Calypso (John Denver song)

Last updated
"Calypso"
Calypso jd.jpg
Single by John Denver
from the album Windsong
A-side "I'm Sorry"
B-side "Calypso"
ReleasedJuly 1975
Genre Folk, country, soundscape
Length3:36
Label RCA Victor
Songwriter(s) John Denver
Producer(s) Milt Okun
John Denver singles chronology
"Thank God I'm a Country Boy"
(1975)
"Calypso" / "I'm Sorry"
(1975)
"Fly Away"
(1975)

"Calypso" is a song written by John Denver in 1975 as a tribute to Jacques-Yves Cousteau and his research ship, the Calypso. [1] It was featured on Denver's 1975 album Windsong.

Contents

Released as the B-side of "I'm Sorry", "Calypso" received substantial airplay, enabling it to chart on the Billboard Hot 100. [2] After "I'm Sorry" fell out of the #1 position, "Calypso" began receiving more airplay than "I'm Sorry," thus causing Billboard to list "Calypso" as the new A-side, [1] starting the week ending October 11, 1975. [3] Hence, "Calypso" is itself considered a #2 hit on the Hot 100. [4]

John Denver was a close friend of Cousteau. Calypso was the name of Cousteau's research boat that sailed around the world promoting ocean conservation.

This song features the sounds of ship bells, which is heard in the instrumental introductions before both two verses, in which Milton Okun's orchestral arrangement, featuring strings and winds, are heard impersonating the sounds of the oceans and seas.

A filk song exists in Star Trek fandom (and has been quoted in Chapter 8 of Diane Duane's Star Trek novel The Wounded Sky ), based on John Denver's "Calypso," but adapted to the voyages of the Enterprise: "To sail on a dream in the sun-fretted darkness, to soar through the starlight unfrightened alone...."

Additionally, Tom Smith wrote parody lyrics for the song, which he titled "Callisto," referring to a sexual desire for Callisto, originally a villainess in the TV show Xena: Warrior Princess and then one of Xena's enemies. [5] After Callisto was redeemed in the Xena stories, he wrote an extra verse and a variation on the refrain that attacked her for having stopped being evil.

In the episode titled "Molly's Out of Town" of Mike & Molly some of the characters sing "Calypso" while they are on the roof of a house. [6]

This song was generally used prior to the start of the whale shows at Marineland of The Pacific in Palos Verdes, California during the 1970s and 80s.

Charts

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Thank God I'm a Country Boy</span> 1975 single by John Denver

"Thank God I'm a Country Boy", also known as "Country Boy", is a song written by John Martin Sommers and recorded by American singer/songwriter John Denver. The song was originally included on Denver's 1974 album Back Home Again. A version recorded live on August 26, 1974, at the Universal Amphitheatre in Los Angeles was included on his 1975 album An Evening with John Denver. The live version was released as a single and went to No. 1 on both the Billboard magazine Hot Country Singles and Billboard Hot 100 charts. The song topped both charts for one week each, first the country chart, and the Hot 100 chart a week later. Thank God I'm a Country Boy also became the name of a variety special show hosted by Denver in 1977.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Reflections (The Supremes song)</span> 1967 single by Diana Ross & the Supremes

"Reflections" is a 1967 song recorded by American soul music group The Supremes for the Motown label. The single release was the first Supremes record credited to "Diana Ross and the Supremes", and the song was one of the last Motown hits to be written and produced by Holland–Dozier–Holland before they left the label.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Physical (Olivia Newton-John song)</span> 1981 single by Olivia Newton-John

"Physical" is a song recorded by British-Australian singer Olivia Newton-John for her 1981 eleventh studio album of the same name. It was released as the album's lead single on 28 September 1981. The song was produced by John Farrar and written by Steve Kipner and Terry Shaddick, who had originally intended to offer it to Rod Stewart. The song had also been offered to Tina Turner by her manager Roger Davies, but when Turner declined, Davies gave the song to Newton-John, another of his clients.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lady Marmalade</span> 1974 song by Bob Crewe and Kenny Nolan

