Best Homesick Songs

Subject: RE: Best Homesick Songs
From: GUEST,Jim
Date: 21 Sep 06 - 02:51 PM

I just skimmed through these, but didn't see Mississippi, You're On My Mind by Jesse Winchester or London Homesick Blues - Sorry, I forget who wrote it, but it's the theme song of Austin City Limits.

Subject: RE: Best Homesick Songs
From: GUEST,Auldgadgey
Date: 21 Sep 06 - 02:42 PM

Middlesbrough songs how about " The Procession"
The procession it started at Ayersome past the park and museum as well, past Kirkups fruit stall, the Boro town hall and into the Baltic Hotel.
Not to mention "Ore Boats"
Ore boats hooting on the river, clatter of the rolling mills, echoing across the valley to the distant Eston Hills. It also includes the lines "Men of steel men of Teesside strong in muscle strong in heart"

Subject: RE: Best Homesick Songs
From: GUEST,Pean O'Graffey
Date: 11 Jul 02 - 09:01 PM

No matter how many times you check it you always miss some bloody thing.
Second-last verse should read "I suppose I must BE close on eighty..." Different meaning altogether.
Also, sorry I neglected to space the verses.
It looks as bad as the tape sounds.

Subject: Lyr Add: KILKENNY? / KILKELLY
From: GUEST,Pean O'Graffey
Date: 11 Jul 02 - 08:44 PM

The lyrics below I transcribed from a crappy old tape. The lines I'm not sure of I will put in brackets. The story I was told is that John died without ever returning to Ireland and the letters were found by his grandson, who wrote the song. On my tape the song is reportedly sung by Mick Maloney, Jimmy Keanne and Robbie O'Connell so it may have been one of them who wrote it but I don't know.

Kilkenny, Ireland 18 and 60, My dear loving son John,
your good friend the schoolmaster Pat (McMurrough) was so good as to write these words down.
Your brothers have all gone to find work in England, the house is so empty and sad.
The crop of potatoes is sorely infected, a third to a half of them bad.
And your sister Brigid and Patrick O'Donnell are going to be married in June.
Your mother says not to work on the railroad and be sure to come on home soon.
Kilkenny, Ireland 18 and 70, My dear loving son John,
Hello to your missus and to your four children, may they grow healthy and strong.
Michael has got in a wee bit of trouble, I suppose that he never will learn.
Because of the dampness there's no turf to speak of and now we have nothing to burn.
Brigid is happy you named the child for her although she's got six of her own.
You say you've found work but you don't say what kind.When will you be coming home?
Kilkenny, Ireland 18 and 80, Dear Michael and John,
My sons I'm sorry to give you the very bad news that your dear old mother has gone.
We buried her down at the church in Kilkenny, your brothers and Brigid were there.
You don't have to worry, she died very quickly, remmember her in your prayers.
And it's good to hear that Michael's returning, with money he's sure to buy land.
For the crop has been poor and the people are selling - for any price that they can.
Kilkenny, Ireland 18 and 90, My dear loving son John,
I suppose that I must close on eighty, it's thirty years since you're gone.
Because of all of the money you've sent me I'm still living out in my own.
Michael has built himself a fine house and Brigid's daughters are grown.
Thank you for sending your family picture - your lovely young women and men.
You say that you might even come for a visit - What joy to see you again.
Kilkenny, Ireland 1892, My dear brother John,
I'm sorry I didn't write sooner to tell you your father passed on.
He was living with Brigid, she says he was cheerful and healthy right down to the end.
You should have seen him playing with the grandchildren, (and Pat McMurrough, your friend)
And we buried him alongside of mother down at the KIlkenny churchyard.
He was a strong and a fiesty old man considering his life was so hard.
And it's funny the way he kept talking about you, he called for you at the end.
Why don't you think about coming to visit, we'd all love to see you again.

Subject: RE: Best Homesick Songs
From: Hecate
Date: 11 Jul 02 - 11:26 AM

There's a lot of Ivor Gurney poetry that Johnny Copin has set to music - that's very homesick - for those of you not familair, Ivor Gurney fought in (I think) the first world war, and spent most of his spare time writing longingly about Gloucestershire.

I'm homesick for my hills again, my hills again, to see above the Severn plain unscabbarded beneath the sky the long blue blade of cotswold lie and giant clouds go royally by, By jagged Malvern with a train of shadows where the land is low Like a huge imprisonning 'o'

I hear a heart that's sound and high I hear the heart within me cry, Cotswold, Malvern, sun or rain, My hills again.

