John Denver Aint It Good to Be Back Home Song
Home; everyone has a different connection to it. Some people love their home.
Some people grew up with family members that made their lives difficult.
Ultimately, however, home is chosen – it's not where you ended up by default or even where you grew up.
Home is created by you, you can decide where home is.
Still, we all have our unique experiences of home and what it means to us (and there's nothing wrong with any of our experiences).
As we've discovered, as with most things, music says it best.
So, here are some of our favorite songs about home – going home, living at home, broken homes and more.
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"Who Says You Can't Go Home" by Bon Jovi
Song year: 2006
This isn't exactly the first time this song has made it on one of our lists, because it seems to apply to so many situations.
Bon Jovi's "Who Says You Can't Go Home" is one of their first forays into country-pop.
It tells the story of someone who's been on the road, living the nomadic life.
People often leave home in search of new experiences, away from their family.
They go on vacations to see the sights, take new jobs in new cities, go to school to earn their credentials and more.
This song asks, "who says you can't go home?"
At the end of the day, sometimes you just want to go home.
When you've seen and done it all, there's only one place to go back to, which is home.
"Take Me Home, Country Roads" by John Denver
Song year: 1971
This country classic was written by Bill Danoff, Taffy Nivert and John Denver, specifically about West Virginia.
Of course, anyone who grew up in the countryside can relate.
So can others who eventually ended up moving out to the countryside.
We all have positive feelings about places we've been.
It may or may not be where we grew up.
It may be the place we call "home" today.
This song prompts us to think about the places we've been in our lives and take a moment to appreciate them.
"Country roads, take me home/To the place I belong/West Virginia, mountain mama/Take me home, country roads."
"Our House" by Madness
Song year: 1982
It feels like this song is still in high rotation on the radio.
"Our House" paints the picture of ordinary family life, with each family member doing their own thing.
It tells the story of fond memories and times gone by:
"I remember way back then when everything was true and when/We would have such a very good time, such a fine time/Such a happy time/And I remember how we'd play, simply waste the day away/Then we'd say nothing would come between us/Two dreamers."
A perceptive listener will notice a hint of sadness underlying the otherwise happy song about family life.
Still, it's a good song about home.
"Small Town" by John Mellencamp
Song year: 1985
John Mellencamp's "Small Town" is a song that celebrates small towns.
If you come from a small town, or if you love small towns in general, you will love this song.
This song doesn't necessarily sugarcoat it either, as it refers to "little opportunity" and "boring romantic."
It's simply saying, at the end of the day, a small town is the place to be.
One of the best things about it is that you can be yourself in a small town.
If you love the freedom of small towns, put this song on.
"Mama, I'm Coming Home" by Ozzy Osbourne
Song year: 1992
A bit of an unusual number for heavy metal artist Ozzy Osbourne, "Mama, I'm Coming Home" can be interpreted a couple different ways.
One, it could be a song about being treated badly by the world and running home to your loved one.
Two, it could be about a couple that's been struggling in their relationship but still want to make things right.
As far as we're concerned, you can think about the song however you'd prefer to think about it.
Home is where the comfort is, and if you're running back for comfort, this song is your friend.
"Home" by Daughtry
Song year: 2007
Thematically, "Home" by Daughtry is a lot like Ozzy's "Mama, I'm Coming Home."
It's a song about being mistreated and going through challenges.
It's a song about the desire to go back home where the love can be found.
And, as with "Mama, I'm Coming Home", it seems to be talking about a relationship that's far from perfect.
Still, the narrator says:
"So I'm going home/Back to the place where I belong/And where your love has always been enough for me."
If you and your special someone are inseparable, this is your song.
"Sweet Home Alabama" by Lynyrd Skynyrd
Song year: 1974
Everyone's favorite song about Alabama.
Besides being a song that celebrates a place many people call "home", it's also a song written in response to Neil Young's "Alabama".