"Lady Marmalade" is a song written by Bob Crewe and Kenny Nolan that is famous for the French refrain of "Voulez-vous coucher avec moi, ce soir?", which is a sexual proposition that translates into English as: "Do you want to sleep with me, tonight?" The song first became a popular hit when it was recorded in 1974 by the American funk rock group Labelle and held the number-one spot on the Billboard Hot 100 chart for one week, and also topped the Canadian RPM national singles chart. In 2021, the Library of Congress selected Labelle's version for preservation in the National Recording Registry for being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">I'm Every Woman</span> 1978 single by Chaka Khan

"I'm Every Woman" is a song by American singer Chaka Khan, released in September 1978 by Warner Bros. as her debut solo single from her first album, Chaka (1978). It was Khan's first hit outside her recordings with the funk band Rufus. "I'm Every Woman" was produced by Arif Mardin and written by the successful songwriting team Nickolas Ashford and Valerie Simpson. The single established Chaka's career outside the group Rufus, whom she would leave after their eighth studio album, Masterjam, was released in late 1979.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Da Ya Think I'm Sexy?</span> 1978 single by Rod Stewart

"Da Ya Think I'm Sexy?", also written "Da' Ya' Think I'm Sexy", is a song by British singer Rod Stewart from his ninth studio album, Blondes Have More Fun (1978). It was written by Stewart, Carmine Appice, and Duane Hitchings, though it incorporates the melody from the song "Taj Mahal" by Jorge Ben Jor and the string arrangement from the song "(If You Want My Love) Put Something Down On It" by Bobby Womack.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hard to Say I'm Sorry</span> 1982 single by Chicago

"Hard to Say I'm Sorry" is a 1982 power ballad by the group Chicago. It was written by bassist Peter Cetera, who also sang the lead vocals on the track, and producer David Foster. It was released on May 17, 1982, as the lead single from the album Chicago 16. On September 11 it reached No. 1 for two weeks on the Billboard Hot 100. It was the group's second No. 1 single. It was their first top 50 hit since "No Tell Lover" in 1978 and it spent twelve weeks in the top 5 of the Billboard Hot 100. The single was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal, and was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) in September of the same year. Songwriter Cetera, a member of the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP), won an ASCAP Pop Music Award for the song in the category, Most Performed Songs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">How Do You Talk to an Angel</span> Theme of American television series The Heights

"How Do You Talk to an Angel" is a song written by Steve Tyrell, Barry Coffing, and Stephanie Tyrell. It was the theme for the American TV series The Heights. The single was released with Jamie Walters as the lead singer, and it reached number one on the US Billboard Hot 100 on November 14, 1992, but the series was canceled exactly one week after the song fell from its number one position. Vocalists on the single included Shawn David Thompson, Cheryl Pollak, and Charlotte Ross, as well as Zachary Throne from the Las Vegas rock band Sin City Sinners.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word</span> 1976 single by Elton John

"Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word" is a song written by English musician Elton John and songwriter Bernie Taupin. It was recorded by Elton John and released in 1976, both as a single and as part of the Blue Moves album. It was John's second single released by The Rocket Record Company. The song is a mournful ballad about a romantic relationship which is falling apart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rhinestone Cowboy</span> 1975 single by Glen Campbell

"Rhinestone Cowboy" is a song written and recorded by Larry Weiss in 1974, then popularized the next year by American country music singer Glen Campbell. When released on May 26, 1975, as the lead single and title track from his album Rhinestone Cowboy, it enjoyed huge popularity with both country and pop audiences.

"I'm Sorry" is a 1960 hit song by 15-year-old American singer Brenda Lee. The song was written by Dub Allbritten and Ronnie Self. It peaked at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart in July 1960. On the UK Singles Chart, the song peaked at No.12. AllMusic guide wrote that it is the pop star's "definitive song", and one of the "finest teen pop songs of its era". In 1999, the 1960 recording by Lee on Decca Records was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame.

<i>Windsong</i> 1975 studio album by John Denver

Windsong is the ninth studio album recorded by American singer-songwriter John Denver, which was released in September 1975. Denver's popularity was at its peak by this time.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Before the Next Teardrop Falls (song)</span> 1975 single by Freddy Fender

"Before the Next Teardrop Falls" is an American country and pop song written by Vivian Keith and Ben Peters, and most famously recorded by Freddy Fender. His version was a major crossover success in 1975, reaching number 1 on the Billboard pop and country charts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">I'm Sorry (John Denver song)</span> 1975 single by John Denver

"I'm Sorry" is a song written and recorded by American country-folk singer-songwriter John Denver and released in 1975. It was the final number-one pop hit released during his career.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">How 'Bout Us (song)</span> 1981 single by Champaign

