!❤️🔥✌🏻🫶🏻
Two beautiful people, both no longer with us--and yet still with us. This one brought a tear to my eye today, for some reason. Thanks for the reminder on this one. Oh and "John Denver wrote and recorded “Leaving on a Jet Plane” in 1966, when he was just 23 years old."
John Denver wrote many many great songs. Several of them talked about the beauty of nature and I believe raised our awareness and appreciation. As you listen to some of the more radio played, I urge you to check out the suggestions people are making for our personal favorites too. We bought and listened to his albums. We still love to listen to the beauty and craftsmanship of a well written and finely played and sung song. Some of my favorites are " This Old Guitar" "Matthew" "Fly Away" with Olivia Newton-John, "Back Home Again" "Annie's Song" "The Eagle and the Hawk" a sweeping and majestic song, that can make you feel like you're soaring through the sky. There are so many more. I hope you will keep digging into this treasure chest.
John Denver was a lover of nature and life, he would never have done something to take his own life. She was joking. "Leaving on a Jet Plane" is a song written and recorded by American singer-songwriter John Denver in 1966, originally included on his debut demo recording
“Ohio” by CSNY was written by Neil Young after hearing about the Kent State killings. They immediately got studio time and recorded it that week. It was released shortly thereafter. Another great song to react to.
As others have said, JD wrote this song about a touring musician. But my generation will forever tie it to the boys leaving for Vietnam. This version was done in 1972, the year of the Nixon/McCarthy presidential election. At that time we had been in Nam almost 10 years. The country was sick of war, with 58,000 killed. We finally got out in 1975
The plane he was flying when he died was an "experimental" classed aircraft. These are often one-off kit-type aircraft that do not meet full FAA requirements. As a result they are restricted in the types of areas they can fly and the airports they can use. He was actually making some touch and go landings at the time of the crash. The official cause of the accident was ruled by the NTSB to be the poor placement of a fuel selector valve that distracted him and caused him to crash.
People wondered if John's plane went down by accident or not, they interviewed people and watched footage of his last private performance, and he was engaged and happy. They think the switch to go to his auxiliary tank was in an awkward position behind his seat and he couldn't reach it before running out of gas.
They don't think it was the switch, they documented it and the evidence was presented as the cause of the accident and his death. He was flying the experimental lightweight aircraft near the coast and they think he may have realized that he was unable to switch from the empty tank to the full tank of fuel so he was heading out towards Open Water where he would have a better chance of surviving the crash and not taking anyone with him. It was thoroughly investigated. Anything else you hear is just conspiracy theories and conjecture and people with too vivid imaginations and too lazy to find the actual fact.
Always loved John Denver & thus song is one of a long list of my favorites. Yes, John wrote it. As for his death, it wasn't intentional. John was trying out the plane after purchasing it. The former owner apparently put it together wrong & decided to put the fuel tank gauge & tank switch behind the pilot seat. He decided not to fill the tank that it was on because wasn't going to be up that long. He figured he'd instead put autopilot on & reach behind the seat to switch tanks. There were onlookers who saw the plane rake a sudden nosedive. It's likely that John ran low (no guage visible), put on autopilot, but his foot likely hit the pedal on accident while he turned in that tight space to reach the switch for changing tanks. It was an unfortunate bad decision & we lost a treasure of a singer/songwriter that day.😢
I've been listening to this song for well over 40 years and for the first time I've realized what its about, perhaps due to the naivety of youth, I assumed it was kust a lover having to leave someone for a period and would be back sometimw soon. After listening to war talk, it struck me that it has to be about someone who got drafted and is being flown over to Vietnam. It simply never struck me before. Maybe its common knowledge but after hearing it 100's and hundreds of times, i would think I would have known that. If anyone actually knows, let me know
Geez, BP, I never even put the connection together about leaving on a jet plane, although I'm sure John's plane was a prop ... still damn spooky. This was actually about a young man leaving for the Vietnam war. Hey, check out Cass Elliot singing "Dream a Little Dream of Me." It's a Mamas and Papas song, but she pretty much sings it solo.
