Fallout 76’s cover of “Country Roads” will go on sale on Apple iTunes, and 100% of the proceeds will go to charity.
By now you’ve almost certainly seen the trailer for Bethesda’s latest masterpiece to be set in the Fallout universe. But, just in case you haven’t, here’s a quick refresher:
All up to date? Good.
We’re as excited for the upcoming multiplayer Fallout game as much as the next guy, but it’s the trailer that has people talkin’--mostly about just how good the song being played in the background is.
Normally, Fallout games are filled with classic tunes from the ‘30s, ‘40s, and ‘50s. The Ink Spots are a favorite of Bethesda’s for inserting into their games to give them an authentic old-timey sound while still seeming somewhat contemporary. Which makes sense as the Ink Spots are often quoted as an inspiration to what would become modern rock and roll.
But the song we hear in the trailer is not the Ink Spots, but a cover from a ‘70s song: John Denver’s “Country Roads”. A ‘70s folk song making it into a Fallout game is quite notable. It’s also a powerful ballad whereas the original is an airy, twangy, country tune.
People like the cover and Bethesda has taken note. So they’re going to start selling the song on iTunes and giving the proceeds of all sales to Habitat for Humanity, a charity devoted to providing affordable housing around the world.
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Starting July 4th (y’know, Independence Day and all) all sales of that song you hear in the trailer will go to Habitat for Humanity. Since Fallout 76 is all about rebuilding America, the partnership here makes total sense.
Curiously, while we know the original song was penned by Bill Danoff, Taffy Nivert, and John Denver, nobody knows who sang the cover. Bethesda has remained tight-lipped and there’s no names mentioned in any of the video credits on YouTube.
Even Nukapedia, the Fallout wiki, has no idea and simply lists the cover as “unknown.”
We’ll hopefully find out on July 4th.
Fallout 76 is set to release on November 14th on PC, Xbox One, and PlayStation 4.