Hive Open Mic #165 - Country Roads (John Denver)

In Love with Nature and Mother Earth

For this week's theme chosen by @wizj I've decided to share a classic tune by John Denver, which describes the return to a much loved home county.

This great sing-along-song was released in 1971 and put West Virginia into people's minds worldwide. I dare say it is one of those songs that any guitarist would have had a go at at some point and it sure gets the audience joining in.

When I listen to the first lines of the song I instantly see a lovely country side in front of me, and I assume the theme this week was all about that too and that we should take care of our natural environment, treasure and protect it.

As we get to the second verse however things are not quite so rosy anymore as we learn about the fact that the county is very beautiful indeed, but also the home of a mining industry that appears to do the opposite to protect its surroundings.

"Miner's Lady, stranger to blue water"... we can only imagine what the water might have looked like in the past or still does.
Still, people there are supposedly very proud of their work heritage too.
It is their livelihood and that is the dilemma this planet faces, that too often jobs take priority over our natural habitat, which we cannot live without, but it seems too many people think they can...

I hope you like this one. Thanks for listening!

_Source

Lyrics

Almost heaven, West Virginia, Blue Ridge Mountains, Shenandoah River
Life is old there, older than the trees, younger than the mountains, blowing like a breeze

Country roads, take me home to the place I belong
West Virginia, mountain mamma, take me home, country roads

All my memories gather round her, miner's lady, stranger to blue water
Dark and dusty, painted on the sky, misty taste of moonshine, teardrop in my eye

Country roads, take me home to the place I belong
West Virginia, mountain mamma, take me home, country roads

I hear her voice in the morning hour, she calls me, the radio reminds me of my home far away
And driving down the road I get a feeling that I should have been home yesterday, yesterday

Country roads, take me home to the place I belong
West Virginia, mountain mamma, take me home, country roads

Country roads, take me home to the place I belong
West Virginia, mountain mamma, take me home, country roads

Take me home, down country roads
Take me home, down country roads

Source

_{Thanks for looking!
All images are property of @anna-newkey, unless otherwise stated.}