Take Me Home Country Roads
John Denver Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

Almost heaven, West Virginia
Blue Ridge Mountains, Shenandoah River
Life is old there, older than the trees
Younger than the mountains, growin' like a breeze

Country roads, take me home
To the place I belong
West Virginia, mountain mama
Take me home, country roads

All my memories gather 'round her
Miner's lady, stranger to blue water
Dark and dusty, painted on the sky
Misty taste of moonshine, teardrop in my eye

Country roads, take me home
To the place I belong
West Virginia, mountain mama
Take me home, country roads

I hear her voice in the mornin' hour, she calls me
The radio reminds me of my home far away
Drivin' down the road, I get a feelin'
That I should've been home yesterday, yesterday

Country roads, take me home
To the place I belong
West Virginia, mountain mama
Take me home, country roads

Country roads, take me home
To the place I belong
West Virginia, mountain mama
Take me home, country roads





Take me home, (down) country roads
Take me home, (down) country roads

Overall Meaning

The first stanza of John Denver's "Take Me Home Country Roads" describes West Virginia, with its Blue Ridge Mountains and Shenandoah River, as a near-perfect place to live with the lyric “Almost Heaven”. The line “Life is old there, older than the trees” refers to the deep and rich history and culture of the place, while “Younger than the mountains, growin' like a breeze” describes the feeling that everything is constantly changing and evolving. It shows how deeply connected to nature the people of this place feel. The chorus of the song declares, “Country roads, take me home / To the place I belong / West Virginia, mountain mama / Take me home, country roads.” The repetition of “take me home” emphasizes the longing for a place where one feels happy and content, where one feels a sense of belonging.


The second stanza talks about how the singer's memories lie in West Virginia, with local women like the miner's lady who are strangers to the sea, and sights like the “Dark and dusty” places painted on the sky. “Misty taste of moonshine, teardrop in my eye” refers to the memories of the good times the singer had in West Virginia. In the last stanza, the singer hears a voice calling him back to West Virginia, then gets emotional about how he should have gone back yesterday. This shows the clear sense of homesickness he feels, as if he cannot bear to be away from this apparently almost-perfect place.


Line by Line Meaning

Almost heaven, West Virginia
West Virginia is a place close to heaven or paradise.


Blue Ridge Mountains, Shenandoah River
The beautiful mountains and river of West Virginia.


Life is old there, older than the trees
The history of West Virginia and its people is long and rich.


Younger than the mountains, growin' like a breeze
Despite the age of the region, it is constantly growing and evolving.


Country roads, take me home
The artist wants to return home through the beautiful country roads of West Virginia.


To the place I belong
The singer feels a strong connection and belonging to West Virginia.


West Virginia, mountain mama
A playful and affectionate nickname for West Virginia that acknowledges its mountainous terrain.


All my memories gather 'round her
The artist's fond memories of their time in West Virginia are centered around the area's natural beauty and history.


Miner's lady, stranger to blue water
A nod to the coal mining industry, which has long been a major part of West Virginia's economy, and the state's lack of significant coastline or access to oceans.


Dark and dusty, painted on the sky
A poetic description of the natural landscape of West Virginia, which is often characterized by its dramatic sunsets and striking colors.


Misty taste of moonshine, teardrop in my eye
The singer is reminded of the unique culture and traditions of West Virginia, including the production of moonshine, which brings tears of nostalgia and appreciation to their eyes.


I hear her voice in the mornin' hour, she calls me
The artist feels a strong emotional pull towards West Virginia that is difficult to ignore, even from far away.


The radio reminds me of my home far away
The singer is constantly reminded of West Virginia through various media, including radio broadcasts.


Drivin' down the road, I get a feelin'
The singer feels a sense of longing and nostalgia as they drive down the road, thinking of their home in West Virginia.


That I should've been home yesterday, yesterday
The singer regrets not being able to return home to West Virginia sooner, feeling that they have been away for too long.


Take me home, (down) country roads
The artist repeats their desire to return home through the beautiful country roads of West Virginia.




