Some of the best songs ever written are based on simple human experiences. John Denver powerfully captured the simple act of going away on a trip and all the emotions that it triggers, and then Peter, Paul and Mary elevated it. Listening to “Leaving on a Jet Plane” is like stepping inside a time machine. It’s a microcosm of the 1960s, capturing everything from the free spirit and sentimentality to the musical style and production approach reminiscent of the decade.

“I hate to wake you up to say goodbye, but the dawn is breakin'. It's early morn. The taxi's waitin'. He's blowin' his horn. Already I'm so lonesome I could die.”