Young has later gone on to say that his lyrics weren't well thought out and could be easily misinterpreted – it could have been a rather general song (not about Alabama specifically) about bad decisions.
Aside from that, however, this is just a song celebrating everything great about Alabama.
It doesn't matter whether Alabama or another place is your home – if you like where you come from, you can relate to this Lynyrd Skynyrd number.
"Our House" by Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young
Song year: 1970
"Our House" by Crosby, Still, Nash & Young is first and foremost a romantic song as reflected in these lyrics (as well as the lyrics found throughout the song):
"Our house is a very, very, very fine house/With two cats in a yard/Life used to be so hard/Now everything is easy cause of you."
When I listen to this song, I imagine a loving couple in a cozy house spending all their time together, in their own world.
It's also a good reminder that your house can be whatever you want it to be.
"Home" by Jack Johnson
Song year: 2006
The opening lyrics to this song talk about a garden that's been neglected.
And, I'll be a monkey's uncle if these words weren't rich with metaphor.
More than likely, this is a song about a relationship that's in need of a bit of attention.
These repeated lines give us a bit of a clue too:
"So I try to understand what I can't hold in my hand/And whatever I find, I'll find my way back to you/And if you could try to find it too/'Cause this place has overgrown with waxing mood/Home is wherever we are if there's love here too."
Kind of a chilling number when you realize what it's about.
"Home" by Iggy Pop
Song year: 1990
The key message in this song seems to be that everybody needs a home.
You can go through tough times.
The world can leave you feeling tired and weary.
But if there's a place you can go back to, a place you can call a haven, you can feel good about yourself and your life.
That's home.
If you feel like you've been beaten down by the world, and need to get home, crank this rocker.
"Lights" by Journey
Song year: 1978
One of Journey's biggest hits, "Lights" is simply a song about wanting to go home.
Being out on the road can leave you feeling lonely.
Traveling place to place where you don't know anyone can be tiring.
Leaving your loved ones (or special loved one) back at home can be painful and difficult.
If you're missing home, "Lights" is the answer to your call.
"I Feel Home" by O.A.R.
Song year: 1999
There are certain things that can remind you of home.
It might be certain people and their faces.
It might be familiar landmarks or neighborhoods.
You may not be welcomed with open arms wherever you go.
But home is where everyone accepts you for who you are, just as you are.
That's what "I Feel Home" is saying.
"Homeward Bound" by Simon & Garfunkel
Song year: 1966
The desire to go home doesn't seem to be an unusual one for musicians.
Anyone who's required to travel for work can surely relate.
These words are poignant:
"Every days' an endless stream/Of cigarettes and magazines/And each town looks the same to me, the movies and the factories/And every stranger's face I see reminds me that I long to be/Homeward bound."
When your travels seem monotonous, your adventures repetitive, your journeys dull, it's time to be homeward bound.
"Home Sweet Home" by Mötley Crüe
Song year: 1981
This song is kind of like a "goodbye" to life on the road.
It speaks of good times and bad times and challenges encountered on the way.
The writer longs to be home, away from all the difficulties.
"Home Sweet Home" is where the comfort is found.
If you're tried of bumping up against one challenge after another, this glam metal ballad might just lift your spirits.
"Take Me Home" by Phil Collins
Song year: 1985
You can't expect a Phil Collins song to be forthcoming in its meaning, because it rarely is.
If you want to take it at face value, certainly it could be about a man who wants to go home.
When you read the verses, however, you discover that this man is basically stuck in a room or building he can't escape from.
The narrator also says, "I've been a prisoner all my life."
Yet, he also talks about working by day and sleeping at night.
So, to me, the song is about wanting to escape the ordinary life and being trapped in your own thoughts and emotions.
That's not the most popular interpretation of the song, but it makes sense to me.
"Take The Long Way Home" by Roger Hodgson
Song year: 1979
Funny how songs have different meanings than you might have thought.
When you listen to Roger Hodgson's cheery mega-hit, it's easy to think this is just a song about taking in the scenery and enjoying the moment.
