Home Again (song)

"Home Again" is a song by the New Zealand metal band Shihad. It was the major single off their third, self-titled album (commonly known as "The Fish Album").

The song

The song begins with a two-chord riff that runs throughout the entire song, alternately in the foreground and the background. The bass follows this two-note hook. The song features one guitar playing this, while the other (usually frontman Jon Toogood in live performances) plays seemingly spontaneous power chords through the piece. The outro also features synthesisers that play a short melody over the continuing chorus, fading out to an end.

The lyrics are about love that must be put on hold during long touring dates, specifically those in winter ("Put your clock back for the winter"), and the longing for home and love during these times. They also talk about how the best must be made of these circumstances, but it's just not enough.

Lyrics

Put your clock back for the winter
She asks when I'll be home again?
If I could see those eyes
I know they'd cut me down to size
You're not here, when I need you

So sit and wait
And bend and break
You rise and fall
Just you, that's all
I'm here, you're there
It don't mean I don't care
I'm so sorry I was miles away
It's been a day of tiny triumphs
It's been a week spent in despair
You can't send it down a phone line
I do my best, but i'm not there

So sleep and wake
And dream up your fate
And rise and fall
Watch you grow tall
I'm here you're there
But you should know I still love you
When I am miles away

I'll be home again

Video

The video is a one-shot clip, shot at slower than real life, and then sped up. It features the band members walking in and out of the range of the camera, playing their instruments or simply jumping around. A number of polaroid pictures are taken, and then positioned on the camera, developing through the video clip. A bowl of water is placed in front of the camera at one point, and a fish bowl is visible in the clip, both references to the album and its artwork.

Despite much opinion by fans that the song was too pop-orientated and soft, and much speculation of the band "selling out" their roots, the band stand by their song; Toogood has described it as one of his favourite Shihad songs. He isolated the influence of The Beatles, upon himself, and also the Oasis top-seller "(What's the Story) Morning Glory?" as the influences for this new Shihad sound. The influence of stronger drugs on the band, particularly hydroponic marijuana, has been connected with the new sound also. [Interview given by Jon Toogood on C4 music channel] The song is a constant in live performances, the band rarely playing a show that does not feature this song.

Notes