What makes a house a home? A ubiquitous cliche, with an even more cliche answer: love. According to Tom Waits, "...They remind me that houses are just made of wood. What makes a house grand, ain't the roof or the doors, if there's love in a house, it's a palace for sure.Without love, it ain't nothin but a house, a house where nobody lives." But a home is really more than that, it's a place to call your own, it's freedom or prison, depending on your particulars. It's a place to put your stuff, it's always in need of repair, it's antediluvian or shiny with the virginity. It's filled with family or lonely as a desert.
What makes a house a home? Who the fuck knows. Who the fuck cares. Everything turns to liquid shit anyway. What is a bunch of philosophizing after the fact going to do for anyone. Nice people finish last. Nice people cease to exist after a while, because if they wise up, they grow jaded, disillusioned and fucked up. They turn sour, more sour than the wretched assholes that got them there. Nice people get cheated on, they get lied to, taken advantage of, disrespected and mistreated. Their good graces and kindness, their love, and devotion are used against them. It's an Achille's heel. Just be a shit. It will get you further. If you turn yourself off of the world, then the world can't get to you. They can't take that last remaining part of your soul. Protect it with everything you have, for it is the only thing worth anything. Everything else is an illusion. Everything else is absolute bullshit. Let them go fuck themselves. Never let them in. Never open your heart if you want to keep any of yourself. They will rip everything away from you if they get the chance, like God damned vultures, scavenging for goodness with their knifish beaks, pecking and ripping at the soft, pure flesh of your love. But if you have a leathery, leaden exterior they can't penetrate you. They'll grow bored and turn their bloodlust elsewhere.
Here's a bunch of songs about homes and house, that no one is going to fucking read or listen to anyway. Enjoy fuckfaces.
Tom Waits- Come on up to the House "Well you know you should surrender. But you can't let go. You gotta come on up to the house."
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hUE-ic_Q0g4
Roy Orbison- Coming Home The uber-produced sound of Roy Orbison in the 1980's, but I love it anyway.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bqNhWl0B65w
Roy Orbison- House Without Windows. A little more classical Roy Orbison.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B92l_fNsyVc
Shep and the Limelites- Daddy's Home
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y8DICjr5jBI
Joe Cocker- Darling Be Home "The time I spent confused was the time I spent without you."
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dEdn1Vidka4
Sam Cooke- Bring it on Home to Me
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dl5usKhGz60
Luther Vandross- A House is not a Home
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S2-PW2l4b2A
Clarence "Frogman" Henry- Ain't Got No Home
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=atCwKBeq76w
Fats Domino- I Want to Walk You Home
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zwwFKzVAHSw
Otis Redding- I'm Coming Home
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B21nnUD2mY8
Tom Waits- House Where Nobody Lives "Once it held laughter. Once it held dreams. Did they throw it away. Did they know what it means. Did someone's heart break or did someone do somebody wrong?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W0YxjH09TDU
Ben Miller Band- Honey Why Don't We Go Home
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pYDWK62L-wY
Waylon Jennings- I'm a Long Way From Home
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b10QIub95X0
The Flying Burrito Brothers- Sing Me Back Home
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i9-fXlMeevw
Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young- Our House. What kind of a playlist would this be without this on-the-nose selection.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tWBejsSM2Ys
Tom Waits- Take Me Home. This one is a fitting finale to this playlist; schmaltzy and just grainy enough to give it a nostalgic air.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XewO1DB96To
Lyle Lovett- Step Inside This House "It's a song about invitin' someone into your life."
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7GVpeKmniLY
