When it comes to oldies, 鈥淭ake Me Home, Country Roads鈥� is as familiar as they come. Most people know at least a few words.
The song has had many lives over the years, first as a hit for Rock and Roll Hall of Fame member John Denver in 1971. Several years ago, 鈥淐ountry Roads鈥� became West Virginia鈥檚 official state song. And now the song has been adopted as the U.S. Men鈥檚 National Team鈥檚 new anthem for the World Cup.
After the U.S. team beat Bosnia-Herzegovina 2-0 in Santa Clara on Monday night, U.S. players and coaches belted out lyrics for 鈥淐ountry Roads鈥� arm-in arm on the field as the stadium speakers blared the song.
Little did most of the members of the team probably know, the song originated during a car ride down Clopper Road in Gaithersburg, Maryland, over a half century ago.
Bill Danoff and Taffy Nivert, two local singer-songwriters, were on their way to a cousin’s reunion at the Izaak Walton League in Gaithersburg in the summer of 1970. Cruising down Clopper Road, Danoff strummed his guitar while Nivert drove.
“On the way, we鈥檙e passing farms, cattle, sheep and horses and chicks and ducks and geese,鈥� Nivert told me in 2020 for the MoCo鈥檚 Most Famous podcast.
Danoff started singing the words 鈥渃ountry roads鈥� over and over.
鈥淭he seed of the song started on Clopper Road,” Nivert said.
Many believe the song was called “Take Me Home, Clopper Road” at one point, but that鈥檚 not true, according to Nivert. Regardless, the duo knew they were on to something.
They originally wanted to give the not-yet-complete song to Johnny Cash, but they instead approached John Denver, who loved it.
On Dec. 30, 1970, Danoff and Nivert were with Denver at their basement apartment in Georgetown. They played two verses and a chorus for him.
“John said, ‘Oh my gosh, let鈥檚 stay up and just finish it. It鈥檚 really good,'” so they stayed up all night.
They rewrote the second verse and the chorus. The three rearranged the lyrics and title and 鈥淭ake Me Home, Country Roads鈥� was born.
The next day, New Year鈥檚 Eve, Danoff and Nivert were the warmup act for Denver at The Cellar Door in D.C. During Denver鈥檚 set, he brought them up and introduced a song they had just written. 鈥淲e hope you like it,鈥� Denver said, according to Nivert.
The song was so new, they were all reading from a lyric sheet they had taped to the microphone. The crowd went wild. The song became Denver鈥檚 first big hit, peaking at No. 2 on the charts in August, 1971.
Danoff and Nivert later married and formed Starland Vocal Band, best known for their 1976 No. 1 hit, 鈥淎fternoon Delight.鈥�
We were 鈥渢wo hippies in a basement,鈥� Nivert said. “Someday we鈥檙e going to write a hit song,鈥� they would say. And then 鈥淭ake Me Home, Country Roads鈥� came into their lives.
鈥淭he song is just it鈥檚 own wonderful gift from the universe,鈥� Nivert said.
A gift that keeps giving.
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