Credits
PERFORMING ARTISTS
John Denver
Vocals
Emmylou Harris
Vocals
Glen D. Hardin
Piano
James Burton
Electric Guitar
Jerry Scheff
Bass
Jerry Carrigan
Drums
Jim Horn
Flute
Patti Austin
Background Vocals
Larry Fast
Synthesizer
Fred Wickstrom
Marimba
Harvey Thompson
Tenor Saxophone
Charles Rose
Trombone
Harrison Calloway Jr.
Trumpet
Ullanda McCollough
Background Vocals
Conrad Reeder
Background Vocals
COMPOSITION & LYRICS
John Denver
Composer
Glen D. Hardin
Arranger
James Burton
Arranger
Jerry Scheff
Arranger
Jerry Carrigan
Arranger
Jim Horn
Arranger
Lee Holdridge
Arranger
Patti Austin
Arranger
PRODUCTION & ENGINEERING
John Denver
Producer
Barney Wyckoff
Producer
Milton Okun
Co-Executive Producer
Roger Nichols
Mixing Engineer
Patrice Carroll-Levinshon
Assistant Engineer
John Slywka
Assistant Engineer
Bob Ludwig
Mastering Engineer
Lyrics
[Verse 1]
He was born in the Bitterroot Valley in the early mornin' rain
Wild geese over the water, headin' north and home again
Bringin' a warm wind from the south, bringin' the first taste of the spring
His mother took him to her breast, softly she did sing
[Chorus]
Oh, Montana, give this child a home
Give him the love of a good family and a woman of his own
Give him a fire in his heart, give him a light in his eyes
Give him the wild wind for a brother and the wild Montana skies
[Verse 2]
His mother died that summer and her never learned to cry
He never knew his father and he never did ask why
And he never knew the answers that would make an easy way
But he learned to know the wilderness and to be a man that way
[Verse 3]
His mother's brother took him in to his family and his home
Gave him a hand that he could lean on and a strength to call his own
And he learned to be a farmer and he learned to love the land
And he learned to read the seasons and he learned to make a stand
[Chorus]
Oh, Montana, give this child a home
Give him the love of a good family and a woman of his own
Give him a fire in his heart, give him a light in his eyes
Give him the wild wind for a brother and the wild Montana skies
[Verse 4]
One the eve on his twenty-first birthday, he set out on his own
He was thirty year and runnin' when he found his way back home
Ridin' a storm across the mountains and an achin' in his heart
Said he came to turn the pages and to make a brand new start
[Verse 5]
No, he never told the story of the time when he was gone
Some say he was a lawyer, some say he was a John
There was somethin' in the city that he said he couldn't breathe
There was somethin' in the country that he said he couldn't leave
[Chorus]
Oh, Montana, give this child a home
Give him the love of a good family and a woman of his own
Give him a fire in his heart, give him a light in his eyes
Give him the wild wind for a brother and the wild Montana skies
[Verse 6]
Now some say he was crazy, some are glad he's gone
Some of us will miss him, we'll try to carry on
Giving a voice to the forest, giving a voice to the dawn
Giving a voice to the wilderness and the land that he lived on
[Chorus]
Oh, Montana, give this child a home
Give him the love of a good family and a woman of his own
Give him a fire in his heart, give him a light in his eyes
Give him the wild wind for a brother and the wild Montana skies
[Chorus]
Oh, Montana, give this child a home
Give him the love of a good family and a woman of his own
Give him a fire in his heart, give him a light in his eyes
Give him the wild wind for a brother and the wild Montana skies
Written by: John Denver