The Green Green Grass of Home
Published by simon on May 15, 2007The 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 Tom Jones. 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 green, green grass of home.
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…
Technorati Tags: Tom Jones, green, green grass of home, music, oldies
It’s a classic Tom Jones song. Didn’t realize about the execution part in the song. Interesting…
Chey, you just spoilt the innocent child in me. I know that song but I thought it was a prisoner who was let out of prison mah?
*shock*! *horror*!
I didn’t realise that as well…
I just loved the tune!!!
I was as shocked as you when I finally get what the lyrics meant too… LOL!
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!
sorry to ruin it for you guys… looks like i’m not the only one who missed the last part!
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.
It’s quite cryptic and dark, that song
Sounds good tho
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”.
Tie a yellow ribbon ’round the ole oak tree,
It’s been three long years,
Do you still want me?
or something like that…
patch perfect…
patch perfect…
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.
I suddenly found this blog, searching for this song by parts of it’s lyrics, remembered by me. Thank you!
Add A Comment