"Take The Long Way Home", however, is about a married couple whose relationship is going awry.
The husband feels mistreated by his wife, who he claims used to treat him well.
Even though he's adored by his fans, his wife doesn't even notice him anymore.
I can relate to the sentiment if only because I've had roommates that made my life difficult, which made me want to "Take The Long Way Home."
"Can't Find My Way Home" by Blind Faith
Song year: 1969
The spare lyrics in "Can't Find My Way Home" speaks of someone the narrator sees as arrogant and prideful – it could even be himself.
He feels this person needs to change.
He also says this person holds the key to something.
His heart?
The success of the relationship?
A future he enjoys?
We're not entirely sure and we're left to wonder.
The protagonist admits that "I'm wasted and I can't find my way home."
What we do know is that he's in search of something he doesn't have the time for anymore (is he dying?).
It's a weird song, but a good one, nonetheless.
"Let Me Take You Home Tonight" by Boston
Song year: 1976
There are no hidden meanings to Boston's "Let Me Take You Home Tonight."
The protagonist is in love and he wants to show this special someone "sweet delight."
It sounds a lot like what he imagined himself saying to the girl he's infatuated with:
"You must understand this, I've watched you for so long/That I feel I've known you, I know it can't be wrong/If we just get together, I want to make you see/I'm dreaming of your sweet love tonight, so mamma let it be."
"Nobody's Home" by Deep Purple
Song year: 1984
To be honest, lyrically, "Nobody's Home" is kind of a weird song.
Basically, it seems to be a song about someone who feels superior to the protagonist in the song.
The protagonist is saying there's "nobody's home" – in other words, they don't think the person they're talking about is altogether too bright.
If you think of it like an argument that's unfolding, that can help you make sense of the tune.
"Home By The Sea" by Genesis
Song year: 1983
This song is clearly about people who are being held captive.
This, of course, makes these words kind of unsettling:
"Help us someone, let us out of here/'Cause living here so long undisturbed/Dreaming of the time we were free/So many years ago/Before the time when we first heard/Welcome to the home by the sea."
The "home by the sea" clearly isn't a pleasant place.
"Home" by Sheryl Crow
Song year: 1996
Sheryl Crow's "Home" is a melancholy song about being brokenhearted.
The lyrics trick you a little bit because it sounds happy at first, but these lines certainly give it away:
"I woke this morning/To the sound of breaking hearts/Mine is full of questions/And it's tearing yours apart."
So, what exactly does the chorus mean?
The lyrics are simply:
"This is home, home/And this is home/And this is home/This is home."
Seems like a strange choice of words when the song is about a home falling apart.
This is just my interpretation of the lyrics, but it could be that each "home" is referring to a different station in a relationship.
At first, home is falling in love.
At the end, home is a love falling apart.
"Home Tonight" by Aerosmith
Song year: 1976
Lyrically, "Home Tonight" is a simplistic song.
It's a bit of an odd one, though, because the lyrics seem contradictory.
The verse and pre-chorus are basically saying "goodbye", while the chorus is saying hold on.
It could be an exploration of the many contradictory emotions you feel when going through a breakup.
But most likely it's just a farewell song.
"Honey, I'm Home" by Shania Twain
Song year: 1997
This is basically a song about a working-class woman who's stressed about everything going wrong.
It's about feeling relieved when you finally get home after a long day.
So, if you've had all you can take, and you're ready to rush home, here's your Shania Twain country anthem.
"Honey, I'm home and I had a hard day/Pour me a cold one and oh, by the way/Rub my feet, gimme something to eat/Fix me up with my favorite treat."
"Long Walk Home" by Bruce Springsteen
Song year:
Not surprisingly, "Long Walk Home" by Bruce Springsteen is a breakup song.
Like Aerosmith's "Home Tonight", however, it seems a tad confused.
The verses paint a vivid picture of what the lonely walk home was like.
But the chorus says:
"It's gonna be a long walk home/Hey pretty darling, don't wait up for me/Gonna be a long walk home."
