Explore 7 of our Favorite Features of John Denver’s Country Roads in Film & TV
John Denver’s hit song, Take Me Home, Country Roads, has won the hearts of West Virginians and many others from across the globe, reaching as far as a football match in Germany in 2023. It has also become a tradition for many travelers who cross the state line to play the song in their cars and sing along to the chorus.
This song became a soundtrack for many beloved television shows and movies, and it’s hard to watch these scenes in silence if you know the tune.
Here are some of the many Take Me Home, Country Roads features that you can listen for the next time (or first time) you watch a film or series.
*Some of these mentions may include spoilers!
TV Shows
The Office (2005-2013)
In Season 5 of this hilarious sitcom, Dwight Schrute and Andy Bernard are in the break room busting out their musical talent on guitar and banjo. After Erin Hannon walks in and starts singing Country Roads, the guys have a music battle to impress her and start playing and singing along to the tune. Dwight even sang part of the song in German!
The Patient (2022)
The one-season Hulu thriller series features this song being whisper-sung by the therapist, Alan Strauss, to Elias during a scene where his life is in peril. Eventually, the two sing the song together before Sam, a serial killer who’s Alan’s patient, returns to the room to make things tense.
Prison Break (2005-2017)
You’ll hear the tune in Season 2 of Prison Break, a drama series about a structural engineer who deliberately gets arrested and sent to the same jail as his wrongly-accused brother to break him out. There is a scene where a prisoner named David “Tweener” Apolskis is riding in a car listening to the radio. While he completely butchers the lyrics, the song is played loud and clear to create one of a few light-hearted scenes scattered throughout the series.
Movies
Kingsman: The Golden Circle (2017)
Kingsman spy agent Merlin starts singing the song while he is standing on a land mine with armed forces ready to fire as needed. He sang this as a distraction in the moments before he died, sacrificing his life to save others.
Logan Lucky (2017)
A West Virginia family man named Jimmy Lucky, who was laid off from his construction job in the tunnels underneath the Charlotte Motor Speedway, plans to rob the speedway with his ex-soldier brother and others. Sadie Lucky, his daughter, performs in beauty pageants and sings Country Roads at one because it is her dad’s favorite song. Sadie, who’s singing voice is still a work in progress, still got the entire room singing along the classic tune.
Alien: Covenant (2017)
Members of the colony ship “Covenant” discover what they think to be an uncharted paradise on a remote planet deep into the galaxy. During a scene where the the team tries to pick up alien communication through their equipment on board, ship pilot Tennessee Faris listens for verbal cues from the system and quietly sings the lyrics to the chorus. Who would have thought West Virginia could bring people and aliens together?
Whisper of the Heart (1995)
A cover sung by Olivia Newton is the soundtrack to the opening scene in this Japanese animated romance film. Shizuku, a junior-high student growing up in Tokyo, is an aspiring writer who is asked by choir friends to translate the song because they want to sing it at an upcoming graduation performance. This song may not relate directly to Shizuku’s upbringing, but the message of the song connects her to her desire to find a sense of courage and belonging.
Looking for some Almost Heaven road trips to sing this song along to? Find your next country roads with the help of our new West Virginia Vacation Guide!
All Country Roads Take You to #AlmostHeaven
The post Explore 7 of our Favorite Features of John Denver’s Country Roads in Film & TV appeared first on Almost Heaven – West Virginia.
This article: Explore 7 of our Favorite Features of John Denver’s Country Roads in Film & TV has been curated from our friends at Visit West Virginia and the original in it's entirety can be found here: https://wvtourism.com/explore-7-of-our-favorite-features-of-john-denvers-country-roads-in-film-tv/