“Take Me Home, Country Roads,” often simply known as “Country Roads,” is more than just a song; it’s an anthem that resonates deeply with the spirit of West Virginia. Since 1972, this iconic tune has filled the pre-game air at every home football show, becoming a cherished tradition. After each Mountaineers’ victory, fans proudly remain in their seats, voices united with the team in a celebratory sing-along of this beloved song. The emotional connection deepened in 1980 when John Denver himself, the voice behind “Country Roads,” graced the opening of the new stadium. His pre-game performance before the Mountaineers faced Cincinnati cemented the song’s legendary status within the state and its university.
The Heartfelt Lyrics of “Country Roads”
The lyrics paint a vivid picture of West Virginia’s natural beauty and evoke a powerful sense of longing for home. The opening lines, “Almost heaven, West Virginia, Blue ridge mountains, Shenandoah river,” immediately establish the setting and the almost ethereal beauty of the landscape. The contrast between “Life is old there, older than the trees, Younger than the mountains, growin’ like a breeze” captures the timeless yet ever-renewing nature of the mountains and the life within them.
The chorus, the heart of the song, is a direct plea: “Country roads, take me home, To the place I belong, West Virginia, mountain momma, Take me home, country roads.” This repetition emphasizes the deep yearning for home, for West Virginia, personified as “mountain momma,” a comforting and nurturing figure.
The second verse delves into personal memories and imagery: “All my memories, they gather ’round her, Miner’s lady, stranger to blue water, Dark and dusty, painted on the sky, Misty taste of moonshine, teardrops in my eyes.” These lines evoke a sense of nostalgia and perhaps a touch of melancholy, hinting at the hardships and simple pleasures of life in West Virginia’s mining communities.
The bridge, “I hear her voice in the mornin’ hour she calls me, The radio reminds me of my home far away, And drivin’ down the road I get a feelin’, That I should have been home yesterday, yesterday,” speaks to the persistent call of home, a feeling intensified by distance and memories. It’s a universal sentiment for anyone who has been away from a place they deeply love.
The song concludes with repeated refrains of the chorus, reinforcing the central theme of wanting to return home to West Virginia, the place of belonging. The multiple repetitions of “Take me home, down country roads” at the very end serve as a powerful and fading echo of this heartfelt desire.
“Country Roads” was crafted by the talented songwriting team of Bill Danoff, Taffy Nivert Danoff, and John Denver. Their collaboration created not just a song, but an enduring anthem that captures the essence of West Virginia and the universal longing for home.
