Album: The Rise & Fall (1982)

Charted: 5 7

License This Song 

• Father wears his Sunday best
  Mother's tired, she needs a rest
  The kids are playing up downstairs
  Sister's sighing in her sleep (ah)
  Brother's got a date to keep, he can't hang around
  
  Our house, in the middle of our street
  Our house, in the middle of our
  
  Our house, it has a crowd
  There's always something happening
  And it's usually quite loud
  Our mum she's so house-proud
  Nothing ever slows her down and a mess is not allowed
  
  Our house, in the middle of our street
  Our house, in the middle of our
  Our house, in the middle of our street
  Our house, in the middle of our (something tells you that you've got to move away from it)
  
  Father gets up late for work
  Mother has to iron his shirt
  Then she sends the kids to school
  Sees them off with a small kiss (ah)
  She's the one they're going to miss in lots of ways
  
  Our house, in the middle of our street
  Our house, in the middle of our
  
  I remember way back then when everything was true and when
  We would have such a very good time, such a fine time
  Such a happy time
  And I remember how we'd play, simply waste the day away
  Then we'd say nothing would come between us
  Two dreamers
  
  Father wears his Sunday best
  Mother's tired, she needs a rest
  The kids are playing up downstairs
  Sister's sighing in her sleep
  Brother's got a date to keep, he can't hang around
  
  Our house, in the middle of our street
  Our house, in the middle of our street
  Our house, in the middle of our street
  Our house, in the middle of our
  
  Our house, was our castle and our keep
  Our house, in the middle of our street
  Our house, that was where we used to sleep
  Our house, in the middle of our street
  Our house, in the middle of our street, our house Writer/s: Carl Smyth, Chris Foreman, Daniel Woodgate, Garaham McPherson, Lee Thompson, Mark Bedford, Michael Barson
  Publisher: Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
  Lyrics licensed and provided by LyricFind

Comments: 11

• Kevin Preston from Los Angeles CaliforniaWe all hear different things in songs. What struck me was the sense of nostalgia thinking back to a beloved house where everyone was together. Not so much that there was always a crowd there, but the simple peace of sleeping, getting dressed, off to school, and a mom taking care of everything. This is something so many of us have experienced in the same way. I love the line "Then we'd say nothing would come between us--Two dreamers" that feels to me that the individual is thinking that things would always be the way they were in that moment, playful, fun, and together...and realizing that as they grew up that was impossible. It is kind of moving.
  
  As a funny side note, in the USA I was a suburban kid and we always lived in various "tract home" subdivisions, which I loved. Because I was always oriented to that, when I heard the line, "Our house, it has a crowd....There's always something happening", I thought it was "Our House in Desert Crown", which I thought was referring to the name of a subdivision, like we have in the states!!!
• Zenmema from U.s.When this song came out it described my house as a teenager to a T. When I had teenagers, they and their friends used to randomly breakout joyously amd somewhat raucously singing this song followed by rounds of hugs of thanks for me providing "The House". Now that I'm raising my grandkids, they too sing this song to me, giggling with their frinds they've taught it to. Every child should have a house in the middle of the street they can go too and get ready to eventually move on from and start their life, whether it be their mum or the houses. Many thanks to Madness for writing a parenting philosophy that served many generations so far.
• Mimijo from Upper Great LakesAgree with Thegnostic. This is a song with multiple levels. It is has more depth than CSNY's song, which I do like.
• Thegnostic from ConnecticutI'm going to be an iconoclast here. This is a song about loss and profound regret. It starts by recounting the memory of childhood and daily activities. But by the second chorus, there is the realization that you have to leave. In the third verse, there is the foreshadowing of Mother's death ("She's the one they're going to miss…").
  In the bridge, the singer talks of happy times, but acknowledges intentions ("…we'd say nothing would come between us") but follows that sarcastically with ("Two dreamers") because something DID come between them.
  When the first verse is repeated, we are told ("Sister's sighing in her sleep"), but this time we do not hear her, for she, too, is gone.
  The last chorus recognizes the duality of nostalgia. Our house was ("our castle and our keep"), but it was also just ("where we used to sleep").
  This song is wonderfully joyous, but has a subtle sadness. It's one of my favorites.
• Jjmurray from IrelandThis song was wrote about a woman called Minnie O'Neil. It was her house that they ran through when they were kids. I know this as I she was also my great aunt.
• Ezequiel from Buenos AiresSomeone could tell me what question he said in the intro of our house?
• Luke from Manchester, UkEsskayess, I think they might like it and since it bears no resemblance - apart from title - to their song, they wouldn't have a problem.
• Esskayess from Dallas, TxI wonder what Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young thought of it.
• Ed from Canton, OhWhen I heard this song this morning, I thought about our own house. We adopted twins yesterday and my oldest goes to college this week. We have 7 kids and it is "usually quite loud". I wonder if my kids will look back on our house fondly like this song does.
• Eric from Indianapoils, InThis was also in a Folgers commercial a while back.
  
  Well not the original song, but it was based off of it.
• Roy from Arnhem, NetherlandsThis song also featured in the popular English comedy The Young Ones

More Songfacts:

Devil InsideINXS

In the INXS song "Devil Inside," the devil represents chaos. "Every time you think something's right, he comes in and changes everything," Michael Hutchence said.

Somebody That I Used To KnowGotye

45% of the royalties for "Somebody That I Used To Know" go to the estate of the Brazilian classical guitarist Luiz Bonfá, whose song "Seville" Gotye sampled.

Don't Mean NothingRichard Marx

Richard Marx' debut single "Don't Mean Nothing" features Joe Walsh on guitar.

CruiseFlorida Georgia Line

Florida Georgia Line's "Cruise" was the first country single to earn Diamond certification (10 million units sold) from the RIAA.

I'll WaitVan Halen

Michael McDonald co-wrote the Van Halen song "I'll Wait."

Evening StarJudas Priest

Judas Priest's "Evening Star" is a Christmas carol that describes the journey of the Magi from a first person perspective.

Editor's Picks

Paul Stanley of Kiss, Soul StationSongwriter Interviews

Paul Stanley on his soul music project, the Kiss songs with the biggest soul influence, and the non-make-up era of the band.

David Bowie Leads the Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Long-Haired MenSong Writing

Bowie's "activist" days of 1964 led to Ziggy Stardust.

Vanessa CarltonSongwriter Interviews

The "A Thousand Miles" singer on what she thinks of her song being used in White Chicks and how she captured a song from a dream.

Dick Wagner (Alice Cooper/Lou Reed)Songwriter Interviews

The co-writer/guitarist on many Alice Cooper hits, Dick was also Lou Reed's axeman on the Rock n' Roll Animal album.

Eric ClaptonFact or Fiction

Did Eric Clapton really write "Cocaine" while on cocaine? This question and more in the Clapton edition of Fact or Fiction.

Stan RidgwaySongwriter Interviews

Go beyond the Wall of Voodoo with this cinematic songwriter.