My Top Ten Come Home Songs

When I started doing these Top Tens on the old blog... probably about seven or eight years ago now... they were mostly full of indie bands. That's rarely the case these days, but every now and then a topic seems to bring them out of the woods. 

Here's ten songs asking / telling you to 'Come Home!' Next week, a reply post - ten 'I'm Coming Home!' songs. (So save those for then.)

Special mention to Darlene Love's Christmas (Baby Please Come Home) which would have made the Top Three if I allowed Christmas songs in March...



10. The Coral - Come Home

I generally like the idea of The Coral better than the reality. Space did the wacky Scousers routine a bit better in my humble opinion.

9. Ryan Adams & The Cardinals - When Will You Come Back Home?

Wonder if people still annoy him by putting a B on the front of his name? Surely he's been in the go long enough now to leave that behind.

8. The Rakes - Leave The City And Come Home

A night out in London makes the Rakes want to go home. Amusing lyrics on this one. 

In the bar your mates spot a celebrity
But you're not fussed by the gay guy off CBBC
Limos ferry hen-nights to the West End
The night is dragging it's heels to the end
Now he's in your face
"Got any drugs on you mate?"
You get out for some peace
Still get home by half 3 (leave the city and come home)

7. The Broken Family Band - Come On Home

 A much missed band; this one comes from their album Balls. 'Nuff said.

6. Placebo - Come Home

The opening track on Placebo's debut, back in the grand old days of 1996. Brian Molko described this one as "pop punk for postponed suicides". But he always was a bit of a one.

5. Franz Ferdinand - Come On Home

Also from a debut album: arguably still their best. (None of the others namedrop Terry Wogan.)

4. The Charlatans - Come Home, Baby

Very cool song from the highly acclaimed new LP from The Charlatans (which I have out on loan from the local library at the moment - and yes, it's pretty cool)... though I don't think Tim Burgess has looked like he does in this video for a LONG time now. 

3. The Divine Comedy - Come Home Billy Bird

A typically quirky story single about an international business traveller (with a pigeon head in the video) who wakes up after a wild night of debauchery and has to make it home in time for his son's big football game. Only Neil Hannon could have written this one.

2. Fine Young Cannibals - Johnny Come Home

Though they only ever released two albums, Roland Gift's Fine Young Cannibals are fondly remembered round these parts. Mixing jangly guitars and a nice bit of brass with Gift's soul singer tonsils, they made some of the most distinctive pop songs of the 80s. This was their debut single from 1985, the year Marty McFly first travelled back in time.   

1. James - Come Home

After 8 years knocking around the indie charts, James finally started to bother the real Top 40 in 1990. It was a dark time for decent music and James offered everything we needed in a pop band - big hooks, heartfelt choruses and a bonkers frontman. Come Home equalled its predecessor, How Was It For You, making Number 32 with a bullet... but it was a start, and not soon after Sit Down broke them into the Top Ten. Come Home is probably a better song though, with its wailing sirens, impassioned pleading and Tim Booth waving a big stick around in the desert-set video. And it still sounds fresh 25 years later...




Which one makes you want to come home?