John wrote the song and he is my most favorite singer! "Leaving on a Jet Plane" was a hit for Peter, Paul, and Mary and that launched John's career! I recommend reacting to that version of the song! But that type of song was common for John and he usually would use "Jet Plane" in a medley. For example, "Leaving on a Jet Plane" was paired with "Goodbye Again" in "The Wildlife Concert" and "Leaving on a Jet Plane" was paired with "Follow Me" in the "An Evening with John Denver" concert album. My 3 favorite John Denver songs are "Follow Me," "Poems, Prayers, and Promises" and "Shanghai Breezes!"
John Denver wrote and recorded Leaving on a Jet Plane in 1966, when he was just 23 years old. Check out John Denver singing Early Morning Rain, another classic song of the times; I also recommend you react to Cass Elliot singing Make Your Own Kind of Music, such a beautiful voice.
He wrote the song. Yes, he was a notorious player/ladies man even while married. He wrote 'Annies Song' for his wife after getting caught messing around in an attempt to get her back. It worked once but when he got caught again and tried it again with another song she had had enough.
Yes, Cass Elliot was in the Mamas & Papas, she was known as Mama Cass. Also, Wilson Phillips member Chynna Phillips is the daughter of Michelle Phillips, who was the other female in Mamas & Papas. ;-)
This was my favorite John Denver song when I was a kid,and later it was covered by Peter,Paul,&Mary and I fell in love with it all over again.🙂yes,Mama Cass is from the Mamas & the Papas who sang California Dreamin’…good job at calling that one!! lol I realize John sings this with Mama Cass in this version, but he also sings it without her and as I said before:Peter,Paul,&Mary do an AMAZING cover of this as well. History always repeats itself in cycles…it’s kinda unstoppable.its just the way time works,our job is to learn from our past as humans and IMPROVE the future.this song is like a time capsule for me.thanks🙂🎶❤️✌🏻
It certainly should be what being American is all about. However, in reality the US has a lower rate of voter registration than any other "western" country, and most other countries too.
He WROTE THIS SONG!! He is the only American singer/songwriter to have TWO of his signature songs adopted as state songs. ‘Take Me Home, Country Roads’ (West Virginia-since the first stanza says ‘Almost heaven, West Virginia…’ ) and ‘Rocky Mountain High’ for Colorado!
Yes. When a woman sings it solo, the lyrics are usually swapped around. To things like "when you come back, I'll wear your wedding ring."
I'd love to see you react to Creeque Alley by The Mammas and Pappas
All this time I never knew John Denver wrote this!
A song on Kent State "four dead in Ohio" by Neil Young
Which is hilarious... because he wasn't singing about West Virginia... he was singing about western Virginia. He hadn't even been to the state of West Virginia when he wrote the song.
John wrote the song about going out on tour and having to leave Annie behind. However, it really resonated with the young men going off to Vietnam and the wives and girlfriends they left at home.
Cass Elliot (aka Mama Cass) was indeed a member of The Mamas and The Papas. She also had a few solo successes before her life was cut short. Rest In Peace, Cass Elliot. This song was written and recorded by John Denver, and released in 1966 in the big middle of so much going on at that time -- The Vietnam War didn't end until 1975, the Kent State shooting happened in 1970 during a college campus Vietnam War protest, the Watergate break-in occurred in 1972, and this was also during the U.S. and Russia Cold War which didn't end until 1991 -- all this in the midst of the Civil Rights protests. A big part of the Vietnam protests were because many felt that we had no business in that war, which later was proven true. Another reason for the protests was because during that time, the draft was in effect, and those who did not feel we had any business over there did NOT want to be drafted into the military. It was definitely a very politically turbulent time for the U.S., and I remember all of it like it was yesterday. Thanks for the reaction! ✌💙✌
Mama Cass was in The Mamas and The Papas! She had such an amazing voice! John wrote this song about his life as a touring musician, being on the road, and how hard that life can be in a relationship! U should definitely check out some more John Denver and Cass Elliot's solo music! Poems, Prayers and Promises is one of my favorite John Denver songs!
Poems is a piece of finely crafted…ART!♥️
Poems, Prayers, and Promises is my favorite song or at least in my top 3 all the time!
Cass Elliot had a huge single success after leaving The Mamas and The Papas, with Make Your Own Kind of Music; like so many iconic artists of that period, her life was cut short too early.
