Home Sweet Home

Album: Peter Gabriel (second, scratch) (1978)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • The lyrics are a bleak story about a man whose wife jumps out a window with their child. He then uses the insurance money to go to a casino, wins big, and buys a nicer house than their first home.
  • On this track, Gabriel wanted to explore the motives of suicide: "What frightens you is that you can't understand what drives people to do it."
  • Roy Bittan, who was part of Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band, played keyboards on this track, which was part of Gabriel's second solo album. The other players are:

    Organ – Peter Gabriel
    Electric Guitar, Steel Guitar – Sidney McGinnis
    Bass – Tony Levin
    Drums – Jerry Marotta
    Saxophone – Timmy Capello

    Robert Fripp, known for his work with King Crimson, produced the album.

Comments: 2

  • Samantha from OklahomaI understand what drives people to do it. It's partly bad brain chemistry and the rest is a deep, abiding emptiness that can't be filled by anyone or anything. When someone dies by their own hand, unfortunately, they're not thinking about the people they love, or the ones who love them. They're mind is consumed by the need for the pain to stop. It never stops. Ever. A Darkness descends that blocks out everything else and your mind goes blank. Death becomes your only escape, or at least, AT THE TIME, that's how it feels. Luckily, I suck at it, which is the only reason I'm still here, so I try to make the best of things and am waiting for the day when it will all make sense - assuming it ever does.

    Warbi, I'm sorry about your wife. Blessings to you and your daughter.
  • Warbi from Grandview, WaAt least my wife didn't kill our daughter...
see more comments

Editor's Picks

dUg Pinnick of King's X

dUg Pinnick of King's XSongwriter Interviews

dUg dIgs into his King's X metal classics and his many side projects, including the one with Jeff Ament of Pearl Jam.

"Stairway To Heaven" Lawsuit: A Timeline

"Stairway To Heaven" Lawsuit: A TimelineSong Writing

Untangling the events that led to the "Stairway To Heaven" lawsuit.

Robert DeLeo of Stone Temple Pilots

Robert DeLeo of Stone Temple PilotsSongwriter Interviews

Stone Temple Pilots bass player Robert DeLeo names the songs that have most connected with fans and tells the stories behind tracks from their Tiny Music album.

Richard Marx

Richard MarxSongwriter Interviews

Richard explains how Joe Walsh kickstarted his career, and why he chose Hazard, Nebraska for a hit.

Dar Williams

Dar WilliamsSongwriter Interviews

A popular contemporary folk singer, Williams still remembers the sticky note that changed her life in college.

Christopher Cross

Christopher CrossSongwriter Interviews

The man who created Yacht Rock with "Sailing" wrote one of his biggest hits while on acid.