After many other hit singles, "Take Me Home, Country Roads" remains Denver's signature song.
Origins
Denver was heading the bill in December 1970 at Washington, D.C. folk club The Cellar Door; Danoff and Nivert opened for him as a duo named Fat City. After the post-Christmas re-opening night (the booking was for two weeks), the three headed back to their place for an impromptu jam. On the way, Denver's left thumb was broken in an automobile accident. He was taken to the hospital, where a splint was applied. By the time they got back to the house, he was, in his own words, "wired, you know".
Danoff and Nivert then told him about a song that they had been working on for about a month. Inspiration had come while driving to a family reunion of Nivert's relatives in nearby Maryland. To pass the time en route, Danoff had made up a ballad about the little winding roads they were taking. Later, he changed the story to fit that of an artist friend, who used to write to him about the splendors of the West Virginia countryside. The second verse of the tune was a bit risqué – referring to "naked ladies" – so the duo reckoned that their song would never get played on the radio.
On his website, Bill Danoff provides the (later discarded) second verse:
In the foothills hidin' from the clouds,
Pink and purple, West Virginia farmhouse.
Naked ladies, men who looked like Christ,
And a dog named Pancho, nibbling on the rice.
They sang the song for Denver and as he recalled, "I flipped." The three stayed up until 6:00 a.m., changing words and moving lines around. When they finished, John announced that the song had to go on his next album.
The song was premiered December 30, 1970, during an encore of Denver's set, the singers reading the words off of a folded piece of paper. This resulted in a five-minute ovation,[citation needed] one of the longest in Cellar Door history. They recorded it in New York City in January 1971.
"Take Me Home, Country Roads" appeared on the LP Poems, Prayers, and Promises and was released as a 45 in the spring of 1971. It broke nationally in mid-April, but moved up the charts very slowly. After several weeks, RCA called John and told him that they were giving up on the single. His response: "No! Keep working on it!" They did, and on August 18 it was certified a million-seller.
Reception in West Virginia
The song is the theme song of West Virginia University and has been performed at every home football pre-game show at Mountaineer Field since 1972. In 1980, Denver performed his hit song during pre-game festivities to a sold-out crowd of Mountaineer fans. This performance marked the dedication of Mountaineer Field and the first game for head coach Don Nehlen. In fact, the song is played at virtually all athletic events and many other university functions. It is played after the football team wins at home, upon which the fans are encouraged to stay in the stands and sing the song along with the team. The song has also been sung at away games that were close enough for large numbers of students and fans to attend. It has also been played after WVU Men's Basketball victories.
The land features mentioned prominently in the song lyrics – the Shenandoah River and the Blue Ridge Mountains – have only marginal associations with the state of West Virginia, and would seem to be more appropriate for Virginia. The river passes through only the very eastern tip of the Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia. Similarly, the vast majority of the Blue Ridge also lies outside the state. This has not dampened the enthusiasm that West Virginians feel for "their song".[citation needed]
The popularity of the song has inspired resolutions in the West Virginia House of Delegates and Senate to change the state song of West Virginia to "Take Me Home, Country Roads". So far, such resolutions have not carried.
According to a radio interview with Nivert, the road that inspired the song is nowhere near the state. It is a road close to her native Washington, D.C., in nearby Montgomery County, Maryland, where Denver often visited. Clopper Road still exists today, but the landscape has changed drastically from the bucolic landscape that once surrounded it.
Popularity in Asia
The song (and writing alternate lyrics to it) is a plot point in the 1995 Japanese animated film Whisper of the Heart from Hayao Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli.
Cover versions and citings
* Scottish singer and entertainer Andy Stewart (musician) recorded a version using the original "West Virginia" lyrics for his album My Homeland.
* Aleksander Mežek recorded a Slovene adaptation of the song as Siva pot (The gray path), in which the praise is changed to being for the Slovenian region Gorenjska, instead of West Virginia. This adaptation was recorded again by the Sloveno-Croatian Yugo-pop band Mambo Kings, whose cover added two fake verses: one imitating the Hungarian language, and the other imitating the Japanese language.
* Toots & the Maytals recorded a reggae version in which the lyrics are altered to describe Jamaica: "Almost heaven, West Jamaica," for instance, replaces Denver's "West Virginia."
* Olivia Newton-John recorded a cover version in 1973 that reached #15 in the UK, but only bubbled under the Billboard Hot 100 at No. 119 in the United States. It is this recording which is eventually used as the opening song for Whisper of the Heart (1995) a Studio Ghibli anime that uses "Take Me Home, Country Roads" as a plot device featuring several renditions in Japanese including an end-title version performed by Yoko Honna.
* Hermes House Band recorded a cover and performed on Top Of The Pops when the single was released in 2001.
* Ray Charles recorded a cover version which can be found on the 2002 album Ray Charles Sings for America.
* The punk rock band Me First and the Gimme Gimmes have also done a cover using the original lyrics.
* Israel Kamakawiwo'ole (Bruddah Iz) recorded a cover version of the song, with the lyrics changed to describe his native Hawaii.
* Pavel Bobek, Czech country singer also recorded a cover of the song. The title he used was "Veď mě dál, cesto má" (which could be roughly translated as "Lead me on, my road").
* The song was used in the American Dad episode "American Dream Factory".
* The song was used in the Prison Break episode "First Down", where the character of David "Tweener" Apolskis completely butchers the lyrics.
* The song was used in the The Sopranos episode "Remember When".
* A rap cover of the song, sung by Doug E. Fresh, is used with altered lyrics at the start of each New York Knicks home game as well as on television commercials for the team.
* The song ranked #18 on CMT's 100 Greatest Songs in Country Music in 2003.
* Football club Manchester United used the song as their anthem, changing the lyrics and title to "Take me Home, United Road".
Take Me Home Country Roads
John Denver Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
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
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
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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@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
@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
@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.