One of John's best and most loved songs with some of the most profound lyrics.
I feel it's a song about a man awakening to the spiritual path and to what he truly is, from the dreaming, negativity, sleep walking, and ignorance that is characteristic of this world. "He was born in the summer of his 27th year, coming home to a place he'd never been before. He left yesterday behind him, you might say he was born again." He's born again at 27 symbolically, in Christ. "You might say he found a key for every door." He's found the true truth that will unlock all barriers and open the way to freedom in God and Love.
"When he first came to the mountains his life was far away
On the road and hanging by a song
But the string's already broken and he doesn't really care
It keeps changing fast and it don't last for long"
When he first came to the mountains his normal life was far away from them, he was constantly on the road with only a song to remind him of his normal home. But the string tying him to that place broke upon coming to the beauty of the mountains and he doesn't really care about that attachment to that place anymore. Life keeps changing fast, and nothing lasts for very long, so why get attached to anything if it's impermanent anyway?
"But the Colorado rocky mountain high
I've seen it rainin' fire in the sky
The shadow from the starlight is softer than a lullabye
Rocky mountain high (Colorado)"
Like others have said, he experienced a meteor shower from high up in the mountains, like fire raining in the sky. The shadow from the starlight is beautiful, soft, and gentle, like a lullaby.
"He climbed cathedral mountains, he saw silver clouds below
He saw everything as far as you can see
And they say that he got crazy once and he tried to touch the sun
And he lost a friend but kept a memory" (not "his" memory, incorrect lyric)
A cryptic line to me, I believe he means he tried to touch the Source of life (sun) aka God, he lost a friend because of this, maybe an atheist or someone who lives a very worldly life who didn't want anything to do with him because of his new direction in life, and subsequently left, also saying he's crazy for attempting a life path so radical. The main characters retains a memory of the attempt though of trying to touch God through the beauty of the sun representing the radiance of life.
"Now he walks in quiet solitude the forest and the streams
Seeking grace in every step he takes
His sight has turned inside himself to try and understand
The serenity of a clear blue mountain lake"
The attempt to touch the sun aka God has led him to leading a devout life to the spiritual path, walking quietly in beauty of nature and of God's creation, seeking God's Grace in every step that he takes. His sight has turned inside to understand the serenity of a simple lake and how profound such silence, stillness, and peace is, when before being born again his sight had been turned outwards towards the things of the world, with no inner peace, grace, or serenity.
"Now his life is full of wonder but his heart still knows some fear
Of a simple thing he cannot comprehend
Why they try to tear the mountains down to bring in a couple more
More people, more scars upon the land"
His life is now full of wonder since he's stepped onto the path and his awareness has begun to be illuminated by the absolute beauty that is nature, the Rocky Mountains, and all of Creation, but he still knows some fear within because he cannot understand why man wants to tear down the natural beauty of the mountains to then build mountainous buildings, resorts etc, which bring in more people who then burn and cut the land resulting in scars.
It seems the song's main character is John Denver and his own journey and perspective on being born again in Christ, discovering the beauty of the mountains and nature, and seeking grace and God in life through nature "You can talk to God and listen to the casual reply"
@Zachy1 Thank you for this interpretation. I found it illuminating. \r\n\r\nI\'d always been baffled by the line "...but the strings already broken, and he doesn\'t really care." \r\n\r\nYour take on it is useful. \r\n\r\nWhile some here deny that Denver is describing being born again in Christ, that the song draws upon Christianity is undeniable. American culture is bathed in Christian imagery and assumptions -- that\'s to be expected. \r\n\r\nThank you and stay well!
@Zachy1 Thank you for this interpretation. I found it illuminating. \r\n\r\nI\'d always been baffled by the line "...but the strings already broken, and he doesn\'t really care." \r\n\r\nYour take on it is useful. \r\n\r\nWhile some here deny that Denver is describing being born again in Christ, that the song draws upon Christianity is undeniable. American culture is bathed in Christian imagery and assumptions -- that\'s to be expected. \r\n\r\nThank you and stay well!
One of John's best and most loved songs with some of the most profound lyrics.
I feel it's a song about a man awakening to the spiritual path and to what he truly is, from the dreaming, negativity, sleep walking, and ignorance that is characteristic of this world. "He was born in the summer of his 27th year, coming home to a place he'd never been before. He left yesterday behind him, you might say he was born again." He's born again at 27 symbolically, in Christ. "You might say he found a key for every door." He's found the true truth that will unlock all barriers and open the way to freedom in God and Love.
"When he first came to the mountains his life was far away On the road and hanging by a song But the string's already broken and he doesn't really care It keeps changing fast and it don't last for long"
"But the Colorado rocky mountain high I've seen it rainin' fire in the sky The shadow from the starlight is softer than a lullabye Rocky mountain high (Colorado)"
"He climbed cathedral mountains, he saw silver clouds below He saw everything as far as you can see And they say that he got crazy once and he tried to touch the sun And he lost a friend but kept a memory" (not "his" memory, incorrect lyric)
"Now he walks in quiet solitude the forest and the streams Seeking grace in every step he takes His sight has turned inside himself to try and understand The serenity of a clear blue mountain lake"
The attempt to touch the sun aka God has led him to leading a devout life to the spiritual path, walking quietly in beauty of nature and of God's creation, seeking God's Grace in every step that he takes. His sight has turned inside to understand the serenity of a simple lake and how profound such silence, stillness, and peace is, when before being born again his sight had been turned outwards towards the things of the world, with no inner peace, grace, or serenity.
"Now his life is full of wonder but his heart still knows some fear Of a simple thing he cannot comprehend Why they try to tear the mountains down to bring in a couple more More people, more scars upon the land"
It seems the song's main character is John Denver and his own journey and perspective on being born again in Christ, discovering the beauty of the mountains and nature, and seeking grace and God in life through nature "You can talk to God and listen to the casual reply"
@Zachy1 Thank you for this interpretation. I found it illuminating. \r\n\r\nI\'d always been baffled by the line "...but the strings already broken, and he doesn\'t really care." \r\n\r\nYour take on it is useful. \r\n\r\nWhile some here deny that Denver is describing being born again in Christ, that the song draws upon Christianity is undeniable. American culture is bathed in Christian imagery and assumptions -- that\'s to be expected. \r\n\r\nThank you and stay well!
@Zachy1 Thank you for this interpretation. I found it illuminating. \r\n\r\nI\'d always been baffled by the line "...but the strings already broken, and he doesn\'t really care." \r\n\r\nYour take on it is useful. \r\n\r\nWhile some here deny that Denver is describing being born again in Christ, that the song draws upon Christianity is undeniable. American culture is bathed in Christian imagery and assumptions -- that\'s to be expected. \r\n\r\nThank you and stay well!