About The Song

According to John Denver, he wrote the song on an early spring day in Minnesota, when it was “dreary, gray and slushy.” As the rain gently fell and the snow was slowly melting, Denver found himself yearning to spend more time out-of-doors and reminiscing how sometimes just the sun alone is enough to make you feel better.

With that in mind, Denver attempted to compose a sad song. “I was so down I wanted to write a feeling-blue song,” he said. But it turns out he penned the exact opposite. The heartfelt ballad sings about appreciating the small joys in life and being thankful for anything even if it’s as common as the sunshine – and it’s just beautiful.

On top of that, the album version of the song came with an extra verse that you will not hear on the singles charts because of the track’s length. The second verse finds Denver pondering if he had a story and a wish. The full-length single mix was released on most of John Denver’s hits compilations.

It first appeared on his fourth studio album, Poems, Prayers & Promises, released in 1971. But as Denver started gaining an audience with his heartwarming ballads singing about the pleasure of simple things, the song was re-released as a single two years later. As a result, it climbed up the charts, reaching the top spot of Billboard Hot 100. It even got a big boost when it was used in the made-for-TV movie called Sunshine, which tells the story of a courageous woman dying of cancer.

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6 thoughts on “John Denver – Sunshine on My Shoulders”
  1. The clarinet was too loud; played softly would have been much better. Love John Denver’s music, gone too soon ❤️

  2. I ran into him in St. Petersburg FL in 1986. Then I saw him in concert 9 months before he passed away. I met Annie and his whole family in Aspen Co. They were wonderful people. I miss him and his music, but I have all his albums and CD’s to remind me of him. 🌞🙏❤️
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