This is Iconic!! John Denver - Flying for Me Reaction

[@brunsi63]

I miss John Denver being on the earth and his music and poetry and his message of peace and efforts to end world hunger.

[@teresanewman4656]

John Denver simply the best

[@patrician7445]

John Denver and I graduated from Arlington Heights High School in Fort Worth, Texas, and there's a memorial to him in front of the school. You are still much loved and missed, John. Sleep softly.

[@becksullivan4796]

Oh I love John Denver. A little folk, country etc but truly John made his own category. A story teller, a poet. When he died, it broke my heart. I suggest “Annie’s Song” if you like a love song. “Calypso” which is about that ship and the ocean. Then I recommend just telling your system to play John Denver when you are having a tough day. It will ease your mind during these crazy days.

[@heatherstahler8451]

My dad bought this album that this song was on when it first came out. I remember he actually shed a tear when he listened to it for the first time. I was around eleven years old at the time. We were pretty affected by the challenger exploding.

[@scrappydude1]

Very good analysis video. To give you a little background that will help you understand the song, NASA had a program to put a civilian in space. It came down to Christa McCauliff and John Denver. Ultimately they chose Christa, who was a grade school teacher. This explains the line ….”she was flying for me “. He knew the people involved, having gone through much of the initial training with Christa. So this was very, very, personal for him. Thank you for this video. This song can still move me to tears. Your choice of subject, and your understanding of it, was superb.

[@yourweirdauntperfumeryskin3236]

I was in 2nd grade in 1986 and we were watching it live in class. Something I'll never forget. John Denver was a pilot and that's sadly what took him. I like to think he was happy before it happened. He had such respect for both the natural world and the advancement of science. He didn't leave anything out of his songs. So much love for him and he is so incredibly missed. His was some of the first music I ever heard.

[@heatherstahler8451]

I was in second grade too when this happened!

[@pamscarr8696]

John had fulfilled all that was needed to be on that flight. He had received a verbal commitment that he would be on it. He was beyond excited. His father was an Airforce Pilot trainer and John loved flying. Then suddenly and without warning, they informed him they were not going to use him and Christa McAuliffe replaced him. So when he wrote this song, She and they were literally flying for him. Christa had taken his place and John was afforded a few more years. However, he was heart broken. He was working on a Christmas movie (The Christmas Gift) when his son Zac showed up to tell him about the explosion.

[@marygbean]

I didn't know that. Thank you.

[@buckbuchanan4902]

Wow, thank you so much, Pam, for that info. That makes me appreciate this song all the more! I can only imagine his excitement thinking he was going up, then his dissapointment at the change of plans, and finally the guilt he must have had knowing that someone else had died where it would have been him. What a rollercoaster ride! John Denver has always been one of my favorites, and I love the movie The Christmas Gift.

[@tohbengkeat]

Now it makes sense why the song is titled "Flying for me". John Denver I will miss you

[@wordswritteninred7171]

I cannot believe I didn’t know this! I am such a huge JD fan. And remember the event like it was yesterday. I never knew this though! TY for sharing

[@davidhumiston6500]

No matter what genre John Denver became the singer of singers I believe every song was a masterpiece he sang it with conviction I don't think there will ever be another John Denver his music lives on please dig deeper into that rabbit hole

[@robertwhite2935]

You will love John Denver's FOR YOU (wildlife concert)

[@judywall576]

I'm a Denver fan but this song is new to me; a beautiful tribute. It was a really cold morning for central Florida that day, in the 20s (F). I got the kids off to school and later went grocery shopping. I thought it a bit strange standing in the check out lane that nobody was talking at all. On my drive home, due east, I saw the smoke streams in the sky and knew that something terrible had happened. I checked the tv news when I got home. We later learned that the engineers at NASA had warned that the O ring seals might not function properly in the cold weather but were overruled by their supervisors. A tragic loss for all.

[@rogerajohnson6495]

John Denver always sang from the heart. A truly great singer that will always be missed.

[@rogerajohnson6495]

He had a lot of great songs. Some were... Sunshine on my shoulders, Annie's song, take me home country roads, somewhere in Alaska and the list goes on.

[@sherylhenley1931]

I was working as a copy aide in a major Seattle Newsroom, watching the Challenger's flight live. Was stunned and heartbroken when it exploded. I was crying and one of the reporters asked me "Why are YOU crying?" I looked at him and said "What's the matter with you? Don't you get it? Everyone in the world lost something today!" Love this song-has such hope in it.

