Songfacts®:

• The second song to be released from American indie rock band Death Cab For Cutie's seventh studio album Codes and Keys features an accompanying music video directed by famed illustrator Shepard Fairey and DCFC bassist Nick Harmer. The clip takes the viewer on a visual trip through the grittier sections of Los Angeles. Shepherd, who emerged from the skateboarding scene, first became known for his "André the Giant Has a Posse" (…OBEY…) sticker campaign, which helped popularize (and legitimize) street art in the '90s. His work became more widely known in the 2008 US presidential election, especially the Barack Obama "Hope" poster, which he designed.
• Harmer discussed the song's meaning and the video on the DCFC website: "For me, 'Home Is A Fire' is about redefining familiar space. The narrator in the song seems unsettled, searching and yearning, scanning the environment for something comforting in an uncomfortable place. I knew that if the band would give me a chance to make a visual accompaniment to this song that those would be the themes and mood that I would most want to highlight and accentuate. As a parallel to this, I have always been intrigued and excited about the street art movement that has really exploded during my lifetime. It's a movement and expression that I feel defines my generation in many ways, and some artists that for years worked as shadows have now become known by name. One of those names is Shepard Fairey. And not only is he an artist that I hold in the highest regard, but he is also a friend."