First song that comes to mind for this week’s SLS is this one. I had the album it was on. I played at playing acoustic guitar in the early 80s and bought the songbook for it. At one time I could play and sing it. There is so much to like about the song. Honoring Jacques Cousteau, who so many of us watched every week on The Undersea World of … is one of them. The upbeat rhythm is another. The lyrics sparkle. The way John sings it draws the listener in, with his yips and yodels.
“Calypso” is a song written by John Denver in 1975 as a tribute to Jacques-Yves Cousteau and his research ship, the Calypso. It was featured on Denver’s 1975 album Windsong.
Released as the B-side of “I’m Sorry“, “Calypso” received substantial airplay, enabling it to chart on the Billboard Hot 100. 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, starting the week ending October 11, 1975. Hence, “Calypso” is itself considered a #2 hit on the Hot 100.
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 mimicking the sounds of the oceans and seas.
Filk music is a musical culture, genre, and community tied to science fiction, fantasy, and horror fandom and a type of fan labor. The genre has existed since the early 1950s and been played primarily since the mid-1970s. The genre has a niche but faithful popularity in the underground. You may be asking why I’ve injected this term into my post. Here is why:
A filk song exists in Star Trek fandom … 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 one of Xena’s enemies. 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.
Source: wikipedia
Calypso
To sail on a dream on a crystal clear ocean
To ride on the crest of the wild raging storm
To work in the service of life and the living
In search of the answers to questions unknown
To be part of the movement and part of the growing
Part of beginning to understand
Aye, Calypso, the places you’ve been to
The things that you’ve shown us, the stories you tell
Aye, Calypso, I sing to your spirit
The men who have served you so long and so well
Like the dolphin who guides you, you bring us beside you
To light up the darkness and show us the way
For though we are strangers in your silent world
To live on the land we must learn from the sea
To be true as the tide and free as a wind swell
Joyful and loving in letting it be
Aye, Calypso, the places you’ve been to
The things that you’ve shown us, the stories you tell
Aye, Calypso, I sing to your spirit
The men who have served you so long and so well
Aye, Calypso, the place’s you’ve been to
The things that you’ve shown us, the stories you tell
Aye, Calypso, I sing to your spirit
The men who have served you so long and so well
Songwriter: John Denver
Jim Adams is the host of Song Lyric Sunday. This week Jim wants us to share a song about fishing, a mariner, sailing, seafaring, or ships
This sure is a great song, Lisa! It carries you along like the great ocean. Wonderful choice. 🌊
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Nancy, glad it carries you along in a pleasant way. It’s a good’n. Thank you.
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Most welcome, Lisa.
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nice song! I enjoy his music 💜💜
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I’m glad you do, CA :)
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Beautiful song! I remember hearing it on the radio way back when. Such a good choice for today’s SLS!
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Paula glad it brings back memories for you. Same here <3
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A new one for me. I was never really a fan of his but this is a nice song and a good choice for the theme 👍
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Clive glad you like this song. John Denver is not for everyone, but he has put some tender-hearted music out into the world. Thanks!
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John Denver was an excellent lyricist. I’d forgotten this one so it was good to be reminded. 🙏
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Thanks so much for listening and your comment. Yes he was.
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When I first started reading your post I thought it was a song if not heard before – until I played it then it came flooding back! Great song and I loved reading your info – I’d not heard of filk music before – fascinating 😀🙌
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Ange, I understand about titles and songs. Glad you remembered it after listening. I didn’t know about filk either until last night. Hope you are enjoying your Sunday!
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Yes thanks Lisa a lazy one for me 😀 hope you are too ☀️
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:) <3
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Great song! My brother played John Denver non-stop in the 70s, so it brought back a lot of memories.
I loved the A-side/B-side story — those are always fascinating to learn.
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Sally, I’m glad you have a personal and positive connection with John Denver music. Me too! “Grandma’s Feather Bed” was another song I learned to play of his and remember the feather tick that used to keep my cousin and I warm in the back bedroom of my grandparents’ house.
Yes on the a-side/b-side story. I remember both of those songs playing on the radio.
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Hadn’t heard this song for years – thank you – and was totally unaware of its connection to Jacques Cousteau. Hoping this comes up at next weeks trivia competition.
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haha on the trivia competition, May. Happy to bring the song back to you!
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Excellent choice, Lisa and humanity needs to learn from the world of the sea to better live in harmony on the land. Denver donated the song’s royalties to Cousteau’s foundation.
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Thanks, Jim, and totally agree. Thank you for the info on the royalties. Makes the song even better <3
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Such nostalgic memories of John Denver. Makes my day to hear this song, Li 💝
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J, I hear you. It is a good’n <3
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Fond memories of this song ❤️
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It seems lifetimes ago when it was getting airplay. So much water under the bridge since that time…
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Hi Lisa this is a lovely song , I loved John Denver such a pure voice and like you and many other I also loved the Jacques-Yves Cousteau programs.. I remember the whole family would sit and watch these together !
I also was interested to read about Filk music …
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Willow happy you and your family watched the show together. I think it was on Sunday nights. First Lassie, then Mutual of Omaha wild animal show (forgot the name) and then Jacques & Crew. Same here on Filk.
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Would this be classed as Filk.. it is a particular favourite of mine?
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I would say yes! Thanks for making my day with this video. I shared it with my sons also.
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My pleasure it’s really fun isn’t it 😄
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Yes it is. That guy has a perfect body for video also ;)
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Yes indeed .💜
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I like Cousteau and Denver. I had no idea Denver worked with him. I would have loved to. I always thought Denver got a raw deal from a lot of people in the music business and some music fans who dismissed him. He was a talented guy…singer, songwriter, actor, and a good guitar player.
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I know what you mean about Cousteau and Denver. I think of Denver in the mountains and Cousteau in the oceans. I totally agree with you on Denver getting a bad rap. Thank you for highlighting all of the good stuff about him. His music is very grounding for me, pulling me back home (metaphorically.)
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A great song from my era, Lisa!
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