John Denver didn’t write “Thank God I’m a Country Boy,” his current chart number, but its lyrics seem to sum up a good part of his philosophy. “Life ain’t nothin’ but a funny, funny riddle,” he sings, and so it appears throughout much of this double live album. Some of Denver’s own songs are as simplistic and tedious as his “far out, I’m a star” raps, and his readings of others’ material (Lennon/McCartney’s “Mother Nature’s Son,” Tom Paxton’s “Forest Lawn,” etc.) add nothing to the well-known originals. The singer consistently shines, however, on side four of An Evening with John Denver. Including “Poems, Prayers, and Promises” and “Rocky Mountain High,” two of the singer’s most substantial hits, the side also features a version of “Take Me Home, Country Roads” exquisite enough to win over even those who might be tempted to use the enclosed Denver poster for wrapping fish.

The album is available here.