Leaving on a Jet Plane

John Denver (Deutschendorf) wrote "Leaving on a Jet Plane" in 1966. The original title of the song was "Babe, I Hate to Go" but Denver's then producer Milt Okun convinced him to change the title.

That same year, Denver chose this song along with others and, with his own money, had 250 copies pressed onto vinyl. He distributed the copies to friends and family. Peter, Paul and Mary were so impressed with the song that they chose to record it themselves and released it on their 1967 Album 1700. It didn't become a hit for them until they released it as a single in 1969. It turned out to be Peter, Paul & Mary's biggest and final hit, becoming their only #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in the United States.
Chantal Kreviazuk's cover is featured in the 1998 motion picture Armageddon.