Subject: RE: Best Homesick Songs
From: Genie
Date: 10 Jul 02 - 11:36 PM

Then there's "(I Want To Go Back To) My Little Grass Shack In Kealakekua, Hawaii."

Subject: RE: Best Homesick Songs
From: Genie
Date: 10 Jul 02 - 11:34 PM

Torna A Surriento (Come Back To Sorrento)

Subject: Lyr Add: WEST VIRGINIA MY HOME (Hazel Dickens)
From: Ebbie
Date: 10 Jul 02 - 08:10 PM

Chorus:

West Virginia. O my home. West Virginia. Where I belong.
In the dead of the night, in the still and the quiet,
I slip away like a bird in flight
Back to those hills, the place where I belong.

It's been years now since I left there
And the city life's 'bout got the best of me
I don't remember why I left so free,
what I wanted to do, what I wanted to see
But I can sure remember where I come from.

Well, I've paid a price for leaving
For the life I've had is not one I thought I'd find
Let me live and love, let me cry; When I go just let me die
Among those friends who'll remember when I'm gone.

Hazel Dickens

Subject: RE: Best Homesick Songs
From: Allan Dennehy
Date: 10 Jul 02 - 10:35 AM

I'm surprised that none of the Americans mentioned Floyd Westermanns "Quiet Desperation" Its beautiful. Ive only heard Christy Moore sing it.

Subject: RE: Best Homesick Songs
From: rich-joy
Date: 10 Jul 02 - 09:27 AM

Cancion Mixteca (Que Lejos estoy del pueblo donde nasido ...), popularised by (outside of Mexico), Ry Cooder's soundtrack for that depressing film "Paris, Texas" ...

(lyrics supplied upon request, but I'm tired tonight ...) Cheers! R-J

Subject: RE: Best Homesick Songs
From: The Walrus at work
Date: 10 Jul 02 - 08:36 AM

"Far, Far from Wipers (I long to be)" or perhaps "Farewell to Lochaber"

Walrus

Subject: RE: Best Homesick Songs
From: masato sakurai
Date: 10 Jul 02 - 08:27 AM

"White Christmas" may be one. Originally it has this verse prefixed:

The sun is shining, the grass is green,
The orange and palm trees sway.
There's never been such a day
In Beverly Hills, L.A.
But it's December, the twenty-fourth,
And I'm longing to be up north.

~Masato

Subject: RE: Best Homesick Songs
From: GUEST
Date: 10 Jul 02 - 06:37 AM

Can't believe that no-ones yet mentioned Ralph McTell's "From Clare to Here" or Christy Moore's "Back Home in Derry"

Subject: RE: Best Homesick Songs
From: Hrothgar
Date: 10 Jul 02 - 04:31 AM

I seem to remember being on Wigan railway station waiting for a train to London at about two o'clock in the morning in the middle of winter in 1971, after watching a Rugby League World Cup match (Australia 47, New Zealand 7) at Central Park.

Wasn't "Homeward Bound" written before that?

Believe me, Wigan in midwinter is something one tries to forget, but it is not easy!

Subject: RE: Best Homesick Songs
From: Mr Red
Date: 09 Jul 02 - 08:33 AM

SINSULL
I used tell people "Homeward Bound" was written on Wigan Station when Paul Simon was on a tour here in the UK with Don Partridge (the one-man band) and Roger McGoff (or was it Adrian Henry) the poet. However one folkie pointed out that Wigasn station had closed long before and anyway PS didn't play Wigan, but as it happened he did play Widnes FC because he wa the organiser that year and booked PS.

Subject: Lyr Add: DINK'S SONG
From: Robin2
Date: 08 Jul 02 - 10:13 PM

"First Christmas" by Stan Rodgers...how much more homesick can you get?

