Member-only story
The Pull Towards Home
Contemplating the nostalgia of “home” in music
It always hits me hard when I hear the words, “Welcome Home.” A sense of warmth and relief and hope and stability washes over me. It’s such a powerful, visceral feeling.
I’m not a homebody. I like a good adventure. There’s just something about that feeling you get when you’re finally home that is hard to match. Like pieces you didn’t quite know were askew finally fall back into place.
When I consider all the songs written about home, I know I’m not alone.
Paul Simon’s “Homeward Bound”
There’s a longing in this song that is deeply relatable. It’s also laden with melancholy — a homesickness you can almost taste. You feel his emptiness. It’s so well written, but not a song I’ve ever truly loved. There’s just something too raw about it.
Tonight I’ll sing my songs again
I’ll play the game and pretend
But all my words come back to me
In shades of mediocrity
Like emptiness in harmony
I need someone to comfort me
Here he is out on the road living his dream performing songs he wrote to millions of fans. Yet, his words come back to him empty, in mediocrity. It’s a testament to the powerful…
