“Country Roads (Take Me Home),” the popular John Denver song has gone international, with NFL fans in Germany claiming the song as their own for the annual Munich game. From the countryside in West Virginia to the streets of Europe, it’s a fascinating choice of song that connects two polar opposite worlds that also have a language barrier.

Bridged together by song and pigskin, music and football have found a way to unite the world in ways that many can only dream of. Here’s a look at how the 1971 hit became the NFL’s German anthem.

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Why do they sing ‘Country Roads’ in Germany?

American influence can be found everywhere, so it’s not surprising to see a West Virginia-related hit song make its way across the pond to Europe.

Before there was the Munich game, there was Oktoberfest. The very large German festival, known for its beer drinking, is one of the places where “Country Roads,” began to take hold. Like most inebriated, bratwurst-loving, schnitzel eating people, it’s hard to not be taken away by the tune. The gist is that the American hit is simply a fun song to sing along with. Bill Danoff, who wrote the song, was asked about it’s German popularity in a 2013 interview with the Washington Post.