Annie's Song
{{short description|1974 single by John Denver}}
{{distinguish|text=Anne's Song, Anna's Song or Danny's Song}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2020}}
{{Infobox song
| name = Annie's Song
| image = Annie's Song by John Denver US vinyl single Side-A.png
| alt = John Denver
| caption = Side A of 1974 US vinyl single
| type = single
| artist = John Denver
| album = Back Home Again
| B-side = Cool an' Green an' Shady
| released = June 1974
| recorded =
| studio =
| genre = Country{{cite book|first=Bob |last=Stanley|title=Yeah Yeah Yeah: The Story of Modern Pop|chapter= Beyond the Blue Horizon: Country and Western|chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=9emZAAAAQBAJ&pg=PT7|date=13 September 2013|publisher=Faber & Faber|isbn=978-0-571-28198-5|page=403}}
| length = 2:58
| label = RCA
| writer = John Denver
| producer = Milt Okun
| prev_title = Sunshine on My Shoulders
| prev_year = 1973
| next_title = Back Home Again
| next_year = 1974
| misc = {{Extra album cover
| type = single
| cover = File:Annies-Song-single-cover.jpg
| border =
| caption = 1976 Dutch vinyl picture sleeve
}}
}}
"Annie's Song" (also known as "Annie's Song (You Fill Up My Senses)") is a song written and recorded by American singer-songwriter John Denver. The song was released as the lead single from his eighth studio album Back Home Again. It was his second number-one song in the United States, occupying that spot for two weeks in July 1974. "Annie's Song" also went to number one on the Easy Listening chart.{{Cite book |title=Top Adult Contemporary: 1961–2001 |last=Whitburn |first=Joel |publisher=Record Research |year=2002 |page=76 |author-link=Joel Whitburn}} Billboard ranked it as the No. 25 song for 1974.
It went to number one in the United Kingdom, where it was Denver's only major hit single. Four years later, an instrumental version also became flautist James Galway's only major British hit.
Background
"Annie's Song" was written as an ode to Denver's wife at the time, Annie Martell Denver. Denver "wrote this song in January 1973 in about ten-and-a-half minutes one day on a ski lift" to the top of Aspen 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.{{Cite web |url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio2/soldonsong/songlibrary/anniessong.shtml |title=Sold on Song – Top 100 – Number 50 – Annie's Song |publisher=bbc.co.uk}}{{Cite web |url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio2/soldonsong/songlibrary/ram/anniessong_jdenver_ia.ram |title=John Denver on writing Annie's Song |publisher=bbc.co.uk |format=RAM}} Annie Denver recalls the beginnings: "It was written after John and I had gone through a pretty intense time together and things were pretty good for us. He left to go skiing and he got on the Ajax chair on Aspen mountain and the song just came to him. He skied down and came home and wrote it down... Initially it was a love song and it was given to me through him, and yet for him it became a bit like a prayer."
"The first time I heard 'Annie's Song,' I told John it had the same melody as Tchaikovsky's Fifth Symphony, Second Movement," says Milt Okun. "He walked over to the piano, sat for an hour and came back, and the only thing remaining from Tchaikovsky was the first five notes. It was fantastic."Alfonso, Barry. (2005). Back Home Again (pp. 2–3) [CD Booklet]. New York City, NY: Sony BMG Music Entertainment.
