This song appears on twenty-one albums, and was first released on the Rocky Mountain High Album. This version has also been released on This Is John Denver, The Country Roads Collection and The Rocky Mountain Collection Albums. It has been rerecorded on the Greatest Hits Vol 1, Take Me Home Country Roads & Other Hits, Favourites, Voice of America, John Denver (Italian) and Country Classics Albums. It has been rerecorded again on the Earth Songs, The Very Best of John Denver (Single CD), A Portrait and The John Denver Collection - Rocky Mountain High Albums. It has been rerecorded again on the Love Again and A Celebration of Life Albums. Live versions also appear on the An Evening With John Denver, Live at the Sydney Opera House, The Wildlife Concert and The Best of John Denver Live Albums.
He was born in the summer of his 27th year
Comin’ home to a place he’d never been before
He left yesterday behind him, you might say he was born again
You might say he found a key for every door
When he first came to the mountains his life was far away
On the road and hangin’ by a song
But the string’s already broken and he doesn’t really care
It keeps changin’ 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 (high Colorado) Rocky Mountain high (high Colorado)
He climbed cathedral mountains, he saw silver clouds below
He saw everything as far as you can see
And they say he got crazy once, and he tried to touch the sun
And he lost a friend but kept his memory
Now he walks in quiet solitude the forests 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
And the Colorado Rocky Mountain high
I’ve seen it rainin’ fire in the sky
You can talk to God and listen to the casual reply
Rocky Mountain high (high Colorado) Rocky Mountain high (high Colorado)
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
And the Colorado Rocky Mountain high
I’ve seen it rainin’ fire in the sky
I know he’d be a poorer man if he never saw an eagle fly
Rocky Mountain high
It’s a Colorado Rocky Mountain high
I’ve seen it rainin’ fire in the sky
Friends around the campfire and everybody’s high
Rocky Mountain high (high Colorado) Rocky Mountain high (high Colorado)
Rocky Mountain high (high Colorado) Rocky Mountain high do de do
Words by John Denver, Music by John Denver and Mike Taylor
