This song appears on eight albums, and was first released on the Back Home Again Album, and has also been released on the Greatest Hits Vol 2, Favourites, The Country Roads Collection and The Rocky Mountain Collection Albums. Live versions also appears on the An Evening With John Denver, Country Classics and The Wildlife Concert Albums.

This old guitar taught me to sing a love song

It showed me how to laugh and how to cry
It introduced me to some friends of mine
And brightened up some days
It helped me make it through some lonely nights
Oh, what a friend to have on a cold and lonely night

This old guitar gave me my lovely lady
It opened up her eyes and ears to me
It brought us close together
I guess it broke her heart
It opened up the space for us to be
What a lovely place and a lovely space to be

This old guitar gave me my life my living
All the things you know I love to do
To serenade the stars that shine
From a sunny mountainside
Most of all to sing my songs for you
I love to sing my songs for you
Yes, I do, you know
I love to sing my songs for you

Words and music by John Denver