Back Home Again
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| Release Date: |
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| Label: |
RCA |
| Rating: |
5.0 |
Description: John Denver could never smirk. It wasn't in him. And while looking back from the perspective of the jaded, cynical '90s makes Denver seem even more anachronistic, it must be admitted that he always told the truth as he saw it, no matter how awkward and painful such truths might seem. By the time of 1974's
Back Home Again, Denver had written the bulk of what would be his canon. Here he delivers "Thank God I'm a Country Boy" and his earnest, cornpone imagery ensures that to most he is never taken seriously again. Denver's knack for melody, however, never abandons him and tracks like "This Old Guitar" and "Sweet Surrender" benefit from his gentle ear, no matter how simplistic his sentiments. --
Rob O'Connor
Tracklist of Back Home Again
Reviews:
A timeless message....
I'm only 19 years old, but I first became a fan of John Denver after I watched a VH1 Behind the Music on his life. There was something about his simple message that made me buy my first John Denver CD, after that I quickly obtained many more, this one included.
This album, "Back Home Again", is usually what I give my friends to listen to when they ask me why I'm such a big John Denver fan. Songs such as Back Home Again, This Old Guitar, Annie's Song, and Sweet Surrender are some of his staple songs, but that doesn't mean that the rest are just "fillers". This album has its greatest impact when listened to in its entirety, especially because of the fact that it ends with his classic "This Old Guitar".
It's rare when you can find songs with messages so simple and elegant that they mean just as much now as when they did when originally released, but this album does just that. I recommend it for potential and/or tried and true John Denver fans.
SIMPLY ONE OF THE BEST ALBUMS OF ALL FREAKIN' TIME!
OH MY GOD!!! I'm almost tearing up just THINKING about this album! What can you say??? What needs to be said??? ABSOLUTELY ONE OF THE BEST ALBUMS OF ALL TIME BY ANYONE!!!!
You will NEVER hear music this honest, pure, catchy, fun, and beautifully recorded. Wow.
From death metal to folk, easy listening to the Beatles, from jazz to R&B, this album stands up to ANY from ANY genre.
GET IT.
This is what makes the legend. . .
John Denver was never cool. At least, that is what those who would be cool tell us. They are wrong. John was cool because he was honest, direct and pure. His music was all his own: innocent yet worldly, simple yet complex, soaring yet grounded. BACK HOME AGAIN was one of his most commercially successful albums as he rode the crest of his popularity. It had been a slow build, but each recording and tour had been a little bigger than the last. By the time he got here, he was playing stadiums, and on this tour he played Red Rocks just outside Denver. I was there, right in the front row, glad to see that the rest of the country had caught on to what was special about him. When he came out for soundcheck early in the day, he was happy, as always, to sign autographs and shake the hands of his fans and friends. He never forgot or ignored us, which was right in tune with the man's core. And that is why BACK HOME AGAIN is a fine album and well worth adding to your library: the man was real, making music for the pure joy of it, writing songs that speak to everyone's longing for a simpler, more peaceful, better life. Certainly he had his dark moments, but the light always came through when that shining tenor wrapped around a song. Many of his big hits are on this album: "Annie's Song", "Back Home Again", "Sweet Surrender", but others such as "Cool and Green and Shady", "The Music is You" and "Grandma's Feather Bed" are fan favorites. Of course, this is the album with one of John's most personal songs: "This Old Guitar". It spells out his whole reason for living, beautifully and simply. So set aside the hype and the false images and just listen to the music. That is why he was here, and we are all richer for it. He is greatly missed.