My favorite Cass Elliot song is dream a little dream
With Tommy Smothers.
John Denver’s voice is just perfection. Their harmony is ❤.
Vietnam....we watched our mothers cry and our brothers die. They went as innocent young men and came back shattered to a nation that would spit on them and ignore their wounded souls.
Absolutely 💯💙
I remember wearing bracelets with servicemen’s names. 😢
Yes. My brother and husband were ones who were fortunate to come home. They did get spit on. I have to say that the dignity with which those young men withstood the taunts and the spitting was incredible. They held their composure and kept their pride in our country in tact in the face of it.
Right On!!!✌
I have an uncle, by marriage, that was different when he returned from serving in Vietnam!!
When he wrote the song it was titled I Hate to Go, Peter, Paul and Mary recorded it first and the title was changed to Leaving on a Jet Plane. Listen to their version it was a big hit
When I was in the Air Force I would always go to the NCO Club whenever they had a band playing. Usually some local or little known group, but occasionally a well known singer. But no matter who was performing they always HAD TO sing this song as the last song of the night. And everyone would dance with thier loved one and many tears were shed.
John Denver was a strong supporter against musical censorship and testified in front of Congress against warning labels.
She would die less then 2 years later of a heart attack at just 32. She was a beautiful person. John singing this song always makes me cry, after all he died in a plane crash. He was just incredible.
he was less than a nice person. He had a great talent though
john wrote it, n so many other fine songs, sweet 2 hear cas n john singing together, rip to both
Three of my most favorite songs by John Denver are " I Want to Live," " Wings that Fky Us Home,"and The Flower that Shattered the Stone." I miss him very much in this world, but he left us with a HUGE Discography. He was definitely a poet who spoke to my heart. Thank you for your reactions. They are always spot on.
Boy you and I really missed out on the golden era of genuine voices in music. This is when talent was pure and shows gave a damn about talent. It is true that John died in a single engine plane that he was the pilot for. That took place in the eighties. What this song is speaking about is a man who is going to be a soldier who is leaving his loved ones. John wrote this song in 1965 and it was a big hit for the pop trio Peter Paul and Mary.
His crash was 1997. A sad day for the country.
Let’s put an end to the rumor John eliminated himself. No, the NTSB report clearly indicates the crash occurred because of error: mainly the placement of the fuel tank switch, was was on the left behind the pilot seat of the Rutan Long E-Z he was getting acquainted with. To reach the switch-part of engine restart procedures- he had to twist left in the cockpit and use pliers to switch tanks. The ergonomics of that caused his right foot to press the right rudder pedal, which accidentally forced him into a stall. Being at 500 feet over the bay at Monterey, he had no time to recover. Being so low and running out of gas were his errors; placement of the switch was not. With his flight hours he could have ditched had he not stalled, but Long E-Zs do not ditch well and tend to nose in on impact with water due to the fixed rear landing gear. Things were looking up for him in 1997 and he was not depressed. He did NOT intentionally kill himself. It was an accident of plane design, familiarity with a new aircraft and errors of not having enough gas and other things. He did write this song, not Mamma Cas. She was joking. John was a new rising star in 1972 when this was filmed. He had just penned Rocky Mountain High and was on his way up. Vietnam was about to end. He became RCA’s best-selling artist, I believe. It’s not “creepy” John died flying. He loved flying. He died doing what he loved, and we still miss him. He was one of a kind. And fans still gather every October in Aspen to celebrate him and have for 27 years.
Thank you, I was half in saying essentially all the same things you said. Still miss John Denver. He loved flying, loved life, loved nature. I still play his music a lot. In fact I have watched this particular video they are watching many many times.
And this was the first Midnight Special which was a“Rock the Vote” to get young adults out to make choices at the ballot box 🗳 instead of complaining and thinking they couldn’t do anything about Vietnam, inflation, laws etc. the vote was their voice. Same as today. And The Midnight Special ended up running for about a dozen or so years. A fun show. Great bands. And that one show there with John Denver and Mama Cass Elliott has every genre about 10 bands and comics. It’s on UA-cam in full. Worthy of watching
He should have never been flying that day. His pilot cert was still revoked due to his two recent DWI’s
Yes Cass Elliot is also known as Momma Cass from the Mommas snd the Poppas....
