About the song
John Denver was an American singer-songwriter who was known for his folk music and his environmental activism. He was one of the best-selling music artists of the 1970s, and his songs have been enjoyed by generations of listeners.
“I Want to Live” is one of Denver’s most enduring anthems, released in 1971 on his album Poems, Prayers & Promises. The song is a powerful and uplifting ode to living life to the fullest.
With its opening lines, “I want to live, I want to love, I want to laugh, I want to cry, I want to feel the wind and the rain, I want to taste the joy and the pain, I want to live,**” Denver establishes the song’s central theme: a passionate embrace of life in all its complexities.
The song’s verses explore various aspects of a meaningful life, from experiencing nature’s beauty to connecting with others in love and friendship. Denver sings about wanting to “run through the fields, swim in the ocean, climb the highest mountain,**” and “share my love with the world.“
The chorus, repeated throughout the song, serves as a powerful mantra: “I want to live, I want to love, I want to laugh, I want to cry, I want to feel the wind and the rain, I want to taste the joy and the pain, I want to live.“
“I Want to Live” is more than just a song; it’s a life-affirming declaration. Denver’s lyrics and earnest delivery inspire listeners to seize the day and embrace all that life has to offer. The song’s message is as relevant today as it was when it was first released, and it continues to resonate with people of all ages.
Here are some additional details about the song:
- The song was written by John Denver.
- It was released in 1971 on the album Poems, Prayers & Promises.
- The song has been covered by many artists, including Emmylou Harris and The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band.
The song’s impact on popular culture:
“I Want to Live” has had a lasting impact on popular culture. It has been used in numerous films and television shows, including Forrest Gump and The West Wing. The song is also a popular choice for graduations and other special occasions.
“I Want to Live” is a powerful and uplifting song that continues to inspire listeners around the world. It is a reminder to live each day to the fullest and to embrace all that life has to offer.
Video
Lyrics
“I Want To Live”
There are children raised in sorrow on a scorched and barren plain,
there are children raised beneath a golden sun.
There are children of the water, children of the sand,
and they cry out through the universe, their voices raised as one:
I want to live, I want to grow, I want to see, I want to know,
I want to share what I can give, I want to be, I want to live.Have you gazed out on the ocean, seen the breaching of a whale?
Have you watched the dolphins frolic in the foam?
Have you heard the song the humpback hears five hundred miles away?
Telling tales of ancient history of passages and home?
I want to live, I want to grow, I want to see, I want to know,
I want to share what I can give, I want to be, I want to live.For the worker and the warrior, the lover and the liar, for the native and the wanderer in kind.
For the maker and the user, and the mother and her son.
I am looking for my family and all of you are mine.We are standing all together, face to face and arm in arm.
We are standing on the threshold of a dream.
No more hunger, no more killing, no more wasting life away.
It is simply an idea and I know its time has come.
I want to live, I want to grow, I want to see, I want to know,
I want to share what I can give, I want to be,
I want to live, I want to grow, I want to see, I want to know,
I want to share what I can give, I want to be, I want to live.
I want to live, I want to grow, I want to see, I want to know,
I want to share what I can give, I want to be, I want to live, I want to live, I want to live.