Uncategorized

The Green Green Grass of Home

May 15, 2007

The other day, we were having Mother’s Day dinner at this posh international hotel, and these 3 buskers working for the hotel came in. They serenaded a few songs, then went from table to table doing requests – mostly for the mothers present.

They were old-timers – a kindly Eurasian geezer with a sense of humor, backed by 2 old Malay uncles, all three on acoustic guitars.

They sang a few goods songs, but one that I have not heard for a long time…

The old home town looks the same as I step down from the train,
and there to meet me is my Mama and Papa.
Down the road I look and there runs Mary hair of gold and lips like cherries.
It’s good to touch the green, green grass of home.
Yes, they’ll all come to meet me, arms reaching, smiling sweetly.
It’s good to touch the green, green grass of home.

I don’t know who originally sang the song, but the version i had when i was a kid was by [tag]Tom Jones[/tag]. It’s was in a cassette tape belonging to my dad from the early 70’s… probably at that time Tom Jones hadn’t turned into the bronzed Vegas cliche he is now.

I loved that song. Especially in the late teen years, when i left home at 18 and never looked back…

The old house is still standing tho’ the paint is cracked and dry,
and there’s that old oak tree I used to play on.
Down the lane I walk with my sweet Mary, hair of gold and lips like cherries.
It’s good to touch the green, green grass of home.
Yes, they’ll all come to meet me, arms reaching, smiling sweetly.
It’s good to touch the green, green grass of home.

Of course, i never had any ‘Mary’ waiting back at home for me, let alone anyone with cherry lips. The oak tree, that one i’m not sure la.

Then I awake and look around me, at four grey wall surround me
and I realize that I was only dreaming.
For there’s a guard and there’s a sad old padre –
arm in arm we’ll walk at daybreak.
Again I touch the [tag]green, green grass of home[/tag].
Yes, they’ll all come to see me in the shade of that old oak tree
as they lay me neath the green, green grass of home

Years later when i was a little older, i realized the song was really about a convict about to be executed. It’s funny how when we were kids we never fully understood the songs we liked. Nonetheless, i still love the song…

[tags]music, oldies[/tags]

25 Comments

  • Chris

    May 16, 2007 at 9:28 am Reply

    I didn’t know the song had that meaning too! Never really listened to the lyrics as much as the tune itself – the only part I know is ‘the green green grass of home’.. hahah!

  • lucia

    May 17, 2007 at 12:11 am Reply

    i love this song too.

    a convict about to be executed? all along i know it is about a convict but i didn’t know it was a convict about to be executed. silly me lah so many years didn’t catch the last part of “they’ll lay me neath the green green grass of home” – ‘lay me neath’ give away he was about to be executed. now you pointed out, baru i tahu.

  • Angie Tan

    May 17, 2007 at 5:22 pm Reply

    Yeap, when I was homesick, I thought about this song and felt a little more homesick.

    It’s still a nice song.

    A more upbeat about a convict returning home is “Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round The Old Oak Tree”. 😛

  • simon

    May 17, 2007 at 6:44 pm Reply

    Tie a yellow ribbon ’round the ole oak tree,
    It’s been three long years,
    Do you still want me?

    or something like that…

  • Trelard

    July 8, 2007 at 8:43 am Reply

    I’ll go you one better. The Mary mentioned in the song? Well there’s a belief that she’s mentioned so specifically (and indeed in the dream) because he’s inside due to murder.. Marys murder. He would have to have did something really bad to be executed. However this hinges on 1 unrevealed fact: What era did this take place in? 1960’s? 1860’s? You could get executed for a whole lot more in the 1800s than the 1900s.. so if it’s modern then the “murder of Mary” theory works out and would make a lot of sense.

  • Rip Van Winkle

    December 6, 2008 at 8:28 am Reply

    I also have an idea that he killed Mary…the only name mentioned in this song.
    He was surely being executed for murdet..not horse stealing or thief…but it is also possible that he had killed his mama and papa as well and that is why the paint of the house is cracked and dry…no one to maintain it…

  • mr awesome

    May 21, 2009 at 4:16 pm Reply

    this song is apparetely about a soldier that was killed in the war, and brought to his home town to be buried. Thats what i heard anyways

  • Billy Jack

    January 17, 2010 at 3:54 pm Reply

    I always knew what the song was about because I listened to it enough to know every word.
    I also knew the changes Tom Jones made for the music video

  • bear

    May 4, 2010 at 3:47 am Reply

    its truely about someone being taken out to be shot at dawn this only happened in the first world war an before, also i think you will find kenny rogers did the song before tom but i dont know who did the original but for a 70s child who loved this song i now find it very dark

  • Stu

    October 31, 2012 at 7:41 pm Reply

    After high school I moved from a small town.My grandfather and father were raised in the same old house that I left.I’m 58 now and that song brings a tear to my eye every time I hear it.

  • Skip Hire Price

    September 19, 2013 at 7:35 pm Reply

    I think this is among the so much vital information for me.

    And i’m satisfied reading your article. However should statement on few normal issues, The website taste is great,
    the articles is truly great : D. Good process,
    cheers

  • Yvette

    June 25, 2014 at 8:40 pm Reply

    Right here is the right webpage for everyone who really wants to find out about this topic.

    Yoou know a whole lot itts almolst tough to argue with you (not that I personally would
    want to…HaHa). You certainly put a fresh spin on a subject that
    has bee written about for many years. Excellent stuff, just wonderful!

    Visit my blog: seo Dunstable (Yvette)

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *