The House

Although this song was pretty recent I don't remember much about writing it. I remember sitting in my housemate's old bedroom, she had moved out and the room was bare. I started trying to play guitar and this song came to me. All I knew when starting this song was that I wanted it to be about a house. I had heard so many house songs such as Loretta Lynn's 'This Old House' and Bette Midler's 'This Ole House' and I wanted my own one.
I see this song as a man returning in old age to his childhood house having achieved nothing. I guess the story speaks of dreams that have gone wrong. The character has only God left and has stuck with him throughout the years; before he dies he decides to rebuild his old home so that he can leave something in this world behind. I had written the chorus about 3 years ago just as I was moving to Guildford, at that time I had nothing but myself and God. I didn't know what to do with the verses I had written back then, when this song came along I thought it a perfect opportunity to strip the other verses and place one of them in this song, which got me the chorus.

Verse 1

The house still stands on top of the hill
But it’s not as strong and not as still
When the wind blows it leans to the left
The floorboards creak though the place is bare

This is the house I once called home
Where us kids grew from flesh to bone
The carpet stained, the curtains draped
The dust now sits on the fireplace

My art once clung to the cupboard there
Now the doors of hinge and the shelf are bare
I wouldn’t think to climb those worn out stairs
And the grass has grown to the window ledge

Build
Oh my God what’s wrong with the world?
It’s seen me change, it’s seen me change
It watched and didn’t help

Chorus
Now the road is my companion
I walk with him he’s understanding
The paths I choose are from a half heart
I’ve never been good at reading the stars
I started here with many a man
With faith and hope I aim for the end
Yes I make do with all that I’ve got
I roam with no one but me and my God

(Filter to verse 2)
If you want me come and find me,
Up the road beyond the wild tree,
I’m settling down its been to long
It’s about time this house was a home

Verse 2
Someday I’ll rebuild that house
In the same place it’s standing now
I’ll fix that hinge on the front gate
The one that used to keep me awake

Twice as long three times as wide
If not this life then the other side
With sticks, hay and brick I’ll lay it down
So the wolf can’t knock it to the ground

Build
Oh my God I can’t see far
I see the light, I see the light
In times of dark

Chorus
Now the road is my companion
I walk with him he’s understanding
The paths I choose are from a half heart
I’ve never been good at reading the stars
I started here with many a man
And with faith and hope I aim for the end
Yes I make do with all that I’ve got

I roam with no one but me and my God

Karl Smitherman © 2012