Leaving on a Jet Plane
From The Art and Popular Culture Encyclopedia
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"Leaving on a Jet Plane" is a song written by John Denver in 1966 and most famously recorded by Peter, Paul and Mary. The original title of the song was "Oh Babe I Hate To Go" but Denver's then producer, Milt Okun, convinced him to change the title. The song was initially recorded in 1967 by the Chad Mitchell Trio, and later that same year by Spanky and Our Gang. Peter, Paul and Mary's version first appeared on their 1967 Album 1700; however, it did not become a hit until they released it as a single in 1969. It turned out to be their biggest (and final) hit, becoming their only #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in the United States. It was the second to last #1 single of the 1960s. The song also spent three weeks atop the easy listening chart .
Because the song hit number one at the peak of Vietnam war, many people mistakenly believed at the time that it portrayed a soldier saying goodbye to his sweetheart as he goes off to war. In fact, Denver wrote the song as a lament describing the pain a traveling musician feels having to say goodbye to his beloved whenever he had to go on the road. Though the sentiments expressed are appropriate, "Leaving on a Jet Plane" has nothing to do with the Vietnam war.
Cover versions
John Denver's version of his song, "Leaving on a Jet Plane", was included on his 1969 debut solo album, Rhymes and Reasons. Many other artists have covered this song, including:
- Liza Minnelli recorded her version in August 1968 for her Come Saturday Album, released in February 1969.
- August 19, 1972 during the pilot of The Midnight Special, Cass Elliot joined John Denver for a duet of "Leaving on a Jet Plane".
- Harpers Bizarre produced a cover of this song in 1969 on their album Harpers Bizarre 4.
- Country group The Kendalls recorded the song, which entered the U.S. country singles top-fifty in 1970.
- The song prompted litigation involving the British group New Order. The band's single "Run 2" (1989) was the subject of a lawsuit brought by John Denver, who argued that its wordless guitar break was based on his "Leaving on a Jet Plane". An out-of-court settlement ensured that the song would never be re-released in its original form.
- A cover by Chantal Kreviazuk was used in the 1998 film Armageddon and became an international hit. During the movie, A. J. Frost sings part of the song to Grace as the astronauts are leaving to board the shuttles. This four minute and 40 second-long cover version is commonly falsely attributed to Sheryl Crow, Jefferson Airplane or Janis Joplin on YouTube and file-sharing networks, despite the clear post-1970 production quality (the year of Joplin's death) and the notable dissimilarities in vocal styles.
- A more jazzy version by Jimmy Coup previously served as the theme song for the first season of A&E's Airline television program.
- A version of the song by Sophie Barker was used in advertisements for British Airways.
- Welsh language folk pop group Y Triban recorded a song called 'Gadael' in 1968, which uses the tune of 'Jet Plane' with new Welsh lyrics.
- The song was parodied by the comedy band Pinkard and Bowden, with their cover version entitled "Libyan on a Jet Plane".
- The song was the 12th track of the 2003 album Everything You Need by the band Slightly Stoopid.
- Broadway actress Liz Callaway included the song on her 2001 album of 1970s hits, The Beat Goes On.
- Me First and the Gimme Gimmes covered the song on their 1997 album Have a Ball.
- Dinosaur Jr Frontman J Mascis covered the song on a 7" that was released as part of Sub Pop Records 7" Club
- Punk band Verbal Warning covered the song on their 2006 album A Kick in the Verbals.
- Punk band Funeral Dress covered the song.
- This song was also sung by Frank Sinatra and appeared on Sinatra & Company in 1971. This recording is heard in the 1996 movie The Rock.
- Organist Erik Wm. Suter played this song during his farewell recital in Washington National Cathedral on July 4, 2007, upon leaving his position as cathedral musician to become an airline pilot.
- The band Sister Hazel had a cover of "Leaving on a Jet Plane".
- The song was also covered by Engelbert Humperdinck
- Southern college rock icons Drivin N Cryin covered "Leaving on a Jet Plane" on their 1997 self-titled album.
- Eve 6 released a cover of the song as a bonus track for the album Horrorscope in Japan.
- Kanye West makes a reference to the song in "Touch the Sky"
- Mos Def sings an interpolation of the chorus on the remix of his song, "Travellin' Man".
- Punk band Sloppy Seconds covered the song on the album Destroyed.
- Main characters, Carlton Lassiter and Juliet O'Hara from USA Network's Psych, perform the song during the end credits of the episode, "Poker? I Barely Know Her" (Season 1, Episode 14), but are interrupted by Shawn and Gus (James Roday and Dule Hill respectively) with noisy appliances.
- In 2007, Jim Dulke performs smashing rendition at a famous Hong Kong restaurant and almost replaces the house band lead singer
- In 2008, Reggae singer Richie Spice 'vocally' samples the title lyric on his song 'De Plane Land.'
- In 2009, Austrian band Jack Frost performed a cover of the song on their album My Own Private Hell.
- Nigerian rapper Eldee sampled the chorus on his song "I'm Leaving" from Return of the King album.
- Also covered by The Carpenters in 1972 and German singer Heino.
- In the 2009 FOX series Glee, Matthew Morrison performed a cover of the song in the pilot episode, using only his voice and an acoustic guitar.
- Finnish singer Nina Åström, included it on her 2010 album, The Way We Are
- Jeffster! a fictional cover band from the NBC series Chuck performed the unplugged cover of the song in Chuck Versus the Honeymooners
