NFL fans in the United States were surprised to see an entire stadium in Munich singing John Denver’s “Take Me Home, Country Roads” during last year’s Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Seattle Seahawks game.
Former Jets center Nick Mangold posted on social media, “Did not have Country Roads on my NFL Germany bingo card.” It was the first time the NFL played a regular season game in Germany.
Let’s take a look at the history of the song and where it’s played in Germany.
John Denver’s First Hit
Bill Danoff, Taffy Nivert, and John Denver wrote the song “Take Me Home, Country Roads.” The song was recorded and released in the first half of 1971 and reached number two on Billboard’s US Hot 100 singles in late August that year.
The song was certified gold in 1971 and remarkably reached platinum status in 2017, over 35 years after it was first released. It was on the B-side of “Poems, Prayers, and Promises,” Denver’s second album.
Denver died at 53 years old in a plane crash in 1997.
Denver in Germany
There is no consensus reason why the song became popular in Germany, even though John Denver toured Germany six times from 1979 to 1995 and has an official fan club based in the nation.
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One of the song’s writers, Bill Danoff, told the Washington Post in 2013, “I have no idea. I’ve never been to Germany.” He said when they wrote the song, they were going for catchy: “We’re pop songwriters, and we were trying to write hit songs. It sounded good, the structure was right, the chorus was right.”
Danoff has even performed the song at the German Embassy in Washington, D.C., during an event.
For years, the song has been played at Munich’s Oktoberfest, an annual festival that features beer, food, and activities. Oktoberfest runs from the middle of September to the first Sunday of October.
Thousands of fans enjoyed Denver’s hit during last year’s NFL game in Munich, which took place weeks after Oktoberfest had ended.
Fans also sang Neil Diamond’s “Sweet Caroline” and Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believin” during last season’s game. Tom Brady, who led the Buccaneers to victory, said, “The end of the game with them singing ‘Sweet Caroline’ and ‘Country Roads.’ That was pretty epic.”
West Virginia’s Song
“Take Me Home, Country Roads” is about West Virginia and is a symbol of the state. It became the official state song of West Virginia in 2014 and is one of four songs to receive that designation.
Denver, Danoff, and Nivert sang the song when the University of West Virginia opened a new football stadium in 1980. It is often heard at West Virginia sporting events, and like in Germany, the crowd sings along.
Great performance and win. So amazed at our crowd. Won by 32 and the game was in hand way before the clock read 0:00. And people stayed to sing Country Roads together. So special. We love you West Virginia! #HailWV https://t.co/FOIx4basdf pic.twitter.com/IhbrXxKBZJ
— Wren Baker (@wrenbaker) February 5, 2023
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