[@nancywengert7301]

I remember the day the Challenger lifted off and exploded, so this song really makes me cry. John was supposed to be on that flight, but was replaced by Christa McAuliffe , a teacher. He really wanted to go into space and loved to fly. He gave us this beautiful tribute to those who died that day.

[@JohnJackson-si5bz]

It's ironic that John sadly passed away essentially the same way as the astronauts, not many years later.

[@statusaeswave2979]

Chills and tears . . . .

[@wordswritteninred7171]

I was in school, watching it live, when it happened. It was the last time they aired the launches live. There was also the first civilian onboard. A teacher. John Denver is one of my favorite all time artist. All of his songs are from the heart. He wrote his own music. So much music was lost the day he died.

[@mandarinlearner]

I remember seeing him sing this to Congress and there wasn’t a dry eye there

[@melissabrooke1146]

Wow, new to me this song and the background information.

[@ElizabethAldrich-bb1ot]

It was one of those events that everyone remembers where they were and how they felt. “She” was the “Teacher in Space” Christa McAuliffe from NH. I was living in Boston, watching it live. Ironic now, considering how John Denver died-flying.

[@paulineh4019]

Spirit, Windsong, The Harder They Fall, Amazon, Ravens Child, Let Us Begin, The Foxfire Suite, Hitch-hiker, For You, NoOne I Want To Live, Singing Skies and Dancing Waters. John recorded over 300 songs, over 200 he wrote, so there are many, many to choose from.

[@gpmaher]

An awesome song

[@GamingWithGeo]

I still remember watching the Challenger live on TV that morning in Elementary School. One event you'll never forget. I went on to work for NASA many years later since space has always fascinated me, but every shuttle launch was always special up to it's retirement. That morning in 1986 was so sad, but the crew has not been, or will ever be forgotten.

[@SweetThing]

Another lovely song of John's is: "Looking for Space".

[@mindyalderman8865]

John was a pilot so was his dad. He died in a experimental aircraft in a California bay. Theres a good video with him piloting a glider while flying with a eagle. On the wings of a eagle. Thank God I am a country boy and grandmas feather bed. Both of these are blue grassy and upbeat my favorite is poems prayers and promises. A brilliant conservationist he sailed an the teaching ship Caillipso.

[@oldladylovesBruno]

I'll never forget that day. I workwd at an airceaft repair company and received the news over telex. I shared the sad news with my coworkers. Seeing the explosion later on the news was heartbreaking. I love John Denver's voice, and hadn't heard this song before.

[@marleneclausen30]

John lobbied very hard to be on the shuttle. He loved flying and in the end it killed him, too. John’s music could touch hearts in a way no one else does . . . and still does.

[@heatherstahler8451]

I’m glad we had the extra 11 and a half years with him.

[@snelson0929]

Same album, look for the song Let Us Begin (What Are We Making Weapons For). It’s the song that got John fired from RCA Records. They had just been taken over by GE, a huge defense contractor. Word came down that the song undermined that part of the business, and they said don’t include it. John’s contract, which was set to expire after this album, gave him complete control over the contents. He included the song. RCA, on orders from GE, did not renew his contract. This, despite the fact that he was one of RCA’s top selling artists. One example of the lyrics in the song: For the first time in my life, I feel like a prisoner A slave to the ways of the powers that be And I fear for my children as I fear for the future I see Tell me how can it be we’re still fighting each other What does it take for a people to learn If our song is not sung as a chorus We surely will burn Those lyrics were written 35 years ago. They still apply today, perhaps even more than they did back in 1986.

[@sabrinaloizides-merideth9874]

This is one of my favorite songs by Denver.

[@BarbaraMonahan]

He died piloting his small aircraft. Love his music and voice.

[@franceshaas8255]

What a wondrous tribute to those brave souls. Never heard it before. Thank you.

[@BoroBootBoy]

I remember the Challenger tragedy vividly. A very sad day, amongst many as it turns out.

[@bpfromowc]

This one of my fave JD songs. “Let Us Begin” is another superb one by John.

[@lutdesimpelaere2947]

I remember when this happened very clearly, one of the people on board was a teacher. What a beautiful tribute. John loved to fly so he’s the perfect artist to sing a song like this. My favorite song of his is “Annie’s song”.

[@fordp69]

I woke up that morning and something drove me to go out to the couch and watch TV, I had left NASA less than a year before, I turned on the TV to see a game show, but within a minute the news broke in. I served as backup launch support for the first mission, and prime launch support for missions 2-15. By the time 25 came along, even I was not paying much attention to the launches, it had gotten routine.