I lived in the Monterey area when he crashed. He took off from the Monterey Airport which is close to the Pacific. He flew over the Monterey shoreline then out across the Pacific Grove shore and tragically crashed into the shoreline rocks. Your details about his experimental plane reserve fuel tank are consistent with what I have always heard.
Such a beautiful yet heartbreaking song from Cass Elliot & John Denver. It was in 1966 he wrote this song for his first wife. John Denver's love life was as intricate as his music!!
This song was recorded several decades before his passing. A great singer indeed.❤ Blessings to all.❤
Have y’all noticed no Auto tune needed ! There wasn’t any. .pure gifted talent.
Cass Eliot was an amazingly gifted, joyful singer. Great solo songs include "It's Getting Better" and "Make Your Own Kind of Music."
Unfortunately, Cass did have to endure extremely harsh criticism about her appearance, even from her fellow members of the Mamas & the Papas. She actually hated being called "Mama Cass."
RIP Cass Eliot.
Her voice and sheer tenacity made her a star and a legend.
And she had an amazing sense of humor. I just love her so much. Thank you for your lovely comment. ❤❤Much love❤❤
She also does a duet with Tom Jones.
@@kens32052 Yes. Cass Eliot performed a duet with Tom Jones on the "This Is Tom Jones" show (Mar 21, 1969). Their soul medley included Otis Redding's "Respect" and the Holland-Dozier-Holland number "I Guess I'll Always Love You".
@@stephenstrudwick8095 I think Tom also sang a duet with Janis Joplin on his show.
@@kens32052 Yep. Janis Joplin performed a duet with Tom Jones on his show, which aired on December 4, 1969. Their version of "Raise Your Hand" was widely heralded as one of the best duets ever performed on the show. Jones later recalled, "when Janis and I did the rehearsal for Raise Your Hand she looked at me and said, ‘Jesus, you can really sing!' I thought, thank God people like Janis Joplin had taken note.” 🤩
The duet boosted both Jones’ and Joplin’s reputation, as it gave Jones more street credibility and introduced Joplin to a wider audience.
I tear up every time I hear this song because of the way John Denver died. He was my first crush as a little kid! He had such a beautiful voice and timber. I recently discovered your videos and truely enjoy the way you bring yourself into each reaction. Thanks for doing what you're doing!
Colorado one of most beautiful states! Love Colorado, Rocky Mountain high, Rocky Mountain way
"OHIO" the song by Crosby, Stills and Nash. 💚🤙🏼
We should at least mention Neil Young since he weote the entire song in about 20 minutes after reading about the campus shootings.
And Young. Neil wrote and sang the lead on the recording.
One of the most beautiful 12 stringers and voice. Then adding Cass!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
From Wikipedia...
"Leaving on a Jet Plane" is a song written and recorded by American singer-songwriter John Denver[1] in 1966, originally included on his debut demo recording John Denver Sings as "Babe I Hate to Go".
He made several copies and gave them out as presents for Christmas of that year.[2]
Denver's then producer Milt Okun convinced him to change the title; the song was renamed "Leaving on a Jet Plane" in 1967.
Need to remember that a lot of young men were leaving on a jet plane to go to Vietnam, and they were often picked up from home by a taxi.
@@005uz345 And JD did write moral, enviro, and protest style songs, this definitely could have started out that way, even if he didn't promote it as such.
It helped change the national perspective of the undeclared war. Technically, it was a police action. Burning draft cards, leaving the country for Canida and the Four Dead in Ohio all helped bring the reality of that war to front and center of politics and to the public.
Yes - Peter Paul & Mary - my fav version in '60s. He was a friend of theirs.
She is also the lady sitting in the crowd in awe watching Janice Joplin singing “Ball and Chain”.
John Philips and the group were the organizers of the Monterey Pop Festival.
John Denver had just purchased the home-built aircraft. It was propeller driven (not jet) with two fuel tanks. However, the switch to change tanks was behind him. He could not reach it. The plane ran out of fuel while he was trying to switch tanks.
