# Does EVERYONE know 'Country Roads'? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** music\ **Created:** [May 13, 2025, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-everyone-know-country-roads/1018317 "2025-05-13T02:46:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2025, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-everyone-know-country-roads/1018317/1 "2025-05-13T02:46:28Z")
I think it was Anthony Bourdain who found himself in a car with a bunch of intoxicated Asians, when everyone started singing John Denver’s _Country Roads_. The song featured in _Kingsman : The Golden Circle_. I can sing it myself. Does _everyone_ in the world know this song? ---
**Author:** ![ewomack](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ewomack/32/19149_2.png) [@ewomack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ewomack)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2025, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-everyone-know-country-roads/1018317/2 "2025-05-13T02:52:47Z")
The John Denver song _Country Roads_ also appears prominently in Studio Ghibli’s 1995 _Whisper of the Heart._ The movie actually opens with the song, which caused my wife and I to look at each other in astonishment when we first watched it. “An old John Denver song… in an anime?!?” Later, the main characters perform most of the song for a small group of people. The song pops up here and there throughout the movie. It’s a coming of age story about a boy who wants to build violins and a girl still trying to find her way. It’s a very good movie and after a few viewings _Country Roads_ starts to make more sense with the story. ---
**Author:** ![Jas09](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d07c76/32.png) [@Jas09](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jas09)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2025, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-everyone-know-country-roads/1018317/3 "2025-05-13T02:53:20Z")
Yeah, pretty much. I’ve heard it in Germany, Bermuda, India, and probably a few other places. It’s basically in the pantheon with Sweet Caroline, some Michael Jackson, and Beatles stuff a songs folks will probably sing along with just about anywhere. ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2025, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-everyone-know-country-roads/1018317/4 "2025-05-13T02:53:43Z")
Don’t know what part if Asia your guys are from, but it is/was well known in Japan. The period piece Studio Ghibli movie _Whisper of the Heart_ features as a plot point a rewriting of the song for a Japanese life, for example. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/syK2SZvENZw/hqdefault.jpg "Whispher of the Heart theme song Country Road Lyrics (Rom/Jap/Eng)#Studio Ghibli") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=syK2SZvENZw) There is also a Japanese rap remake [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/BMvB_YIwKUs/hqdefault.jpg "【Premium】ASIAN2 - Country Road") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BMvB_YIwKUs) ---
**Author:** ![Jas09](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d07c76/32.png) [@Jas09](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jas09)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2025, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-everyone-know-country-roads/1018317/5 "2025-05-13T02:55:13Z")
> [@Darren\_Garrison](#): > > There is also a Japanese rap remake And a shockingly terrible Machine Gun Kelly/Jelly Roll knockoff: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b6-JNeXxN3s](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b6-JNeXxN3s) Do not click that link. It’s awful. ---
**Author:** ![F.U.Shakespeare](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/aca169/32.png) [@F.U.Shakespeare](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/F.U.Shakespeare)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2025, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-everyone-know-country-roads/1018317/6 "2025-05-13T02:55:40Z")
I have played that song in Germany, Australia, the UK, Iraq, Thailand, points in between, etc. On the downside, I was born and raised in WV, so I have played that damn song more times than I wish. Yes, everyone knows it. ---
**Author:** ![GIGObuster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gigobuster/32/421_2.png) [@GIGObuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GIGObuster)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2025, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-everyone-know-country-roads/1018317/7 "2025-05-13T03:00:05Z")
It is a plot point in the Studio Ghibli’s “Whisper of the Hearth” (1995) (There was live version made in 2022!) [Original Japanese clip from the animated movie, when Shizuku Tsukishima, becomes to fall for Yūko Harada when she notices that she is playing her favorite song with his violin.](https://vimeo.com/183917521) ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2025, 3:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-everyone-know-country-roads/1018317/8 "2025-05-13T03:05:42Z")
Has anyone mentioned Studio Ghibli’s Whisper of the Heart yet? ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2025, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-everyone-know-country-roads/1018317/9 "2025-05-13T03:07:36Z")
I remember reading (here?) that for a time, it was the most popular drinking song in Germany. Joke (probably from @Prof.Pepperwinkle’s joke thread: Q: At what time did John Denver compose _Country Roads_? A: Almost seven. ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2025, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-everyone-know-country-roads/1018317/10 "2025-05-13T03:13:35Z")
