Alright, let’s set the scene. Our main character, none other than Paul Simon, is posted up in Brentwood, Essex, England. He’s not just there for the tea and crumpets, no, he’s there to make music – and that’s exactly what he does.
Simon’s been out in Wigan (a small town outside of Manchester England), strumming his guitar and wooing the crowds. But the fun ends when he finds himself stuck in a train station on his way back home.
Most would consider this a nuisance, but not our guy Paul. He’s got music floating around in his head, and if not for this travel delay, he may have never written the song “Homeward Bound”.
He was still trying to find his footing in the music industry. He had recently returned to England following a stint in the folk scene of Greenwich Village, New York, and the recording of his first album with Art Garfunkel, “Wednesday Morning, 3 A.M.,” which he anticipated would be a failure.
Can you believe that? He thought his record would be failure. Paul frickin Simon.
Simon himself has described the song as a “snapshot, a photograph of a long time ago,” capturing his memories of Liverpool station, the streets of Liverpool, and the club he played at the age of 22.
He noted that while he doesn’t particularly like the song, he appreciates its naive and sweet nature, reflecting that he was neither angry nor unhappy at the time. Once again, I can’t believe it. I can’t believe Paul Simon himself doesn’t particularly care for the song Homeward Bound! I love this song!
Simon’s friend Geoff Speed, with whom he stayed in Liverpool in September 1965, has suggested that Simon wrote the song while staying at his house. He claims that he dropped Simon at the Widnes railway station and that it’s likely that Simon wrote one verse in Liverpool, the chorus in Wigan, and finished the song at the station.
This underlines the transient nature of Simon’s life during this period, which is reflected in the song’s lyrics and themes.
In 2016, Simon confirmed that he wrote the song in a railway station near Liverpool, although he wasn’t certain whether it was the Widnes station or perhaps the one in Warrington.
Despite the uncertainty around the song’s precise birthplace, it’s clear that it was born out of Simon’s experiences traveling around England and his longing for home.
As a music blogger for Song Detectives, it’s fascinating to delve into the history and meaning of such a classic song. While Simon himself may not hold the song in high regard, it’s undeniable that “Homeward Bound” has resonated with listeners for decades, capturing a universal yearning for the familiar comforts of home.
Listen to Homeward Bound on YouTube
Full Lyrics
I’m sittin’ in the railway station
Got a ticket to my destination
On a tour of one-night stands
My suitcase and guitar in hand
And every stop is neatly planned
For a poet and a one-man band
Homeward bound
I wish I was
Homeward bound
Home where my thought’s escapin’
Home where my music’s playin’
Home where my love lies waitin’
Silently for me
Every day’s an endless stream
Of cigarettes and magazines
And each town looks the same to me
The movies and the factories
And every stranger’s face I see
Reminds me that I long to be
Homeward bound
I wish I was
Homeward bound
Home where my thought’s escapin’
Home where my music’s playin’
Home where my love lies waitin’
Silently for me
Tonight I’ll sing my songs again
I’ll play the game and pretend
But all my words come back to me
In shades of mediocrity
Like emptiness in harmony
I need someone to comfort me
Homeward bound
I wish I was
Homeward bound
Home where my thought’s escapin’
Home where my music’s playin’
Home where my love lies waitin’
Silently for me
Silently for me
