Saturday 9: Rocky Mountain High

Saturday 9: Rocky Mountain High (1975)

. . . because Bev recommended John Denver

Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.

1) In this song, Denver sings that he was "born in the summer of his 27th year," because that's when he discovered the place where he felt most at home. What do you remember about your 27th year? (If it hasn't happened yet, what do you want to happen when you're 27?)

A. My 27th year would have found me working full time at a law firm, a job I hated. I also would have been attending Hollins College part-time, and at some point during that year I would have had major surgery.

2) In 2007, the Colorado General Assembly named this one of the state's two official songs. (The other is "Where the Columbines Grow.") Do you know your state song?

A. It used to be Carry Me Back to Ol' Virginny, which now has the title of "state song emeritus." It's fairly racist. A new song for the state has been an ongoing issue since 1997, and apparently this year the legislature designated something called Our Great Virginia, which is basically a rewrite of Oh Shenandoah, as the state song. I have actually never heard it, nor, I suspect, has anybody else. My vote for state song would be Sweet Virginia Breeze, but nobody asked me. I think that one has been given the status of "popular" state song. Virginia is for lovers, and many of her citizens are musically inclined, but apparently that hasn't found its way into the state legislature. I find it all very weird.

3) John Denver was a dedicated environmentalist who wrote an anthem about Earth Day. Are you careful about your energy consumption? Do you recycle?

A. I recycle newspaper and plastic bottles that don't need a lot of rinsing out. I don't see the advantage of wasting water to rinse out things to recycle. That seems to miss the point. I don't think using 2 gallons of water to rinse out a peanut butter jar is useful. I try to combine trips so I don't waste gasoline, and every now and then I go around the house and turn off anything that has a little light glowing (which is everything). I wish companies would put on/off buttons back on things. Real ones, that actually stop the energy drain. 

4) 1975 is also the year that Denver released a collection of holiday songs called Rocky Mountain Christmas. On this August day, what's the first carol that comes to mind?

A. Jingle Bells. Which technically is not a carol, but it's a winter song.

5) Denver dabbled in photography in his spare time and friends say he was quite good. Tell us about your hobbies.

A. I write, take photos, read, play guitar, sing, and play video games.

6) In 1975, when this song was popular, mood rings were all the rage. It was said that the ring reflected the wearer's mood. Black = anxious/stressed, orange = worried, green = normal, blue = happy, pink = as good as it gets. As you respond to this week's Saturday 9, what color would your mood ring be?

A. My mood rings were always black. I assume they would be still.

7) Pet Rocks were 1975's other odd cultural phenomenon. Do you have any real-life, breathing pets?

A. I have about 40 cows, lots of wild deer, baby fawns, turkeys, groundhogs, rabbits, multiple types of birds, and a bear. None of them are pets, but I claim them all the same.

8) 1975 saw the premiere of Wheel of Fortune. Are you good at word puzzles?

A. I am just a bit above average.

9) Random question: Did you sleep well last night?

A. I usually get up twice during the night. I don't think that actually leads to good sleep. It is what it is.
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