Critical reception
Shawn M. Haney of Allmusic noted the song's expressive emotionality, calling it an "ever so romantic tearjerker". Haney praised "Annie's Song" as "one of Denver's finest achievements".{{Cite web |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/back-home-again-mw0000651901 |title=John Denver – Back Home Again |last=Haney |first=Shawn M. |publisher=Allmusic |access-date=April 9, 2019}} Billboard called it a "fine love song."{{cite news|title=Top Single Picks|newspaper=Billboard|access-date=2020-07-22|date=May 25, 1974|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-Billboard/70s/1974/Billboard%201974-05-25.pdf|page=66}} Record World said that this "folk ballad, subtle and sweet, glows with a continental flair that should take it to all the right places."{{cite magazine|magazine=Record World|date=May 25, 1974|accessdate=2023-03-16|title=Hits of the Week|page=1|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Record-World/70s/74/RW-1974-05-25.pdf}}
Charts
{{col-begin}}
{{col-2}}
=Weekly charts=
| class="wikitable sortable" |
| Chart (1976)
!Peak |
|---|
| {{single chart|Dutch100|12|artist=John Denver|song=Annie's Song|access-date=February 16, 2020}} |
{{col-2}}
=Year-end charts=
{{col-end}}
Certifications
{{Certification Table Top}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=United Kingdom|artist=John Denver|title=Annie's Song|award=Platinum|type=single|relyear=2004|certyear=2023|id=521-2221-1|access-date=May 26, 2023}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=United States|artist=John Denver|title=Annie's Song|award=Gold|type=single|relyear=1974|certyear=1974|access-date=May 15, 2017}}
{{Certification Table Bottom|nosales=true|streaming=true}}
Ville Valo cover
{{Infobox song
| name = Olet mun kaikuluotain
| cover = Kaikuluotain.jpg
| alt =
| type = single
| artist = Ville Valo
| album =
| B-side = Freeman – "Olet mun kaikuluotain"
| released = July 4, 2016
| recorded =
| studio =
| venue =
| genre =
| length = 3:26
| label = Love Records
| writer = John Denver, Hector
| producer =
| prev_title =
| prev_year =
| next_title =
| next_year =
}}
On July 4, 2016, Ville Valo released a cover version of "Annie's Song" in Finnish, titled "Olet mun kaikuluotain" ("You're My Sonar").{{Cite web |url=http://www.mtv.fi/viihde/musiikki/artikkeli/ville-valo-laulaa-suomeksi-legendaarisen-levy-yhtion-juhlavuoden-kunniaksi/5974362 |title=Ville Valo laulaa suomeksi legendaarisen levy-yhtiön juhlavuoden kunniaksi |date=July 4, 2016 |publisher=MTV3 |access-date=July 21, 2016}} The lyrics were by Hector, and the song had previously been recorded in 1976 by Freeman. Ville Valo's version was released as a tribute to Finnish label Love Records, who celebrated their 50th anniversary in 2016. Valo's version was also the first release from the label in over 30 years. Valo commented on the song, stating: "'Kaikuluotain' is a childhood favorite of mine, to the beat of which many a sleepless night ended up in tears. To this day it gives me cold shivers and goosebumps." The song would go on to reach number one on the Finnish Download Chart.{{Cite web |url=http://www.ifpi.fi/tilastot/virallinen-lista/artistit/ville+valo/olet+mun+kaikuluotain |title=Ville Valo – "Olet mun kaikuluotain" |publisher=Musiikkituottajat |access-date=July 24, 2016}}
Valo's version also received a music video, directed by Ykä Järvinen.{{Cite web |url=https://www.is.fi/musiikki/art-2000001217903.html |title=Ville Valo julkaisi suomenkielisen kappaleen – katso herkän mahtipontinen musiikkivideo |date=July 11, 2016 |website=Ilta-Sanomat |access-date=July 21, 2016}} Released on July 11, 2016, the video features scenes of Valo walking around Helsinki, done in tribute to Aki Kaurismäki's film Calamari Union. The video received the Emma Award for Video of the Year in 2017.{{Cite web |url=http://www.mtv.fi/viihde/musiikki/artikkeli/emma-gaalan-yllattaja-ville-valo-palkittiin-vuoden-musiikkivideosta/6298092 |title=Emma-gaalan yllättäjä! Ville Valo palkittiin vuoden musiikkivideosta |date=February 4, 2017 |publisher=MTV3 |access-date=February 24, 2017}}
Adaptations
Supporters of Sheffield United use the melody of "Annie's Song" as "The Greasy Chip Butty Song", a football chant with recast lyrics humorously extolling the virtues of life in Sheffield and as supporters of the club.{{cite web |last1=Thake |first1=Simon |title=Sheffield United: Who wrote club anthem Greasy Chip Butty? |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-south-yorkshire-53908567 |website=BBC Sport | date=31 August 2020 |accessdate=31 August 2020}}
The Egan band performed Bilintx's song "Louolan Jai Jai" with this tune, which became the common tune for the song.[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xtj-1iesfyU To listen] on YouTube
A parody version of the first few bars of the song is included on Monty Python's Contractual Obligation Album, but was removed and replaced with an apology on later pressings of the album on legal advice.Hewison, Robert: Monty Python: The Case Against, p. 37, published 1981 by Eyre Methuen.
See also
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RNOTF-znQyw Annie's Song] on YouTube
{{John Denver}}
{{authority control}}
Category:Billboard Hot 100 number-one singles
Category:Cashbox number-one singles
Category:Irish Singles Chart number-one singles
Category:RPM Top Singles number-one singles
Category:UK singles chart number-one singles
Category:Songs written by John Denver
Category:Song recordings produced by Milt Okun