Homecoming

I'm fairly certain I've written about Tom T Hall and his songs before if not I should have. I honestly can't remember. I feel certain I've written about Old Dogs, Children, and Watermelon Wine, I'm confident of it but perhaps the chemicals I work with have robbed me of those memories.

Regardless I feel that I'm certain I've written about Homecoming. Tom T Hall is known as the Storyteller. He writes about experiences he's had and tells a story via music. I realize a lot of music is story based however this seems more honest and rings true. Perhaps it's the style he uses or his voice or perhaps it's his guitar playing.

Homecoming is the story of a musician who has been on the road for years too long. He let's the listener (his father) in on a few inside bits of information about being on the road. The song is in the form of answers, the balladeer uses only responses to the unspoken questions posed by said listener in the character of his father. The song is bittersweet in that it looks in on life that has been left behind in favor of the chase of dreams.

The links have clearly been severed from the singer's former life however he makes the effort to reconnect albeit briefly but as sincerely as possible for someone who has made a new life. It is clear that years have passed since the singer has left and by the time of the singer's homecoming and it appears as if this will be the last time he sees his family. He was unable to make it to his mother's funeral and feels at ease leaving his father in the care of his brother and sister.

You get the feel of the Prodigal Son from The Gospel of Luke as the singer mentions that the father mentions the lady is who's sleeping in the car and has heard his son's songs on the radio eluding that the father has followed his son's career regardless of the distance between them.

From the implied questions you get the feeling that there was a special relationship between them in the very brief time they spent together. From last night until tonight combined with driving time leaves a mere minutes to a few sparse hours to catch up.

The song ends on the promise of future contact, a chide, and request to mention "Hello" to a former flame implying if there were a favorable answer then future contact was assured. Especially since you hear the line about meeting lots of people but there's no chance of getting hurt implying there's lots of meaningless female companionship with no emotional attachment.

The singer almost seems to be yearning for a simpler life at times and reconnecting with people who knew him before his fame. The listener is left with some unanswered questions and a brief look into the life of someone famous and the price they willingly paid to obtain said fame.