Today by John Denver (1943 – 1997)
John Denver, born Henry John Deutschendorf, Jr., was an American singer-songwriter, actor, activist, and poet. One of the most popular acoustic artists of the 1970s in terms of record sales. “Annie’s Song” was written as an ode to Denver’s then-wife. Denver “wrote this song in about ten-and-a-half minutes one day on a ski lift” to the top of Bell Mountain in Aspen, Colorado, as the physical exhilaration of having “just skied down a very difficult run” and the feeling of total immersion in the beauty of the colors and sounds that filled all senses inspired him to think about his wife. The song has since become a wedding standard and an expression of love for many people, due to its grand imagery and the fact it could apply to anyone (Annie is not mentioned by name in any part of the song).
Notes
70s pop. 58 Measures. 4 Pages. Time Signature 3/4. Key of C. Moderate. This song was first released on the An Evening With John Denver album. Transcribed for the solo guitar by Po-Ning Chen