(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "TAKE ME HOME, COUNTRY ROADS")
JOHN DENVER: (Singing) Almost heaven, West Virginia, Blue Ridge Mountains, Shenandoah River...
RACHEL MARTIN, HOST:
That is, of course, John Denver's hit "Take Me, Home Country Roads," which has just become an official state song of West Virginia. The state legislature approved the resolution Friday after a campaign spearheaded by a woman named Drema Denver. Despite having the same last name as John Denver, she is not related. She is, though, the wife of the late Bob Denver, who played Gilligan on "Gilligan's Island."
Now, a warning here - you might not want to take one of West Virginia's country roads right at the moment. Following a spate of bad weather, they are plagued by potholes. The state is about to start a multimillion-dollar campaign to fix them. In the meantime, if you drive over one of these craters the size of the SS Minnow, why not burst into a chorus of John Denver to ease the pain.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "TAKE ME HOME, COUNTRY ROADS")
DENVER: (Singing) rain to true blue water. Dark and dusty, painted on the sky, misty taste of moonshine, teardrops in my eye. Country roads, take me home...
MARTIN: You're listening to WEEKEND EDITION from NPR News. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