500,000 of our boys took a plane to Viet Nam and 50,000 died there. This song was heartbreaking for many families.
So sad - I pray we never have to send our children to be slaughtered again. For what?
I got lucky. My Daddy came back. He also flew the last mission of WWII which was NOT NAGAZAKI
Famous quote : "“Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.”
Mama Cass Elliott was a beautiful voice and brilliant songwriter as well.
You should react to the Mama's and Papa's
The significance of Cass Elliot talking about trying to get the vote out was that in 1971 the 26th Amendment to the Constitution was ratified; this lowered the voting age from 21 years old to 18 years old.
It was about encouraging young people to register to vote.
John built an ultralight. He crashed in a downdraft.
Yep the first time I could vote and I’ve voted every time since
JD and Mama Cass were two of the best. We lost both too soon.
John Denver definitely wrote it, first time the song came out it was sung by Mary Travers, ffrom folk group Peter, Paul and Mary, I know my shit!
John Denver was 53 when he died. He was flying an experimental plane, very tempermental. The NTSB report speculated he was trying to reach a fuel switch when he splashed.
Protests grew during the late 1960s and early 70s and played a significant role in ending the Vietnam War. During protests, National Guardsmen shot four at Kent State, and police killed two at Jackson State, an HBCU.
Nixon?? Not a chance. John was an amazing man and major bleeding heart liberal. I met him here in Colorado, when I was so young and still able to idolize. God give me the singer-songwriter era again. Miss you John.
My Dad would sing this all the time.
He traveled alot.
Everytime I hear this song I would cry.
He is now in Heaven singing with John❤❤
🙏🏻💖🙏🏻💖🙏🏻
That breaks my heart.😢
There it is.
John Denver wrote and recorded “Leaving on a Jet Plane” in 1966, when he was just 23 years old. It was included on his debut demo recording as “Babe, I Hate to Go.” He made copies and gave them to friends as Christmas presents that year.
The AMAZING Cass Eliot certainly was in the Mamas and The Papas!!School!! She was an extremely talented singer. Tragic 😢 That we lost both of them too soon!! ❤❤❤❤
The song is called 4 Dead in Ohio wriiten by Neil Young and recorded by Crosby Stills Nash and Young. I was atationed on the Korean DMZ and my 3 brothers were in Viet Nam when this happened and I cry for them to this day.
The song is simply called "Ohio".
From 76 to whenever, we had the Midnight Special live every Friday night and we had SNL live every Saturday night. Its great to be able to relive those times at 60.
This episode was in the first season of The Midnight Special in 1972.
Peter, Paul and Mary had a huge hit with their version of this song
BP absolutely MUST listen to some Peter, Paul, and Mary tunes!
This is the best fersion
PPM’s “version” is the original recording of this song. John recorded demos of his song but never released it for sale. This was his first song to be a hit.
@@lanettezunica7314 Still Cass was not on the original and after this version... without her seems missing. Also a hit was the Peter. Paul and Mary version. Sadly, they are hard to get a reaction of thru.
Peter, Paul and Mary and their recording of "Leaving on A Jet Plane" were to John Denver's career what Patsy Cline's recording of "Crazy" was to the career of Willie Nelson and what Janis Joplin's recording of "Me and Bobbie McGee" released on her last album "Pearl" after her tragic death was to the career of Kris Kristofferson.
cass elliott was the gal in the audience in the Janis Joplin (Ball and chain)vid with her mouth wide open in the audience mouthing WOW at the end. remember?
I’m happy you like John Denver! He has been my favorite since I was a tween in the 70’s!
Never knew they sang together what a treat ❤
He is the song writer, a great one. They both died too soon. Peter Paul and Mary made the popular recording of this Denver song. A big hit because many couples were being torn apart by the Vietnam war.
If you want a great P,P,&M song, "The Great Mandela". A great anti-war song by them
Peter Paul and Mary was my first concert as a kid! They’d be great for reactions, too!
The Midnight Special was a Staple in my childhood. So many amazing performances. Great reaction as usual my friends and Peace out 🙏 ✌️ ☮️
He and Mama Cass were wonderful friends, and they sang *so beautifully* together, didn't they? :) John's plane crash was such a shock. Truly...the country mourned. His little plane was one he had only recently purchased and it had quite a lot of rather unusual customizations done by the previous owner. It was actually one of those customizations that appeared to be largely responsible for the crash.
