I was listening to an old CD by English duo Everything But The Girl a few days ago and one of their songs got me thinking again.
Lonesome for a Place I Know talks about the connection we have to our home lands. We can often see the faults in our own countries or cities and see the benefits of other places but there’s still something that calls us back to the place we know.
I love the second verse of the song that talks about being born outside of place and time. If that were the case would we still choose to live where we do? Do we live where we do because it’s our choice or because we’re tied by birth or something else? If those ties didn’t exist, where would we choose to do life?
Lonesome for a Place I Know
So here we are in Italy
With a sun hat and a dictionary.
The air is warm, the sky is bright,
Your arms are brown you’re sleeping well at night.
So why does England call?
The hedgerows and the townhalls.
After all, there’ll soon be nothing left at all.If we were born outside of place and time,
To make our choice, well this would be mine.
To live and die under a sun that shines.
But something pulls, something I can’t define
Tells me England calls, whatever she’s done wrong.
Always calls, “This is where you belong.”
And I’m lonesome for a place I know.Oh but Florence you tempt me (here) to stay,
Amidst your hills to while my years away.
But your roots in soil lie, mine in paving stone.
And I hate what it’s become, but in my bones
I’m lonesome for a place I know.
Why does England call?
I must say that Australia, and in particular Perth, is a fairly good choice all round. I haven’t travelled as much as I’d like but I have been overseas and through much of Australia and I would still choose Perth over anything I’ve seen.
Having said that, I need to question if that’s the ties of being born here or if I’d still choose Perth if I was born somewhere else. I guess I’ll never really know.
What about you? Have you chosen to live somewhere other than your homeland? Does your homeland still call? Can you feel truly at home in either place?
Have you lived in the same place for most of your life? Would you move if you had the opportunity?
What does ‘home’ really mean for you?
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