"How 'Bout Us" is the most successful single released by R&B music group Champaign. Composed by band keyboardist Dana Walden and originally released on the band's debut album How 'Bout Us, the title track peaked at number 12 on the Billboard Hot 100. A romantic ballad, the song was released on Valentine's Day, 1981.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Believe (Elton John song)</span> 1995 single by Elton John

"Believe" is a song by English musician Elton John. It was the first single from his twenty-fourth studio album, Made in England (1995), and was released on 20 February 1995 by Rocket. Several versions of the single were released, featuring B-sides such as "Circle of Life" from The Lion King and live versions of tracks including "The One," "The Last Song," "Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word," and "Believe," which were recorded at the Greek Theatre in Los Angeles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sorry for Party Rocking (song)</span> 2012 single by LMFAO

"Sorry for Party Rocking" is a song by American duo LMFAO from their second studio album Sorry for Party Rocking. It was released as the fourth and final single from the album on January 17, 2012, and was the group's last output before their indefinite hiatus in September 2012. The song was written and produced by Redfoo and Erin Beck.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Slipping Away (Dave Edmunds song)</span> 1983 single by Dave Edmunds

"Slipping Away" is a Top 40 pop song performed by Welsh singer/guitarist Dave Edmunds. The song was written and produced by Jeff Lynne of Electric Light Orchestra fame and was included on Edmunds' 1983 album Information. "Slipping Away" was released as a single and became Edmunds' second and final Top 40 single in the US, following 1970's "I Hear You Knocking".

"I'm Doin' Fine Now" is a song by American R&B group New York City. Released in 1973 by Chelsea Records from their debut album, I'm Doin' Fine Now (1973), the song reached number 17 on the US Billboard Hot 100, number eight on the Billboard Easy Listening chart, number 20 on the UK Singles Chart and number 26 on the Canadian RPM Top Singles chart. It was the 46th most successful song of 1973 in the US.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Never Gonna Not Dance Again</span> 2022 single by Pink

"Never Gonna Not Dance Again" is a song by American singer Pink. It was released on November 4, 2022, as the lead single from her ninth studio album Trustfall. The song reached the top 50 in several countries while peaking at number 99 on the Billboard Hot 100.

References

  1. 1 2 Bronson, Fred (November 1, 1997). "'Candle' Finds Itself B-Side 'Something'". Billboard . p. 110. Retrieved October 31, 2011.
  2. Bronson, Fred (2003). The Billboard Book of Number 1 Hits (5th ed.). Random House Digital. p. 417. ISBN   0-8230-7677-6.
  3. However, on the November 1, 1975 edition of "American Top 40", Casey Kasem reported that "Calypso" had been at #2 for five weeks, whereas by that week the total weeks at #2 was only four. Apparently Kasem had confused the number of weeks that "Calypso" had been at #2, namely, four weeks, with how long it had been since "I'm Sorry" dropped from #1, namely, five weeks.
  4. Whitburn, Joel (2010). The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits (rev. & expanded 9th ed.). New York: Billboard Books. p. 182. ISBN   978-0-8230-8554-5.
  5. "Tom Smith Online - Lyrics: Callisto". Archived from the original on April 11, 2009. Retrieved September 16, 2009.
  6. "Singing Calypso on Mike & Molly". YouTube .
  7. 1 2 "National Top 100 Singles for 1975". Kent Music Report. December 29, 1975. Retrieved January 15, 2022 via Imgur.
  8. "John Denver – Calypso" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved February 4, 2022.
  9. "John Denver – Calypso" (in French). Ultratop 50. Retrieved February 4, 2022.
  10. "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 51, 1975" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved February 4, 2022.
  11. "John Denver – Calypso" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved February 4, 2022.
  12. "John Denver – Calypso". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved February 4, 2022.
  13. "John Denver Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved February 4, 2022.
  14. "Top 100-Jaaroverzicht van 2019". Dutch Top 40. Retrieved February 4, 2022.
  15. "Jaaroverzichten – Single 2019". dutchcharts.nl. Retrieved February 4, 2022.
  16. "Jaaroverzichten 1976". Ultratop. Retrieved February 4, 2022.
  17. "Hot 100 60th Anniversary – Billboard". Billboard .