This is so very beautiful yet sad. RIP John and Mama Cass. They left this world wat to soon. Love your reactions!
I loved them both! What voices! 😊
Gen X who were raised with this older music would know it. Parents will turn their kids onto music they enjoy. I'm a boomer. My son was born in 1978 and my daughter in 1985. They heard my music often and can sing every lyric in many of them. Cass Elliot's 'Dream a Little Dream of Me' or 'Welcome to My World" by Jim Reeves, is what I sang to my kids as I rocked them to sleep. I overheard both my kids singing it to their kids when they were babies. It melted my heart.
That's so true! Mine know Hank Williams Srs songs and would sing with their daddy. It was the music he grew up with ( he was 17 years older than me) they also heard my Bob Edgar, Elvis, Little Richard, Rod Stewart etc. then we listened to Hank Jr Rolling Stones and their music of that time. Music is a wonderful thing to help weave those memories together after the loved ones are gone and makes you smile. ❤❤❤
I think you're confusing gen z with gen x
My 5 year old great-great-nephew will often ask me to play the Yummy Yummy song or the Shake Your Behind song. 😂
The first time he ever tried to dance was to me playing Shake Your Booty by KC & The Sunshine Band. I had also started a thing to get him to eat by changing the lyrics of. Yummy Yummy Yummy by The Ohio Express to "Yummy yummy I got love in my tummy and I got some food for you."
@@vivianhull3317Yes! I did.(Just fixed it above) My son is GenX, my daughter a Millennium.
He also sang a duet with Olivia Newton John called "Fly Away". Check it out!!! Also check out "The Midnight Special". It was a late night live music show that had EVERYBODY on it. They would have country, metal, rock & pop all on the same night. It was AMAZEBALLS!!!!!
John Denver wrote the song in the 60’s and Peter Paul and Mary covered it and made it a hit.
He should react to them as well.
Puff the magic dragon.
as usual when listening to this song.... here come the goosebumps, then the tears. then peace.
He makes me cry every song. His voice. ❤
Sitting here in tears right now.
this guy is special
John wrote the song. It was made really popular by Oeter Paul and Mary, but it's John's song.
Just an acoustic guitar and two beautiful voices... 🤙😎
Mama Cass has such a unique and effortless way of harmonizing.
John Denver did a cable special back in the 90's, after being out of the limelight for quite a while, and he was still amazing.
He wrote the song, you must pay attention if you want to stay in the house! Sarcasm!
John did write this song for his 1st wife. He wrote so many great songs.
Dang. I was 3months old when they did this performance 😂😂😂 awesome song.
OMG these two! Together! Just nuts!
This song was about the life of a traveling musician. But my husband and thousands of other American men left home in 1972 for Vietnam. It hits me different when I remember how terrified we were. He came home a year later, only for him to develop an agent orange related cancer, making him too weak to fight off covid. Don't get me wrong, we never regretted his service to his country. But his 1972 jet trip was so scary for me. Him too, probably.
I'm so, so very sorry! ❤❤Much Love ❤❤
As an AF brat, this song was almost an anthem among a lot of my friends. It especially hit home with our dads as they kissed our mama's goodbye...again, or as we said goodbye to friends. My dad also was exposed to agent orange, took his life too soon.
The Song " THANK GOD I AM A COUNTRY BOY" Next please. Shows the fun side to John! And it is probably his biggest hit! Much love to you and the Fam ❤❤❤
No, he bought a special plane but the handle to the reserve fuel tank was behind the seat and he was going to put it in the shop and get that moved to an easier access but he wanted to fly it first but there wasn't enough fuel in it. Once it stalls you can't let go of the controls.
Such a beautiful song, so moving. Still makes tears well in my eyes.
John Denver wrote this.
Great musician, great singer, great lyricist. You can react to anything he wrote.
Neil Diamond is another one that can do no wrong.
The 70's brought Folk Music to the forefront. With Folk Music came the Troubadours, . . . the musicians as storytellers.