Okay, so who exactly is waiting for you after you've broken up?
But thanks for letting us know, Boss.
Thanks.
"Welcome Home (Sanitarium)" by Metallica
Song year: 1996
This isn't a song about welcoming anybody home.
It's Metallica – what did you expect?
It's more a song about being broken and wounded and wanting to stay in one's sanitarium (which, in this case, seems to refer to a place a person is held until they heal).
Wikipedia tells us that it's a song about a patient who was wrongly put in a mental institution.
Well, that's a pleasant thought.
"Home" by Depeche Mode
Song year: 1997
Depeche Mode (sometimes jokingly called "Depress Mode") rarely has a happy song.
The funny thing is that this song comes right out and tells you in the opening line:
"Here is a song from the wrong side of town."
As the narrator lists off the misery he experienced, he finally concedes that this gloom is home:
"And I thank you for bringing me here/For showing me home/For singing these tears/Finally I've found that I belong here."
Just sounds like teen angst to me.
"You're My Home" by Billy Joel
Song year: 1973
"You're My Home" is a song about a wanderer who finally finds home in his love.
Home is not a place – it's a person.
That seems to be the key message in this song.
And, the writer exclaims:
"Well I'll never be a stranger/And I'll never be alone/Wherever we're together/That's my home."
There are plenty of songs that equate love with home.
If you feel like you've found a home in the person you love, you'll enjoy this song.
"Home Now" by No Doubt
Song year: 2000
"Home Now" is one of many breakup songs via No Doubt.
As the protagonist says:
"If you lived here you'd be home now/If you lived here you'd be home now."
The rest of the song goes onto explain what went wrong.
Though the protagonist wishes after loved lost, he's not coming back.
"Leaving Home Ain't Easy" by Queen
Song year: 1978
The protagonist in this song seems to be leaving a place he once called home.
He explains:
"I'm all through the lies/I'm all tired of tears/I'm a happy man/Don't it look that way/Shakin' dust from my shoes/There's a road ahead/And there's no way back home (no way back home)."
Despite the troubles he's gone through, he admits leaving home isn't easy.
It's likely a breakup song but I'm not entirely sure.
"Welcome Home" by Coheed And Cambria
Song year: 2005
Although the lyrics in this song can come off as heady and poetic, "Welcome Home" is basically just an emo song about a breakup.
But, you know, people enjoy melodrama and all that – who am I to judge?
The words, "Welcome Home", by the way, don't appear anywhere in the lyrics, so we're not exactly sure what that's about.
The narrator could be saying "this is life – so be it."
These lyrics are probably the most direct in the song:
"One last kiss for you/One more wish 'til you/Please make up your mind girl, I'll do anything for you."
If you need to revisit your teen angst, this is a good song.
"Home" by Goo Goo Dolls
Song year: 2010
At first glance, "Home" seems like it would be a song about one-night stands.
Based on the verses, however, that doesn't seem to be the case.
It seems like the protagonist is tired of trying to be friendly to people that he doesn't care about and people who don't care about him – "friends."
We all know what it's like to have "friends."
So, in a way, this song is a call for help.
It could be a song with romantic intent, but the way I look at it is that the protagonist is just calling out for help in general.
Songs About Home, Final Thoughts
Isn't it fascinating to see the many ways people think about home?
Just because a song has the word "home" in the title doesn't mean that's what it's about.
Home can be a metaphor or an analogy for a variety of things.
Paying attention to these nuances can enrich your appreciation for lyrics, and for that matter, music in general.
We hope you enjoyed this list and have found some inspiration for songs about home.
P.S. Remember though, none of what you've learned will matter if you don't know how to get your music out there and earn from it. Want to learn how to do that? Then get our free '5 Steps To Profitable Youtube Music Career' ebook emailed directly to you!
John Denver Aint It Good to Be Back Home Song
Source: https://www.musicindustryhowto.com/songs-about-home/
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