About The Song
It first appeared on Denver’s 1974 album Back Home Again, but it sadly failed to enter the charts. A few months later, a live version of his performance on the first night of a sold-out six-night stand at Los Angeles’ Universal Amphitheatre was recorded and released as a single off his album An Evening with John Denver. And it didn’t go unnoticed! The knee-slapping tune landed on the top spot of both Billboard’s Hot 100 and Hot Country Songs chart – where it stayed at No. 1 for one whole week.
While “Thank God I’m A Country Boy” shares the common theme found in most of Denver’s songs – singing about country living as the best thing in life – this one wasn’t actually written by the singer. The credit goes to the guitarist-fiddler of his backing band, John Martin Sommers, who recalled penning the song during one drive from Aspen to Los Angeles.
According to Sommers, he was feeling “peaceful, happy and content” of the way his life goes when he found himself scribbling some notes of his joyful state along the way – which served as the song’s inspiration. “My days are all filled with an easy country charm. Thank God I’m a country boy,” the song goes.
Indeed, out of all his remarkable hits, this one still makes us smile today. It goes to show that John Denver’s music continues to stand the test of his time. They’re here to stay to take you back in time to the dreamy setting of the 1970s whenever you want to.
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Clap your hands!
Well, life on the farm is kinda laid back
Ain’t much an old country boy like me can’t hack
It’s early to rise, early in the sack
Thank God I’m a country boy
Well, a simple kind of life never did me no harm
A-raisin’ me a family and workin’ on the farm
My days are all filled with an easy country charm
Thank God I’m a country boy
Well, I got me a fine wife, I got me old fiddle
When the sun’s comin’ up, I got cakes on the griddle
Life ain’t nothin’ but a funny, funny riddle
Thank God I’m a country boy
When the work’s all done and the sun’s settin’ low
I pull out my fiddle and I rosin up the bow
Kids are asleep so I keep it kinda low
And thank God I’m a country boy
I’d play “Sally Goodin” all day if I could
But the Lord and my wife wouldn’t take it very good
So I fiddle when I can, work when I should
Thank God I’m a country boy
Well, I got me a fine wife, I got me old fiddle
When the sun’s comin’ up, I got cakes on the griddle
Life ain’t nothin’ but a funny, funny riddle
Thank God I’m a country boy, woohoo!
Well, I wouldn’t trade my life for diamonds or jewels
I never was one of them money-hungry fools
I’d rather have my fiddle and my farmin’ tools
Thank God I’m a country boy
Yeah, city folk drivin’ in a black limousine
A lotta sad people thinkin’ that’s mighty keen
Son, let me tell you now exactly what I mean
Thank God I’m a country boy
Well, I got me a fine wife, I got me old fiddle
When the sun’s comin’ up, I got cakes on the griddle
Life ain’t nothin’ but a funny, funny riddle
Thank God I’m a country boy, yes sir!
Well, my fiddle was my daddy’s ’til the day he died
And he took me by the hand, held me close to his side
Said, “Live a good life, play the fiddle with pride
And thank God you’re a country boy”
My daddy taught me young how to hunt and how to whittle
Taught me how to work and play a tune on the fiddle
Taught me how to love and how to give just a little
And thank God I’m a country boy
Well, I got me a fine wife, I got me old fiddle
When the sun’s comin’ up, I got cakes on the griddle
Life ain’t nothin’ but a funny, funny riddle
Whew! Thank God I’m a country boy, yeah!
John Summers played the fiddle
And he wrote that song!
yenhu