On This Day in 1986, RCA Records Dropped John Denver After He Released His Controversial Song “Let Us Begin”

On this day (July 30) in 1986, Variety Magazine reported that RCA Records had released John Denver from his contract. The move came after he released the song “Let Us Begin (What Are We Making Weapons For?) as a single from his 1986 album One World. The timing has led some to speculate that the label’s connections to the military-industrial complex caused them to drop him. Others point to the fact that the singer/songwriter was not on good terms with RCA and was in the process of starting his own label.

Videos by American Songwriter

General Electric purchased RCA, which included RCA Records, in December 1985. The corporations completed the transaction in June 1986. GE was, and is, a major producer of electronics for military applications. The corporation doesn’t produce weapons, though. Instead, GE manufactures aircraft engines, guidance systems, gears, propellers, and “non-explosive components and parts for weapons systems,” according to press materials.

[RELATED: Inside John Denver’s FBI File–the Mafia, Protests, and an Attempt on His Life]

While many speculate that this acquisition and “Let Us Begin” led to RCA dropping Denver, that may not be the case. He and the label weren’t on good terms near the end of his time there. By the time he released One World, his final album on the label, RCA had lost interest in promoting folk music due to a change in management. At the same time, Denver was focusing on his label, Windsong Records.

John Denver Traveled to Russia During the Cold War

According to his website, John Denver traveled to the former USSR after the Soviet Union of Composers invited him to come perform. That trip inspired him to write “Let Us Begin (What Are We Making Weapons For?).” He recorded the song with Russian singer/songwriter Alexander Gradsky.

“I thought that I might be able to do something to further the cause of East/West understanding. The Russians say that the first swallow of spring won’t make the weather for the whole season, but it can mark the turn toward a warmer climate. I tried to be that swallow,” Denver said of the song.

Featured Image by Paul Natkin/Getty Images