Mama Cass and John were considered in the genre of folk artist but made such great music they couldn't be denied mainstream recognition. And yes, John wrote this and so many other incredible songs with lyrics that touched the soul.
I loved this song when I was little but I didn’t know it was a John Denver song until I was an adult! My older sister listened to the Peter, Paul and Mary version! Great reaction!❤️🔥✌🏻🫶🏻
Rest in Paradise Cass and John 🤠
John Denver was an Air Force brat like us. His father was a test pilot. Check out "Calypso" next. It was written after Denver's trip with Cousteau.
Definitely listen to Calypso!
I still cry when I hear it - it's not a sad song, it's just hearing his voice soar!
Beautiful song.
2 of my favorite performers. Both died to young. And yes she waz part of the mamas and papas. John Denver was the 1st concert I ever went too.
Two beautiful people, both no longer with us--and yet still with us. This one brought a tear to my eye today, for some reason. Thanks for the reminder on this one. Oh and "John Denver wrote and recorded “Leaving on a Jet Plane” in 1966, when he was just 23 years old."
John Denver wrote the song. When it's sung by a woman the ring line is changed to "I'll wear your wedding ring".
John Denver wrote many many great songs. Several of them talked about the beauty of nature and I believe raised our awareness and appreciation. As you listen to some of the more radio played, I urge you to check out the suggestions people are making for our personal favorites too. We bought and listened to his albums. We still love to listen to the beauty and craftsmanship of a well written and finely played and sung song. Some of my favorites are " This Old Guitar" "Matthew" "Fly Away" with Olivia Newton-John, "Back Home Again" "Annie's Song" "The Eagle and the Hawk" a sweeping and majestic song, that can make you feel like you're soaring through the sky. There are so many more. I hope you will keep digging into this treasure chest.
Three cords & the truth!
Brings a tear to the eye.
John Denver was a lover of nature and life, he would never have done something to take his own life. She was joking.
"Leaving on a Jet Plane" is a song written and recorded by American singer-songwriter John Denver in 1966, originally included on his debut demo recording
This is such a beautiful performance. Such beautiful people. Yes, Cass Elliot is Mama Cass.
I've always loved this duo.. Cass had such a pretty voice.
“Ohio” by CSNY was written by Neil Young after hearing about the Kent State killings.
They immediately got studio time and recorded it that week.
It was released shortly thereafter.
Another great song to react to.
As others have said, JD wrote this song about a touring musician. But my generation will forever tie it to the boys leaving for Vietnam. This version was done in 1972, the year of the Nixon/McCarthy presidential election. At that time we had been in Nam almost 10 years. The country was sick of war, with 58,000 killed. We finally got out in 1975
George McGovern ran for president against Richard Nixon in 1972.
We still had the draft back then you as a male were required to register on or before your 18th birthday
@@patbrewer4205 yes I turned 18 in November 1974. I registered for the draft.
The plane he was flying when he died was an "experimental" classed aircraft. These are often one-off kit-type aircraft that do not meet full FAA requirements. As a result they are restricted in the types of areas they can fly and the airports they can use. He was actually making some touch and go landings at the time of the crash. The official cause of the accident was ruled by the NTSB to be the poor placement of a fuel selector valve that distracted him and caused him to crash.
People wondered if John's plane went down by accident or not, they interviewed people and watched footage of his last private performance, and he was engaged and happy. They think the switch to go to his auxiliary tank was in an awkward position behind his seat and he couldn't reach it before running out of gas.
I heard it was an experimental plane that wasn't yet approved by the FAA.
I read that type of switch is no longer allowed.
They don't think it was the switch, they documented it and the evidence was presented as the cause of the accident and his death. He was flying the experimental lightweight aircraft near the coast and they think he may have realized that he was unable to switch from the empty tank to the full tank of fuel so he was heading out towards Open Water where he would have a better chance of surviving the crash and not taking anyone with him. It was thoroughly investigated. Anything else you hear is just conspiracy theories and conjecture and people with too vivid imaginations and too lazy to find the actual fact.