Lyrics © Roba Music Verlag GMBH, BMG Rights Management, Reservoir Media Management, Inc.
Written by: John Denver, Mary Catherine Taffy Nivert-Danoff, William Thomas Danoff

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Most interesting comments from YouTube:

@Thorsten-Tom-Martin

Lyrics:
[Verse 1]
Almost Heaven, West Virginia
Blue Ridge Mountains, Shenandoah River
Life is old there, older than the trees
Younger than the mountains, growing like a breeze

[Chorus]
Country roads, take me home
To the place I belong
West Virginia, mountain mama
Take me home, country roads

[Verse 2]
All my memories gather 'round her
Miner's lady, stranger to blue water
Dark and dusty, painted on the sky
Misty taste of moonshine, teardrop in my eye

[Chorus]
Country roads, take me home
To the place I belong
West Virginia, mountain mama
Take me home, country roads

[Bridge]
I hear her voice in the morning hour, she calls me
The radio reminds me of my home far away
Driving down the road, I get a feeling
That I should have been home yesterday, yesterday

[Chorus]
Country roads, take me home
To the place I belong
West Virginia, mountain mama
Take me home, country roads
Country roads, take me home
To the place I belong
West Virginia, mountain mama
Take me home, country roads

[Outro]
Take me home, (Down) country roads
Take me home, (Down) country roads



@keyursolanki8237

Lyrics 🎧

Almost heaven, West Virginia
Blue Ridge Mountains, Shenandoah River
Life is old there, older than the trees
Younger than the mountains, growin' like a breeze

Country roads, take me home
To the place I belong
West Virginia, mountain mama
Take me home, country roads

All my memories gather 'round her
Miner's lady, stranger to blue water
Dark and dusty, painted on the sky
Misty taste of moonshine, teardrop in my eye

Country roads, take me home
To the place I belong
West Virginia, mountain mama
Take me home, country roads

I hear her voice in the mornin' hour, she calls me
The radio reminds me of my home far away
Drivin' down the road, I get a feelin'
That I should've been home yesterday, yesterday

Country roads, take me home
To the place I belong
West Virginia, mountain mama
Take me home, country roads

Country roads, take me home
To the place I belong
West Virginia, mountain mama
Take me home, country roads

Take me home, (down) country roads
Take me home, (down) country roads



@sheharaperera4028

/
Lyrics
Almost heaven, West Virginia
Blue Ridge Mountains, Shenandoah River
Life is old there, older than the trees
Younger than the mountains, growin' like a breeze
Country roads, take me home
To the place I belong
West Virginia, mountain mama
Take me home, country roads
All my memories gather 'round her
Miner's lady, stranger to blue water
Dark and dusty, painted on the sky
Misty taste of moonshine, teardrop in my eye
Country roads, take me home
To the place I belong
West Virginia, mountain mama
Take me home, country roads
I hear her voice in the mornin' hour, she calls me
The radio reminds me of my home far away
Drivin' down the road, I get a feelin'
That I should've been home yesterday, yesterday
Country roads, take me home
To the place I belong
West Virginia, mountain mama
Take me home, country roads
Country roads, take me home
To the place I belong
West Virginia, mountain mama
Take me home, country roads
Take me home, (down) country roads
Take me home, (down) country roads



All comments from YouTube:

@AaCshShrestha

I've never been to America, but I miss West Virginia.

@ElPatron42069

As an American, I'm ashamed to say I haven't been there. So I must go now

@comedypolicehandsup5141

@@ElPatron42069 And as a brit, I think it's fair to say the closest thing we have to old WV is a little place you might not have heard of, we call it Scotland, more of a local legend than anything really.

@joefreeloader2747

Same

@Fvneral_moon

mobamba as an American who has been to Scotland I can confirm Scotland is pretty great. It was my first trip outside the country and really sparked my love for traveling so I do get nostalgic and think fondly of Scotland

@allenprado

AaCsh Shrestha hahahah they are amazing people

105 More Replies...

@jorgecassinelli1968

Everybody's West Virginia may not be in West Virginia, but they all want their countries roads to take them home. Great song. Timeless.

@genelangdon6914

Needed to hear this, it was my mom's absolute favorite, lost her 02/09/2024, relative flautist played this at her vigil. Love you mom, rest in peace.

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