This song appears on three albums, and was first released on the Higher Ground Album, and has also been released on The Gift You Are and The John Denver Collection - Calypso Albums.

When I was a child and I lived in the city
I dreamed of Alaska so far away
And I dreamed I was flying over mountains and glaciers
Somehow I knew I¡¯d live there one day

Well it took me some growin¡¯, and a fair bit of schoolin¡¯
And a little bit of trouble to get on the move
And I felt like a loser but I turned out the winner
When I came to Alaska the land that I love

Here¡¯s to Alaska, here¡¯s to the people
Here¡¯s to the wild and here¡¯s to the free
Here¡¯s to my life in a chosen country
Here¡¯s to Alaska and me

I was born in a cabin on Little Mulchatna
Raised in hard times but I had a good life
From the first time I flew with my father a singin¡¯
I knew that I¡¯d wind up a bush pilot¡¯s wife

We sleep near the sound of a slow running river
And wake up most mornings to a drizzling rain
And we face every day like the first or the last one
With nothin¡¯ to lose and heaven to gain

Here¡¯s to Alaska, here¡¯s to the people
Here¡¯s to the wild and here¡¯s to the free
Here¡¯s to my life in a chosen country
Here¡¯s to Alaska and me

Oh, for the fire on a cold winter¡¯s night
And once more to gaze at the great northern lights
For all of the beauty my children will see
Here¡¯s to Alaska and me

Here¡¯s to Alaska, here¡¯s to the people
Here¡¯s to the wild and here¡¯s to the free
Here¡¯s to my life in a chosen country
Here¡¯s to Alaska and me

Words and music by John Denver