Always loved John Denver & thus song is one of a long list of my favorites. Yes, John wrote it. As for his death, it wasn't intentional. John was trying out the plane after purchasing it. The former owner apparently put it together wrong & decided to put the fuel tank gauge & tank switch behind the pilot seat. He decided not to fill the tank that it was on because wasn't going to be up that long. He figured he'd instead put autopilot on & reach behind the seat to switch tanks. There were onlookers who saw the plane rake a sudden nosedive. It's likely that John ran low (no guage visible), put on autopilot, but his foot likely hit the pedal on accident while he turned in that tight space to reach the switch for changing tanks. It was an unfortunate bad decision & we lost a treasure of a singer/songwriter that day.😢
I've been listening to this song for well over 40 years and for the first time I've realized what its about, perhaps due to the naivety of youth, I assumed it was kust a lover having to leave someone for a period and would be back sometimw soon. After listening to war talk, it struck me that it has to be about someone who got drafted and is being flown over to Vietnam.
It simply never struck me before. Maybe its common knowledge but after hearing it 100's and hundreds of times, i would think I would have known that. If anyone actually knows, let me know
Me too. Now you got me wondering -
John Denver with Cass Elliot from the mamas and the Papas. This music is beautiful..
they sounded so good together .
Now you have to listen to Peter, Paul, and Mary's rendition of the song. It's really good!
He'd probably like "Where have all the flowers gone too?"
Geez, BP, I never even put the connection together about leaving on a jet plane, although I'm sure John's plane was a prop ... still damn spooky. This was actually about a young man leaving for the Vietnam war. Hey, check out Cass Elliot singing "Dream a Little Dream of Me." It's a Mamas and Papas song, but she pretty much sings it solo.
John wrote the song and he is my most favorite singer! "Leaving on a Jet Plane" was a hit for Peter, Paul, and Mary and that launched John's career! I recommend reacting to that version of the song! But that type of song was common for John and he usually would use "Jet Plane" in a medley. For example, "Leaving on a Jet Plane" was paired with "Goodbye Again" in "The Wildlife Concert" and "Leaving on a Jet Plane" was paired with "Follow Me" in the "An Evening with John Denver" concert album. My 3 favorite John Denver songs are "Follow Me," "Poems, Prayers, and Promises" and "Shanghai Breezes!"
John Denver wrote and recorded Leaving on a Jet Plane in 1966, when he was just 23 years old. Check out John Denver singing Early Morning Rain, another classic song of the times; I also recommend you react to Cass Elliot singing Make Your Own Kind of Music, such a beautiful voice.
He wrote the song. Yes, he was a notorious player/ladies man even while married. He wrote 'Annies Song' for his wife after getting caught messing around in an attempt to get her back. It worked once but when he got caught again and tried it again with another song she had had enough.
Yes, Cass Elliot was in the Mamas & Papas, she was known as Mama Cass. Also, Wilson Phillips member Chynna Phillips is the daughter of Michelle Phillips, who was the other female in Mamas & Papas. ;-)
John Denver wrote this beautiful song Perhaps love, and did a duet with placido Domingo, so beautiful
RIP Cass and John. Both gone too soon.
Complete masters of song !!!
This was my favorite John Denver song when I was a kid,and later it was covered by Peter,Paul,&Mary and I fell in love with it all over again.🙂yes,Mama Cass is from the Mamas & the Papas who sang California Dreamin’…good job at calling that one!! lol I realize John sings this with Mama Cass in this version, but he also sings it without her and as I said before:Peter,Paul,&Mary do an AMAZING cover of this as well. History always repeats itself in cycles…it’s kinda unstoppable.its just the way time works,our job is to learn from our past as humans and IMPROVE the future.this song is like a time capsule for me.thanks🙂🎶❤️✌🏻
Just pure voices...no auto tune. Both of their voices were magic.
John with his golden voice❤
This is the first song I ever learned on guitar at 13 years old.
Everyone that can, should register to vote, no matter who they vote for. That's what America is all about.
Democracy: where the minority always lose unless they have more clout.
It certainly should be what being American is all about. However, in reality the US has a lower rate of voter registration than any other "western" country, and most other countries too.
We don’t have a choice in Australia! If you don’t vote, you get fined, simple as that!
❤❤❤Love the midnight special 💕 ❤️ ✨️ 💖 💗
My mom always told me for as beautiful as the music John Denver made, he had a darkness inside him.