Poems, Prayers, and Promises
Encyclopedia
Poems, Prayers & Promises is the fourth album
released by American
singer-songwriter
John Denver
in April 1971. It is considered to be his "breakout album", which helped make him a music star, and contains the song "Take Me Home, Country Roads
", which would become Denver's signature song
.
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
released by American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriters are musicians who write, compose and sing their own musical material including lyrics and melodies. As opposed to contemporary popular music singers who write their own songs, the term singer-songwriter describes a distinct form of artistry, closely associated with the...
John Denver
John Denver
Henry John Deutschendorf, Jr. , known professionally as John Denver, was an American singer/songwriter, activist, and humanitarian. After growing up in numerous locations with his military family, Denver began his music career in folk music groups in the late 1960s. His greatest commercial success...
in April 1971. It is considered to be his "breakout album", which helped make him a music star, and contains the song "Take Me Home, Country Roads
Take Me Home, Country Roads
"Take Me Home, Country Roads" is a song written by John Denver, Taffy Nivert, and Bill Danoff and initially recorded by John Denver. It was included on his 1971 breakout album Poems, Prayers and Promises; the single went to #2 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100...
", which would become Denver's signature song
Signature song
A signature song is the one song that a popular and well-established singer or band is most closely identified with or best known for, even if they have had success with a variety of songs...
.
Side 1
- "Poems, Prayers & Promises" - 4:04 (Denver)
- "Let It BeLet It Be (song)"Let It Be" is a song by The Beatles, released in March 1970 as a single, and as the title track of their album Let It Be. It was written by Paul McCartney, but credited to Lennon–McCartney. It was their final single before McCartney announced his departure from the band...
" - 3:38 (John LennonJohn LennonJohn Winston Lennon, MBE was an English musician and singer-songwriter who rose to worldwide fame as one of the founding members of The Beatles, one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music...
, Paul McCartneyPaul McCartneySir James Paul McCartney, MBE, Hon RAM, FRCM is an English musician, singer-songwriter and composer. Formerly of The Beatles and Wings , McCartney is listed in Guinness World Records as the "most successful musician and composer in popular music history", with 60 gold discs and sales of 100...
) - "My Sweet Lady" - 4:23 (Denver)
- "Wooden Indian" - 1:38 (Denver)
- "JunkJunk (song)"Junk" is a song written by Paul McCartney in 1968 while The Beatles were in India. It was originally under consideration for The Beatles . It was passed over for that LP, as it was for Abbey Road. It was eventually released on McCartney's debut solo album McCartney in 1970...
" - 1:40 (Paul McCartney) - "Gospel Changes" - 3:24 (Jack Williams)
Side 2
- "Take Me Home, Country RoadsTake Me Home, Country Roads"Take Me Home, Country Roads" is a song written by John Denver, Taffy Nivert, and Bill Danoff and initially recorded by John Denver. It was included on his 1971 breakout album Poems, Prayers and Promises; the single went to #2 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100...
" - 3:08 (Bill DanoffBill DanoffBill Danoff is an American songwriter and singer. His best known song as a performer is "Afternoon Delight", which Danoff performed as a member of the Starland Vocal Band...
, Taffy Nivert, Denver) - "I Guess He'd Rather Be In Colorado" - 2:07 (Danoff, Nivert, Denver)
- "Sunshine on My ShouldersSunshine on My Shoulders"Sunshine on My Shoulders" is the title of a song recorded and co-written by American singer/songwriter John Denver. It was released as a single in 1973 and went to number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in the U.S. in early 1974.- Song history :...
" - 5:10 (Denver, Richard Kniss, Mike TaylorMike TaylorMike Taylor may refer to:* Mike Taylor , basketball guard* Mike Taylor , English cricketer* Mike Taylor , English cricketer...
) - "Around & Around" - 2:16 (Denver)
- "Fire and RainFire and Rain"Fire and Rain" is a folk/rock song written and performed by James Taylor. As a song on his second album, Sweet Baby James, the song engendered widespread attention for him. The album was released in February 1970, with the song being released as a single that month. "Fire and Rain" quickly rose to...
" - 3:44 (James TaylorJames TaylorJames Vernon Taylor is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist. A five-time Grammy Award winner, Taylor was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2000....
) - "The Box" - 2:44 (Kendrew Lascelles)
Personnel
- John Denver - guitar, vocals
- Eric WeissbergEric WeissbergEric Weissberg is an American banjo player, best known for the theme from the movie Deliverance.-Biography:Eric Weissberg went to the University of Wisconsin–Madison, then the Juilliard School of Music. He joined an early version of the Greenbriar Boys , but left before they made any recordings....
- banjo, steel guitar - Mike TaylorMike TaylorMike Taylor may refer to:* Mike Taylor , basketball guard* Mike Taylor , English cricketer* Mike Taylor , English cricketer...
- guitar - Richard Kniss - bass
- Taffy Nivert - vocals
- William DanoffWilliam DanoffWilliam Danoff is a vice-president and portfolio manager of Fidelity Contrafund, which, at over $65 billion, is one of the largest single-manager funds in the United States.-References:...
- vocals - Frank Owens - piano
- Gary ChesterGary ChesterGary Chester was one of the 20th century's busiest studio drummers. Gary is counted as one of the greats when it comes to studio session musicians. His work appears on thousands of tracks, including hundreds of hit records from the '50s, '60s and '70s...
- drums - Don Wardell - Executive Producer