I think "Dink's Song", the story of a real woman in the 1920's, is the story of a woman homesick for her past:

DINK'S SONG

If I had wings like Norah's dove
I'd fly up the river to the one I love
Fare thee well, oh honey, fare thee well

I've got a man, he's long and tall
Moves his body like a cannon ball
Fare thee well, oh honey, fare thee well

One of these days and it won't be long
Call my name and I'll be gone
Fare thee well, oh honey, fare thee well

I remember one night, a drizzling rain
Round my heart I felt a pain
Fare thee well, oh honey, fare thee well

When I wore my apron low
Couldn't keep you from my do'
Fare thee well, oh honey, fare thee well

Now I wear my apron high
Scarcely ever see you passing by
Fare thee well, oh honey, fare thee well

Now my apron's up to my chin
You pass my door and you won't come in
Fare thee well, oh honey, fare thee well

If I had listened to what my mama said
I'd be at home in my mama's bed
Fare thee well, oh honey, fare thee well

Cooper and Nelson do an excellent version of this song, BTW

Robin

Subject: RE: Best Homesick Songs
From: GUEST,WC Handy
Date: 08 Jul 02 - 07:37 PM

I lump blues and folk together, so I consider "Sweet Home Chicago" and "Subterranean Homesick Blues" among the best.

Subject: RE: Best Homesick Songs
From: Bullfrog Jones
Date: 08 Jul 02 - 05:06 PM

Dublin Blues by Guy Clark

BJ

Subject: RE: Best Homesick Songs
From: Rt Revd Sir jOhn from Hull
Date: 08 Jul 02 - 04:48 PM

Back Home-Bert Jansh

Subject: RE: Best Homesick Songs
From: GUEST,Genie
Date: 08 Jul 02 - 03:59 PM

Percy French's "The Mountains O' Mourne" and "Come Back, Paddy Reilly" both fit.

Marion, the whole song "Un Canadien Errant" is a homesick tearjerker of the first degree.

Subject: RE: Best Homesick Songs
From: SlickerBill
Date: 08 Jul 02 - 02:42 PM

Shanendoah for sure. Also, check out Stephen Fearing's "So Many Miles" on his live cd of the same title. Great songs, and an unbelievable guitar player. Yikes. sb

Subject: RE: Best Homesick Songs
From: GUEST
Date: 08 Jul 02 - 11:40 AM

How about "Where The River Shannon Flows."?

Subject: RE: Best Homesick Songs
From: GUEST,Sonja
Date: 08 Jul 02 - 11:30 AM

"Happiness Is Lubbock, Texas, In My Rear-view Mirror" (Mac Davis?)

Subject: RE: Best Homesick Songs
From: C-flat
Date: 08 Jul 02 - 10:34 AM

There doesn't seem to be many songs mentioning English towns or cities. Maybe the names aren't romantic enough. I can't think of a single one about my home town of Middlesbrough, although I can't think of a rhyme for it either!
Some say the best thing that came out of Middlesbrough is the road South!(I would ,naturally, disagree)

Subject: RE: Best Homesick Songs
From: beadie
Date: 08 Jul 02 - 09:51 AM

Two by Lightfoot stand out for me:

"Alberta Bound" and "Steel Rail Blues."

As well, I've been rather partial to Dolly Parton's "My Tennessee Mountain Home."

Subject: RE: Best Homesick Songs
From: Hrothgar
Date: 08 Jul 02 - 07:17 AM

"The Reason I Left Mullingar."

The old "Caledonia" - "Farewell unto ye hills and dales of Caledonia." It's one of the convict songs.

Subject: RE: Best Homesick Songs
From: masato sakurai
Date: 07 Jul 02 - 10:17 PM

My Clinch Mountain Home by the Carter Family, A.P. singing the lead. Listen to it at the Honkingduck site.
I don't think "Home On the Range" is a song about homesickness.

~Masato

Subject: RE: Best Homesick Songs
From: Genie
Date: 07 Jul 02 - 09:41 PM

"Georgia" - Hoagy Carmichael

"Country Roads" - John Denver et al.

"There's No Place Like Home"

"My Sweet Wyoming Home" - Bill Staines

"Rocky Mountain High" or "Starlight In Aspen" - John Denver

"California Dreamin'" - Mamas and Papas

"California, Here I Come"

"Missouri Waltz" (Harry S. Truman's favorite song and Missouri state song)

"Home On The Range" (Kansas state song)

Subject: RE: Best Homesick Songs
From: Matt_R
Date: 22 May 01 - 10:26 AM

O Tha Mise Fo Ghruamhain

Subject: RE: Best Homesick Songs
From: folk1234
Date: 22 May 01 - 09:48 AM

Who Will Watch The Home Place

Subject: RE: Best Homesick Songs
From: GUEST,FrankieB(at work)
Date: 22 May 01 - 04:48 AM

Some good ones out there! Somebody mentioned one about Colorado...you don't know where I could get a listen to it, do you-- being a Colorado kid myself, that could have some potential...

