John Denver - Back Home Again Lyrics Meaning

The song is actually full of veiled sadness. It is about a man that dies and does not make it home, though from his perspective, "heaven" is making it home to his love. On one hand, he doesn't know he has died as he reunited with her in his perception of heaven, but in reality she still waits missing him at home with all their future held. It seems she is yet to find out he won't make it home. Most people don't notice the sad pretense of the song because the music is sweet and happy, they don't catch the sweeping reference of the man's impending death in the first verses. The beginning of the song goes like this " there's a storm across the valley, clouds are rolling in, afternoon is heavy on your shoulders. There's a truck out on the 4 lane a mile or more a way and the whining of it's wheels just makes you colder. He's an hour away from riding on your prayers up in the sky..."