[@paulineh4019]

A little more to Pam Carr's post. John Denver was involved with NASA for many years. He was one of the people to suggest civilians fly in space, as the public would connect more. John passed the mental and physical exams, had met all the astronauts who flew on the Challenger, was told he would be the next civilian in space, the Challenger was his flight. Reagan changed things, decided on a teacher. So John is saying they, the astronauts were flying for him but for everybody else who ever wanted to go into space. His NASA spacesuit can be viewed when the JD exhibition is on. He was awarded a NASA medal for continuous service. Thankfully he wasn't on Challenger and we got to have him another 11 years. This song was a result of John sitting and watching the Challenger accident replay, he said he was playing (guitar) like a meditation, then the words came. John almost got his wish, he got the green light to fly into space (and do the prep work etc at no or little cost to him, the rumoured $10million was what the Russians first wanted but John refused as that defeated his point) with the Russians but his second wife fell pregnant and John decided the time wasn't right, he wanted to be with his wife during her pregnancy and the birth.,

[@devron5ssn]

He was on the list of finalists to be on the challenger that day.

[@brunsi63]

I would like to see reaction to John Denver singing Love is the Master and Opposite Tables. Both available on KZbin

[@denisegaarder1042]

I remember that morning. I was pregnant with my oldest son. He was born 3 weeks later 2/18/86

[@randalcolucci6833]

You have a great broadcasting voice. This a great song devoted to the yr the Challenger blew up. I watched it live. Horrible tragedy. Beautiful tribute. JD was in the space program and was to be on the Challenger flight but a teacher, Christy McCallife, was selected over him because she was a teacher. Denver was instrumental in the citizens in space program where John and Joan Q Public could train and fly on a shuttle one day. He would have been killed if he had gone instead of McCallife, But in a tragic turn of fate, Denver was killed when his experimental aircraft crashed off of Monterey Bay, California, October 12, 1997

[@barbbarrish5744]

John’s actual date of death was October 12, 1997. A major tragedy for many of us. He was a real American treasure and I feel so blessed to have been able to share some of my lifetime with John here on spaceship Earth. I was able to see him in person 16 times over the years. The vibration of unconditional love and compassion in his was stunning. He was a truly amazing, authentic human being.

[@randalcolucci6833]

@@barbbarrish5744 Yes, I stand corrected. I switched the yr my mother died. TY Barb. I saw him in the round at Madison Square Garden front row. I had great photos that were ultimately all stolen so that night is relived only by memory. Great performer and human being - but flawed nevertheless. Aren't we all though. Be well.

[@laurengaudette7497]

My favorite songs from John Denver are: "Poems, Prayers, and Promises" (either the Wildlife Concert or An Evening with John Denver version), "Follow Me", "Sunshine On My Shoulders", or "Shanghai Breezes" but you can't go wrong with any JD song! He has also done covers of "Fire and Rain" by James Taylor and "Let It Be" from the Beatles on the "Poems, Prayers, and Promises" album!

[@Dana-fy8bg]

Was in class in college at the time. Walked out and people were talking about the loss of the Challenger. Ended up spending most of the day watching the disaster play out again and again on television. Wouldn’t experience anything like it until 9/11. It just tore at my soul.

[@edschultheis9537]

A large percentage of the school children in the US were watching this flight live on TV in their classrooms that day. One of the astronauts was Christa McAuliffe, who was to be the first school teacher in space. John Denver was also a small aircraft pilot. He died on October 12, 1997, when his light homebuilt aircraft, a Rutan Long-EZ, crashed into Monterey Bay near Pacific Grove, California.

[@buckbuchanan4902]

I was one of the teenagers in school, who watched this tragic event live. It seemed like something from a movie.

[@gregvergara7596]

Ironically, John Denver was killed in a plane crash, while piloting his experiential aircraft. Rocky Mountain High, and Country Boy are two of my favorite songs by him.

[@over-educated-sp]

My professor told me about his death. Be both actually chocked up. Actually shed some tears. He canceled class, we lit one up. R.I.P. John.

[@rodneynoble1147]

This is a very beautiful song, it’s also a very ironic song. This great artist lost his life in a plane crash.

[@mandarinlearner]

Krista Mc Auliff was a teacher who was on that flight. Her students sadly watched her die

[@dawntatro3833]

One tidbit you did not have is that the first non astronaut was on that flight. She was a teacher and her students were watching live and watched her die (with most of the school). It was a national tragedy, but a community, and school’s-children tragedy with life long effects felt throughout the world.

[@heatherstahler8451]

And John was the second civilian on the list to go.