Yeah, Caledonia does it too, even though it's only my adopted home also. If anyone knows Far Down the Line, written by Nick Keir of the MacCalmans, that's a great one.

cheerio for now, FrankieB

Subject: RE: Best Homesick Songs
From: Lyndi-loo
Date: 22 May 01 - 04:12 AM

The National Eisteddfod in Wales has an exiles' day on the Thursday of Eisteddfod week when everyone who has been away from Wales sings "Unwaith eto NGhymru Annwyl" which means "Once again dear Wales" which is really tearjerking. Incidentally we have a sepcial word for homesickness. we call it hiraeth

Subject: RE: Best Homesick Songs
From: fat B****rd
Date: 22 May 01 - 02:58 AM

"Keep the home fires burning" and "There's a long, long trail awinding"

Subject: RE: Best Homesick Songs
From: GUEST,John Rose
Date: 22 May 01 - 02:53 AM

- Carrickfergus

- Some song (don't know title) about a guy about to leave Ireland to go to America for good, and he's saying farewell to his wife's grave.

Subject: Lyr Add: SHE TRIES NOT TO CRY^^
From: Stewie
Date: 22 May 01 - 01:45 AM

SHE TRIES NOT TO CRY
(James Talley)

Laurie, she tries not to cry
For she knows the kids don't realise
But now and then her mind starts to wander
Back to that east Kentucky line
And she thinks of her mama and her papa
And the friends and kin she left behind
There in the shadow of the mountains
And, Lord, it is enough to make to you cry

Chorus:
No the sun don't shine
On the forest pine in Cleveland
And the redbird don't greet the mornin' light
And the moon looks so lost up in Cleveland
And the stars, they don't shine at night

But I couldn't find no work in east Kentucky
And at least I've got a factory job at night
Six nights a week I'm working here in Cleveland
And sometimes I think I want to die

Oh I wish I could go back to east Kentucky
There's got to be a better way of life
But now and then I really have to wonder
Lord, it's enough to make you cry

Words and music by James Talley
Source: James Talley 'Got No Bread'/'Tryin' Like the Devil' Bear Family BCD 15433.

Subject: RE: Best Homesick Songs
From: Bert
Date: 22 May 01 - 01:10 AM

Miner's Dream of Home

Subject: RE: Best Homesick Songs
From: Lonesome EJ
Date: 22 May 01 - 01:05 AM

When they play My Old Kentucky Home right before the running of the Kentucky Derby, I get chills up my spine and tears in my eyes.

Subject: Lyr Add: CINCINNATI, OHIO^^
From: toadfrog
Date: 22 May 01 - 01:04 AM

Country singers do it best. My favorite:

Cincinnati, Ohio

Sung by Kitty Wells

One more hour and I'll be home,
Close my eyes and rest my bones.
Can't be more than an hour or so,
From Cincinati, Ohio, Cincinnati, Ohio

Cincinnati, where the river winds,
'cross the Mason and the Dixon lines!
Heaven waits for me I know,
In Cincinati, Ohio, Cincinnati, Ohio

Well, I guess perhaps the memory got too strong,
Grabbed me by the heartstrings, and pulled me home,
Got to thinking 'bout some friends I know,
In Cincinati, Ohio, Cincinnati, Ohio.

Another Army brat. Once of Abeline, Tex. But that was long, long ago.

Subject: RE: Best Homesick Songs
From: Amos
Date: 22 May 01 - 12:02 AM

Country Road, The Gal from the North Country, Four Strong Winds, and Blow You Old Blue Northern all tuig on me to go bac to somewhere I ain't been.

A

Subject: RE: Best Homesick Songs
From: Sandy Paton
Date: 21 May 01 - 11:49 PM

"I'm Goin' Back to North Carolina" sung by Frank Proffitt.
"Where the Silvery Colorado Winds It's Way" sung by my mother.
"The Housatonic Valley" from Songs of the Rivers of America by Carl Carmer (who wrote the book, not the song). That's the river that forms the eastern boundary of my home town in Connecticut.
"I'm Goin' Home to Georgia" by Lisa Null.
I sing "Abilene," too. But I always try to think of Kansas, not Texas, when I do. Is that heresy?

I'm also a child of government gypsies, Matt. When my father retired after thirty years in the Coast and Geodetic Survey, my poor mother counted and realized they had lived in forty-three different houses during his career. They never gathered books or records, like settled folks.

