▁than ▁" West ▁Virginia " ▁as ▁both ▁four - s yll able ▁state ▁names ▁would ▁have ▁fit ▁the ▁song ' s ▁meter . ▁Today , ▁the ▁landscape ▁around ▁Clo pper ▁Road ▁has ▁changed ▁dr ast ically ▁and ▁little ▁res emb les ▁the ▁coun tr ys ide ▁scen ery ▁that ▁once ▁surrounded ▁it . ▁ ▁To ▁D ano ff , ▁the ▁ly ric ▁"( t ) he ▁radio ▁rem inds ▁me ▁of ▁my ▁home ▁far ▁away " ▁in ▁the ▁bridge ▁is ▁qu int ess entially ▁West ▁Virgin ian , ▁an ▁all usion ▁to ▁listening ▁during ▁his ▁' 5 0 s ▁child hood ▁days ▁to ▁the ▁program ▁Saturday ▁Night ▁J amb ore e ▁on ▁W heel ing ' s ▁W W VA ▁from ▁his ▁home ▁far ▁away , ▁in ▁Spring field , ▁Massachusetts . ▁ ▁D ano ff ▁had ▁some ▁other ▁West ▁Virginia ▁associations ▁to ▁draw ▁from ▁as ▁well . ▁He ▁became ▁friends ▁with ▁actor ▁Chris ▁Sar andon , ▁a ▁Beck ley ▁native ▁who ▁was ▁once ▁married ▁to ▁actress ▁Susan ▁Sar andon , ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁a ▁group ▁of ▁hi pp ies ▁from ▁a ▁West ▁Virginia ▁commune ▁who ▁used ▁to ▁sit ▁in ▁the ▁front ▁row ▁of ▁the ▁little ▁clubs ▁in ▁which ▁his ▁groups ▁used ▁to ▁play : ▁" They ▁brought ▁their ▁dogs ▁and ▁were ▁a ▁very ▁color ful ▁group ▁of ▁fol ks , ▁but ▁that ▁is ▁how ▁West ▁Virginia ▁began ▁cre eping ▁into ▁the ▁song ,” ▁D ano ff ▁said . ▁“ I ▁didn ’ t ▁want ▁to ▁write ▁about ▁Massachusetts ▁because ▁I ▁didn ’