Thank God I'm a Country Boy

The song was originally included on Denver's 1974 album Back Home Again. A version recorded live at the Universal Amphitheatre in Los Angeles was included on his 1975 album An Evening With John Denver.

The live version was released as a single and went to No. 1 on both the Billboard magazine Hot Country Singles and Billboard Hot 100 charts. The song topped both charts for one week each, first the country chart (on May 31), and the Hot 100 chart a week later.

"Thank God I'm a Country Boy" was one of six songs released in 1975 that topped both the Billboard Hot 100 and Billboard Hot Country Singles charts. The other songs were "(Hey Won't You Play) Another Somebody Done Somebody Wrong Song" by B.J. Thomas, "Before the Next Teardrop Falls" by Freddy Fender; "Rhinestone Cowboy" by Glen Campbell; Denver's two-sided hit "I'm Sorry"/"Calypso" and "Convoy" by C.W. McCall.

[edit] Cover versions

A cover version was released by country music artist Billy Dean in 2004; Dean's cover peaked at No. 27 on the Billboard U.S. Hot Country Singles & Tracks charts.
Canadian music artist Brad Johner did a cover on his 2003 album "Free".

Hampton the Hampster performs a cover of the song on "Hampsterdance Hits." 2004.

[edit] In popular culture

It has been a Baltimore Orioles tradition since the '70s to play "Thank God I'm a Country Boy" after "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" during the seventh inning stretch. The song is also played during the seventh inning stretch at Atlanta Braves games. It is also played regularly at Calgary Flames home games.

The song is supposedly heard at a campaign rally for villainous political candidate Greg Stillson in Stephen King's novel The Dead Zone.

Preceded by "I'm Not Lisa" by Jessi Colter	Billboard Hot Country singles number one single May 31, 1975	Succeeded by "Window Up Above" by Mickey Gilley
Preceded by "Before the Next Teardrop Falls" by Freddy Fender	Billboard Hot 100 number one single June 7, 1975	Succeeded by "Sister Golden Hair" by America