John Denver's music has touched a generation of listeners, but few know that one of his most beloved songs is his most misleading, for one key reason.
Denver's 1971 Hit "Take Me Home Country Roads" is one of his most recognizable. It is a standout track from the LP Poems, Prayers, and Promises.
However, although the song is famously associated with West Virginia and mentions the state prominently in its opening verse, there’s a surprising twist to the tune that few fans realize. Denver had never actually visited the state at the time the song was written.
According to Country Living, "neither Denver nor his co-writers Bill Danoff and Taffy Nivert had ever actually set foot in the Mountain State when the song was written. In fact, the winding road that inspired 'Take Me Home, Country Roads' was really a two-lane stretch in Gaithersburg, Maryland."
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Danoff told Country Living that the tune, "sounded to [him] like a hit song when [they] were writing it: The words were pretty; the chorus was nice; it felt good to sing."
Lyrics per Genius:
"Almost heaven, West VirginiaBlue ridge mountains, Shenandoah riverLife is old there, older than the treesYounger than the mountains, blowing like a breeze"
The song, released in April 1971, would ultimately reach the number two spot on the Billboard charts by August of that same year. The Library of Congress reported that the song was certified Gold by the Recording Industry of America in 1971 and reached platinum status in 2017.
"Take Me Home Country Roads" ultimately became the official song of West Virginia in 2014. The beloved folk song has reportedly been covered more than 150 times and has also been recorded in 19 languages.
Denver would go on to have a wildly successful career as a singer and songwriter with memorable tunes such as “Rocky Mountain High,” “Sunshine on My Shoulders,” “Annie’s Song,” “Back Home Again,” “Thank God I’m a Country Boy,” and “I’m Sorry.” His career spanned from 1969 and continued for 28 years.
John Denver died in 1997 when his airplane crashed into Monterey Bay near Pacific Grove, California. He was 53.
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