About the song
John Denver’s Farewell Andromeda (Welcome to My Morning). Now that’s a song that takes you back, wouldn’t you say? Released in 1973 on his album of the same name, Farewell Andromeda is a delightful encapsulation of Denver’s signature style – a blend of folksy optimism and a celebration of nature’s beauty.
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But there’s more to this song than meets the ear, even for the casual listener. The title itself presents a fascinating duality. Farewell Andromeda evokes a sense of vastness, a yearning for the unknown. Andromeda, of course, is the closest spiral galaxy to our own Milky Way, a breathtaking celestial marvel that has captured human imagination for millennia. Bidding farewell to Andromeda suggests a departure from the familiar, a journey outward.
Welcome to My Morning, on the other hand, brings us sharply back to the personal, the intimate. It’s an invitation – an invitation to share Denver’s experience, his own personal sunrise. This interplay between the cosmic and the quotidian is a recurring theme in Denver’s work. He possessed a unique ability to find wonder in the everyday, to see the universe reflected in a morning dewdrop.
The music itself reinforces this contrast. The opening has a gentle, almost melancholic quality, with a lone flute setting the scene. This could be interpreted as the “farewell” aspect – a wistful look towards the distant Andromeda. Then, the song brightens considerably as the guitar and vocals kick in. This is the “welcome” – a joyful embrace of the new day. Denver’s characteristic tenor, clear and earnest, imbues the lyrics with a sense of wide-eyed wonder.
Farewell Andromeda (Welcome to My Morning) isn’t just a catchy tune, though it certainly is that. It’s a song that invites contemplation. It asks us to consider the vastness of the universe while cherishing the beauty of a single day. It’s a reminder that grand adventures can begin right outside our doorstep, with the simple act of opening our eyes to a new morning.
Interestingly, the origins of the song’s title remain a bit of a mystery. Some speculate that Denver, an avid pilot known for his love of flying, might have been referencing a specific flight path or celestial observation. However, Denver himself never explicitly explained the meaning behind the title, preferring to let listeners find their own interpretation.
In that spirit, perhaps Farewell Andromeda isn’t so much a literal goodbye as a metaphor. Maybe it’s a call to action, urging us to set aside our worries about the distant and the unknown, and instead, embrace the possibilities that lie right before us in the present moment. After all, as John Denver reminds us with such infectious joy in Welcome to My Morning, a brand new day, filled with its own unique wonders, awaits just outside our window.
Video
Lyrics
“Farewell Andromeda (Welcome To My Morning)”
Welcome to my morning, welcome to my day.
Yes, I’m the one responsible, I made it just this way.
To make myself some pictures, see what they might bring.
I think I made it perfectly, I wouldn’t change a thing.
La la la, la la la la la. La la la, la la la la la.
Welcome to my happiness, you know it makes me smile.
And it pleases me to have you here for just a little while.
While we open up the spaces and try to break some chains.
And if the truth is told they will never come again.
La la la, la la la la la. La la la, la la la la la.
Welcome to my evening, the closing of the day,
you know I could try a million times and never find a better way
to tell you that I love you and all the songs I played
are to thank you for allowing me in that lovely day you made.
Welcome to my morning, welcome to my day.
Yes, I’m the one responsible, I made it just this way.
To make myself some pictures, see what they might bring.
I think I made it perfectly, I wouldn’t change a thing.
La la la, la la la la la. La la la, la la la la la.
La la la, la la la la la. La la la, la la la la la.