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Take Me Home Country Roads – John Denver

May 3, 2022

Today’s song of the day is “Take Me Home Country Roads” by John Denver. The song was written by John Denver, Bill Danoff and Taffy Nivert.

Fun Facts

  • Denver released the song as a single on April 12, 1971, and it peaked at number two on Billboard’s US Hot 100 singles chart in August the same year
  • The song was a hit upon its first release, earning Gold certification from the Recording Industry Association of America on August 18, 1971, and Platinum certification from the Recording Industry Association of America on April 10, 2017.
  • The song quickly rose to prominence as one of John Denver’s most popular. It has maintained a strong following, with more than 1.6 million digital copies sold in the U.S. alone.
  • West Virginians responded enthusiastically to “Take Me Home, Country Roads.”
  • The song has become synonymous with West Virginia. In March 2014, it was designated as one of West Virginia’s 4 official state anthems.
  • The West Virginia Tourism Office issued a statement on November 1, 2017 that it had acquired the rights to use the song in its marketing activities.
  • The song is also performed at other sporting events and university gatherings, particularly those following football games, when spectators are invited to remain in the stands and sing along with the squad.
  • On September 6, 1980, composers Danoff, Nivert, and Denver performed the song amid pregame festivities for a sold-out audience of Mountaineer supporters at the request of the then West Virginia Governor, Jay Rockefeller.
  • The song was performed at West Virginia Senator Robert Byrd’s funeral on July 2, 2010 at the state capital in Charleston, West Virginia.

Lyrics:

LyricFind

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

12 Comments

  1. James

    What a great song that is. What a great musician John Dever was. He is missed.

    Reply
  2. Elaine Patton

    LOVE this song!!

    Reply
  3. Peg

    Too bad he was taken from us so soon in an awful accident.
    Beautiful words and music from a very talented man that never had the chance to be shared with us.

    Reply
  4. Faith W Peperone

    THE SONG WAS ALSO SONG AT MY HUSBAND’S FUNERAL BY HIS GODCHILD AND WE ARE FROM LOUISIANA . HE ALWAYS ENJOYED LISTENING TO JOHN DENVER.

    Reply
  5. Carl

    The chorus of this song is perhaps one of the most recognizable releases of any song ever written. Why? Because it is SINGABLE. Yes, the chorus offers short lines and hovers in the general register that nearly every voice can enjoy. The short phrases make it easy to sing along, even if you’re the one person on the planet who doesn’t already know the lyric. And the overall sentiment: Take me home! Who doesn’t want to go home? We all do.

    Reply
  6. Howard Hoehn

    Great song!!!!!!

    Reply
  7. Robert

    Love it !

    Reply
  8. Wayne Clark

    “Take Me Home, Country Roads” — was written by two D.C.-area musicians, and inspired by Clopper Road, in Gaithersburg, Maryland._”

    Reply
  9. Karyn McDowell

    We lost a very talented & loved man when John Denver died. I loved his music & still do!

    Reply
  10. Gonzalo Torres

    Awesome just Awesome

    Reply
  11. PATRICIA GREER-EUNIS

    MY MOTHER WAS BORN IN WAR WEST VIRGINIA IN 1920.
    THIS SONG BECAME A TOP TEN FAVORITE OF HERS AS WELL AS OF MY OWN FAMILY. WE LOVE THE ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL HILLS OF THE SHENANOAH VALLEY AND THE BEAUTY OF THE BLUE RIDGE MOUNTAINS.
    THERE IS SOME REALLY GREAT HISTORY SURROUNDING WEST VIRGINIA.

    Reply
  12. Ed

    This was among the first few songs I learned to play on the guitar. My father had liked this song enough to buy the single when singles still sold in America. To this day I often start to cry when I do this song.

    Reply

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