Leaving On A Jet Plane – English Lyrics

• By: John Denver

Lyrics & Translation

Discover the heartfelt story behind John Denver's classic, "Leaving on a Jet Plane," a song that explores the bittersweet emotions of saying goodbye. Learn how this folk ballad, penned during a moment of travel-induced reflection, became an iconic exploration of love, separation, and the hope of reunion, offering listeners a poignant lesson in expressing vulnerability and longing.

[English]

All my bags are packed I'm ready to go

I'm standin' here outside your door

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

So kiss me and smile for me

Tell me that you'll wait for me

Hold me like you'll never let me go

'Cause I'm leavin' on a jet plane

Don't know when I'll be back again

Oh baby, I hate to go

There's so many times I've let you down

So many times I've played around

I tell you now, they don't mean a thing

Every place I go, I'll think of you

Every song I sing, I'll sing for you

When I come back, I'll bring your wedding ring

So kiss me and smile for me

Tell me that you'll wait for me

Hold me like you'll never let me go

'Cause I'm leavin' on a jet plane

Don't know when I'll be back again

Oh babe, I hate to go

Now the time has come to leave you

One more time let me kiss you

Then close your eyes I'll be on my way

Dream about the days to come

When I won't have to leave alone

About the times, I won't have to say

Kiss me and smile for me

Tell me that you'll wait for me

Hold me like you'll never let me go

'Cause I'm leavin' on a jet plane

Don't know when I'll be back again

Oh baby, I hate to go

'Cause I'm leavin' on a jet plane

Don't know when I'll be back again

Oh baby, I hate to go

...

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
bags /bæɡz/ A1	noun - containers for carrying things
dawn /dɔːn/ B1	noun - the first light of day
wait /weɪt/ A2	verb - to remain inactive in expectation
hold /hoʊld/ A2	verb - to grasp and keep
leave /liːv/ A2	verb - to go away from
times /taɪmz/ A1	noun - a point or period of time
play /pleɪ/ A2	verb - engage in activity for enjoyment
ring /rɪŋ/ A1	noun - a circular band worn on a finger
smile /smaɪl/ A1	verb - to form a pleased facial expression
lonesome /ˈloʊnsəm/ B2	adjective - sad because one is alone
kiss /kɪs/ A2	verb - to touch with the lips
dream /driːm/ B1	noun - a series of thoughts, images, and sensations verb - to experience images during sleep
alone /əˈloʊn/ A2	adjective - without any other people
plane /pleɪn/ A2	noun - an aircraft
breakin' /ˈbreɪkɪn/ B1	verb - to begin to appear or happen

Key Grammar Structures

• All my bags **are packed** I'm ready to go

  ➔ Present continuous (passive) + Present simple

  ➔ The use of "are packed" represents a passive form of present continuous (passive) indicating the state of the bags, and "I'm ready" is present simple to describe his current condition.

• I hate **to wake** you up to say goodbye

  ➔ Infinitive of purpose

  ➔ "to wake" functions as an infinitive of purpose, explaining why he hates doing something (to say goodbye).

• But the dawn **is breakin'** it's early morn

  ➔ Present continuous

  ➔ "is breakin'" is present continuous tense describing an action in progress at the moment.

• Already I'm so lonesome **I could die**

  ➔ Modal verb (could) expressing possibility or hypothetical situation

  ➔ "could die" expresses a strong feeling of loneliness as a possibility.

• Tell me **that you'll wait** for me

  ➔ Future tense (will + verb)

  ➔ "you'll wait" uses the future tense to express a promise or intention.

• 'Cause I'm **leavin' on** a jet plane

  ➔ Present Continuous with future meaning

  ➔ The present continuous "I'm leavin'" is used to express a future action, the departure on the jet plane.

• Don't know **when I'll be back** again

  ➔ Future tense (will + be + past participle)

  ➔ "I'll be back" is the future tense, expressing a future action.

• Every place **I go**, I'll think of you

  ➔ Subjunctive mood (implied)

  ➔ The sentence structure implies a conditional clause (If I go to every place... ). The meaning is similar to using "wherever I go". The use of a conditional sentence is implied.