Sandy

Subject: RE: Best Homesick Songs
From: Mudlark
Date: 21 May 01 - 11:20 PM

Dear Willa...

The Quiet Land of Erin has been one of my favorites for many years...heartbreakingingly, achingly beautiful.

And for something totally diffierent...Abeline ("...crowded cities, aint nothin' free...nothin in this old town for me...guess I'll go back home to my home...in Abeline, my Abeline...")

Subject: RE: Best Homesick Songs
From: Rich(bodhránai gan ciall)
Date: 21 May 01 - 10:57 PM

Éireann, grá mo chroí

One More Dollar by Gillian Welch



Rich

Subject: RE: Best Homesick Songs
From: Matt_R
Date: 21 May 01 - 10:24 AM

Oh, did you mean songs that remind us of our OWN homes? Well!

As a military brat, I've never really had a "home". But there are songs that remind of places I've lived.

I can't hear Eddy Raven or Gary Morris or the Bellamy Brothers without thinking of our years in California.

"Crossroad" by Mr.Children, "Shima Uta" by The BooM, "My Heart Will Never Know" by Clay Walker, "Shoulda Been A Cowboy" by Toby Keith, "Southbound" by Sammy Kershaw, and the 3 Tenors Live at Dodger Stadium will forever signify living and leaving Okinawa, Japan.

Gosh, there are so many from Georgia..."She Came From Fort Worth" by Kathy Mattea, "Somewhere In My Broken Heart" by Billy Dean, "Tempted" by Marty Stuart, "Coulda Been Me" by Billy Ray Cyrus, "There's A First Time For Everything" by Little Texas...

North Carolina had so many too. I am happy that we are back here again. Alabama's whole album Roll On, anything by Earl Thomas Conley, John Conlee, Hank Williams Jr., The Judds, "America" by Waylon. After we had moved from here to California in '86, I used to cry at night missing NC and thinking of "Country Boy" by Glen Campbell. And the poem my sisters & mom wrote about the beauty of North Carolina kept up hopeful in the 10 years we were in exile from North Carolina. Other people obviously enjoyed it too. My mom sent it in to Highlights For Children magazine and it got printed. It should be in one of the '91 issues, along with my artwork...

Subject: RE: Best Homesick Songs
From: Wavestar
Date: 21 May 01 - 05:58 AM

"Caledonia" makes me homesick, and it's not even my home. What's more, I'm already here!

"Shenendoah" does it too.

I don't know many songs about Colorado, or Vermont... but I miss them both just the same. Gordon Bok's "Turning Towards the Morning" makes me think of winter in New England... and that's home.

-J

Subject: RE: Best Homesick Songs
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 21 May 01 - 04:43 AM

Dunno the proper title but it starts 'I wish I was in Lancashire a'hunting of the hare'. Even managed to sing it at the Yorkshire gathering without getting lynched;-)

Cheers

DtG

Subject: RE: Best Homesick Songs
From: Bert
Date: 21 May 01 - 01:16 AM

Mmmmm, I've just found a site for English evacuees in WWII. I'm thinking of writing a song about that FU[!^& train journey.

Subject: RE: Best Homesick Songs
From: Sandy Paton
Date: 21 May 01 - 01:12 AM

"Scarborough Settler's Lament" (traditional)
Bill Staines' "Sweet Wyomin' Home"
Utah Phillips' "Green Rollin' Hills of West Virginia" Craig Johnson's "New Harmony"
Craig Johnson's "Goodbye to the Lowlands"
"Take Me Back to that Red Clay Country" (traditional)
"Where the Ghost River Flows" (traditional)
... and many more

Subject: RE: Best Homesick Songs
From: Matt_R
Date: 20 May 01 - 10:25 PM

Frankie, I know exactly how you feel about that one. I sing "Norland Wind" at least once a day. I've sung it several times today, infact.

Subject: RE: Best Homesick Songs
From: Sorcha
Date: 20 May 01 - 09:07 PM

Paint Me Back Home in Wyoming, sung by Chris LeDoux
Home Sweet Home, the classic
Columbus Stockade Blues
Summertime
lots and lots more!

Subject: RE: Best Homesick Songs
From: Marion
Date: 20 May 01 - 04:15 PM

The final verse of Un Canadien Errant :

Si tu vois mon pays, mon pays malheureux
Si tu vois mon pays, mon pays malheureux
Va dire a mes amis que je me souviens d'eux

(If you see my country, my unhappy country,
Go and tell my friends that I remember them)

Marion