I Am Going Home - an original song

Last year I got to attend a concert by a Scottish band I've long liked, The Tannahill Weavers. It was a great concert.

At intermission, I looked at the table offering their merchandise, including albums. I already owned a few of their albums, but discovered some that I did not have, and bought several of them.

One of the albums I bought was Orach. On it I came across a song by Billy Connolly, "Oh No!"

Listening to - and then reading - the lyrics, the song bothered me.

It seemed like the typical guy-deserting-his-woman song.

"When the sun comes up, I'll be leaving
I don't give a damn if your heart's grieving."

How many other songs have a similar theme? Simply tossing the woman aside so you can hit the road and be, ahem, a "Free Bird."

I don't like that message. I'm a believer in commitment and marriage.

As I thought about the song I considered writing some new lyrics for it, but figured I'd run afoul of copyright laws. So I mulled over writing an original song in reaction. And then I remember a song I'd partly written years before. I dug it out, revised some of the lyrics, wrote some new ones, and created a tune for it.

The result was "I Am Going Home."

I've been here before.
I've been there before.
I've been everywhere and more,
and now I'm going home.

I am going home, Lord,
I am going home.
You know I'm going home,
'cause that's where I belong.

I've done a little of this.
I've done little of that,
I've done more than I should have done,
and now I'm a-goin' home.

I am going home, Lord,
I am going home.
You know I'm going home,
'cause that's where I belong.

I've worked from dawn to dusk.
I've worked the whole night through.
I have worked the live-long day,
and now I'm going home.

I am going home, Lord,
I am going home.
You know I'm going home,
'cause that's where I belong.

I've seen some pretty women
all around the world.
But one of them's as pretty
as the one that waits back home.

I am going home, Lord,
I am going home.
You know I'm going home,
'cause that's where I belong.

I've sung this song before.
You know I'll sing it again.
But let me say once more:
I am going home.

I am going home, Lord,
I am going home.
You know I'm going home,
'cause that's where I belong.

Pax et bonum