Today’s classic song of the day is “Danny’s Song” by Loggins and Messina. Kenny and Jim released this one in November of 1971 on their Sittin’ In album.
Kenny Loggins wrote “Danny’s Song” for his brother Danny as a gift on the birth of his son Colin. That was back in 1966, when Danny was just a senior in high school. The tune first appeared on an album by the band Gator Creek, then on a track on Loggins and Messina’s debut album Sittin’ In. It got a lot of airplay as an album track but was never released as a single. Still, we all know it and love it today.
About a year later, in December of 1972, Canadian songbird Anne Murray released her version of “Danny’s Song” as a single. Her version hit #1 on all the Canadian charts, #7 on the Billboard Hot 100, #10 on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart, #6 on the Cash Box Top 100, and #1 on Billboard’s Easy Listening chart. Ms. Murray’s version was also nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Female Pop Vocal. (She lost to Roberta Flack and “Killing Me Softly with His Song.”)
Whomever sings it, the song’s lyrics certainly do resonate, both as a love song and a “starting a family” song. Kenny did good with this one:
People smile and tell me I’m the lucky one
And we’ve just begun
Think I’m gonna have a son
He will be like she and me, as free as a dove
Conceived in love
Sun is gonna shine above
And even though we ain’t got money
I’m so in love with you, honey
And everything will bring a chain of love, oh, oh, oh
In the mornin’, when I rise
You bring a tear of joy to my eyes
And tell me everything is gonna be alright