> [@Why do Germans at Oktoberfest sing John Denver's 'Take Me Home, Country Roads'?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-germans-at-oktoberfest-sing-john-denvers-take-me-home-country-roads/638341/94): > > I was going to start a new thread, but this one was suggested when I started typing. Take Me Home, Country Roads pops into my head from time to time. Why? Who knows? It always makes me wonder about its international popularity half a century after it came out. The two references that comes to mind are Kingsman: The Golden Circle where it is ‘Merlin’s’ favourite song, and… I don’t know. I think it was Anthony Bourdain, but it might have been Andrew Zimmern. (I think Bourdain.) He’s in a … ---
**Author:** ![Banksiaman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/banksiaman/32/3334_2.png) [@Banksiaman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Banksiaman)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2025, 3:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-everyone-know-country-roads/1018317/11 "2025-05-13T03:14:53Z")
Well, they probably had lots of time on their hands to learn. After all, its not like everybody was kung-fu fighting, or anything like that. ---
**Author:** ![Ellecram](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellecram/32/18948_2.png) [@Ellecram](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellecram)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2025, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-everyone-know-country-roads/1018317/12 "2025-05-13T03:23:32Z")
I have close family in Virginia and West Virginia and visit often. One of my favorite memories is a 1970s era gathering in Charleston, West Virginia where we had some older relatives gathered around an organ singing this song together after dinner. I just returned from a visit to the Virginias last week. I feel so stupid that I never knew West Virginia is called the Mountain State. I clearly have no situational awareness at times. I visit Germany frequently and I have heard it sung at some gatherings during my travels. ---
**Author:** ![Sylvanz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/fbc32d/32.png) [@Sylvanz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sylvanz)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2025, 3:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-everyone-know-country-roads/1018317/13 "2025-05-13T03:31:18Z")
Yes…more text ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2025, 3:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-everyone-know-country-roads/1018317/14 "2025-05-13T03:34:33Z")
I’d be willing to bet the song is a karaoke favorite so lots of people around the world get exposed to it. Just a guess on my part though. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2025, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-everyone-know-country-roads/1018317/15 "2025-05-13T03:40:51Z")
It’s sung at Saskatchewan Rider football games. Country themes are big here. (And everyone seems to be able to sing along, at least to the chorus.) ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2025, 4:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-everyone-know-country-roads/1018317/16 "2025-05-13T04:52:11Z")
Oh. Great! I’ll never get rid of this earworm…aaaccckkk! 😳 ---
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2025, 10:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-everyone-know-country-roads/1018317/17 "2025-05-13T10:06:55Z")
Country and folk never have been very popular genres in Germany, but rather niche, but “Country Roads” by far is the most popular country folk song here. You hear it everywhere, on the radio, at parties and public events. But I bet always no one could name a second John Denver song. I personally like “Leaving On A Jet Plane” much better, though that might be due to overexposure to CR for decades. ---
**Author:** ![RivkahChaya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rivkahchaya/32/8919_2.png) [@RivkahChaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RivkahChaya)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2025, 10:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-everyone-know-country-roads/1018317/18 "2025-05-13T10:12:19Z")
I learned the song in Moscow. Specifically, aged 10, in music class at the Anglo-American (embassy) school of Moscow, in 1977. Apart from learning that song, some US grad students in our hotel (where we lived for nearly a year) made my mother tapes of all their John Denver, and she played them a lot, which was my introduction to John Denver, so not only can I sing “Country Roads” completely from memory, I can sing other John Denver songs as well. To this day, any time I hear John Denver, I think of Moscow. ---
**Author:** ![PatrickLondon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/patricklondon/32/4422_2.png) [@PatrickLondon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatrickLondon)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2025, 11:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-everyone-know-country-roads/1018317/19 "2025-05-13T11:08:00Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > Does _everyone_ in the world know this song? Probably not in Afghanistan ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2025, 11:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-everyone-know-country-roads/1018317/20 "2025-05-13T11:09:31Z")
> [@EinsteinsHund](#): > > But I bet always no one could name a second John Denver song. Sunshine on my shoulders. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-everyone-know-country-roads/1018317.md?page=2)