Charlie Ain't Home

Album: Til the Casket Drops (2012)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • In the 1962 Etta James track "Waiting For Charlie To Come Home," she longs for her lover to return. Fifty years later, ZZ Ward released this answer song, where she's cheating on Charlie when he's not home. The song was released on her debut album.
  • Ward listened to a lot of Etta James when she was young, and always loved this song. As a teenager, she got to see James perform. In a Songfacts interview with Ward, said that the idea for "Charlie Ain't Home" came to her one day when she decided to flip the scenario in James' song. She describes it as "a very sexy song."
  • Ali Shaheed Muhammad of A Tribe Called Quest did production on this track and played bass, keyboards and percussion.

Comments: 1

  • Neal Haas from North CarolinaI think it's about an affair. But I could be wrong
see more comments

Editor's Picks

Queen

QueenFact or Fiction

Scaramouch, a hoople and a superhero soundtrack - see if you can spot the real Queen stories.

Martyn Ware of Heaven 17

Martyn Ware of Heaven 17Songwriter Interviews

Martyn talks about producing Tina Turner, some Heaven 17 hits, and his work with the British Electric Foundation.

Amy Grant

Amy GrantSongwriter Interviews

The top Contemporary Christian artist of all time on song inspirations and what she learned from Johnny Carson.

Leslie West of Mountain

Leslie West of MountainSongwriter Interviews

From the cowbell on "Mississippi Queen" to recording with The Who when they got the wrong Felix, stories from one of rock's master craftsmen.

Pete Anderson

Pete AndersonSongwriter Interviews

Pete produced Dwight Yoakam, Michelle Shocked, Meat Puppets, and a very memorable track for Roy Orbison.

Female Singers Of The 90s

Female Singers Of The 90sMusic Quiz

The ladies who ruled the '90s in this quiz.