[@Skeptic78]

I was 8 when Challenger exploded. It was traumatic. Especially since i saw it in person. Having been been born and raised in Orlando.

[@edwardstowers7272]

John was almost on that flight. He helped start the Civilian in Space program. He went through the training. If President Reagan hadn’t picked a civilian teacher, Krista McAuliffe, to be the first CIS, John would have been aboard Challenger. She was flying for him.

[@XxStratAttackxX]

John was trained and ready to go on that mission. He just wasn't picked.

[@KevinRCarr]

My eldest son was home from school sick, that day, and I had a day off. We were watching it live on tv together. It was very long and surreal stretched out moment to be watching it happening, and hear the speculation of the news people as they tried to make sense of what we were seeing.

[@ellenstrack6274]

I remember I was working ICU that day and we had to go and turn off TV's, the patients were getting too stressed watching it.

[@jjohnjoni]

Sad that he died in a plane crash. He was one of my very favorites.

[@edithdavis2848]

Live all over the USA. Spare fuel tank. John felt things strongly,

[@virginialemm864]

Yes, John wanted to be on the Challenger, but pushed to have Christa McAullfe (sp.?) a teacher, be the first non-Nasa astronaut in space. “They were flying for me”…. Yes, Christa flew for John Denver, and she perished with the other six brave souls. He never totally forgave himself for help putting her on that fateful launch. I remember it like it was yesterday…

[@rogerajohnson6495]

I was watching when it happened. So sad.

[@76ludlow]

My only problem with this video was that I couldn't see John! Why? Everything else was perfect.

[@itchyscratchy1768]

Of course, nothing but the best...

[@carol3843]

Yah, he had high hopes of going on that mission. My brother saw the explosion in person. Terrible loss.

[@gapeach1339]

He was going to go but was replaced by the teacher. She died in his place.

[@sabrinaloizides-merideth9874]

I remember watching the Challenger explosion live on the TV in school because there was a civilian (a teacher ) on the flight. That's what he meant in the second chorus by "She" was flying for me.

[@RyanWitalison]

I remember that day, I was 6 years old and for some reason I was home from school and saw what happened while I was sitting on the floor.

[@classicrocklady6288]

I was watching rhat day...I cannot hear this without crying. The "she" is the teacher who was chosen to fly. John applied, but they chose her...

[@dorieann64]

He was supposed to fly on this mission, but the teacher Christa McAuliffe was chosen in his place.

[@jennywren7822]

John was on the shortlist and was actually going, at the last minute a female teacher was picked instead. John wrote this from the heart, 11 years later he died going into the sea in his Long Eze kit plane I think intentionally, to many mistakes to be an accident....

[@SuperCookinggirl]

John Denver was on the flight list, but got bumped, and replaced with the school teacher do to the idea of people being able to relate more to an everyday person, not a celebrity.

[@davidtullis2810]

He loved flying he died when his experimental plane he had just bought he was flying ran out of gas because he didn't correctly switch to the second tank and crashed killing him

[@elisabethduinink2439]

Hello 👋 I am wondering if you have listened to Calypso? Another great tribute from John, however it is for Jaques and in an opposite direction 😀

[@marygbean]

Please listen to Rocky Mountain High

[@mlhesler68]

It took Richard Feynman to bring what every body knew out. Cold weather is not safe for rockets neither is too much heat as we would learn later with Columbia.

[@dougca7086]

John Denver was a longtime pilot he lost his life when he crashed his homebuilt plane doing touch-and-go Landings in Monterey California

[@ericnorthman9410]

I was working outside in South Fla. and saw the rocket go up and explode. Terrible. John wanted to go up in one of the rockets but it didn't happen.

[@maschwab63]

Sorry, they put on O2 masks and didn't die until the cabin impacted the ocean with 200G of force.

[@jfc-johnsfightingchampions5508]

Ironically John died in an airplane crash in 1997 age t3

[@twwtjohns]

I don't know if John Denver had wanted to be an astronaut but he did fly Unfortunately He crashed and died while piloting his own aircraft.

[@jfc-johnsfightingchampions5508]

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[@JosieC2011]

Check out, "Everybody Hurts" by R.E.M. Everyone can relate to it at some point in their life. kzbin.info/www/bejne/a6OymoqVrb5gocU

[@downhearted40]

Makes me sad.

[@arashysavage]

Hey check out( critical roll intro)your turn to roll

[@oslogrigor8320]

Terrible tragedy only dwarfed by this terrible song. He's just talking. And I like John Denver. RIP