Almost Home (Craig Morgan song)
| "Almost Home" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single by Craig Morgan | ||||
| from the album I Love It | ||||
| Released | November 4, 2002 | |||
| Genre | Country | |||
| Length | 4:48 | |||
| Label | Broken Bow | |||
| Songwriter(s) | Craig Morgan Kerry Kurt Phillips | |||
| Producer(s) | Craig Morgan Phil O'Donnell | |||
| Craig Morgan singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
"Almost Home" is a song co-written and recorded by American country music singer Craig Morgan. It was released in November 2002 as the second single from his album I Love It. The song was Morgan's first Top 10 hit on the U.S. country music charts.[1] In addition, the song earned him a "Song of the Year" award from BMI,[2] and a Songwriter's Achievement Award from the Nashville Songwriters' Association International.[3] The song was written by Morgan and Kerry Kurt Phillips. In 2022, he performed this song at the Grand Ole Opry with American rapper and multi-genre singer/songwriter Jelly Roll. before being released as a single on his 2023 EP, Enlisted.
Content[edit]
The song is a ballad mostly backed by acoustic guitar and fiddle. It tells of the singer's encounter with an old, homeless man who is sleeping behind a trash can on a cold winter day. Presuming that the homeless man may be dead, the singer then rouses him. Upon being awakened, the homeless man says that he is "almost home", and then lists off the activities that he had been doing in his dream. The narrator then offers to drive the old man to a shelter, but the old man refuses.
According to songwriter Kerry Kurt Phillips, the homeless man's explanation that he is "almost home" is intentionally open-ended, and can mean that the man had almost reached home in his dream, or that he is about to die and go to Heaven: "A lot of people ask me if the guy almost died[…] was he dying or dreaming? It's funny how people have different interpretations. That's the neat thing about a song, and I think understatement is the key to a good song...leaving enough room for the listener to draw their own conclusion[…] so I never answer them on that. I guess it's up to the listener."[4]
Critical reception[edit]
Chuck Taylor of Billboard gave the song a positive review and wrote, "Always an affecting vocalist, Morgan gives a sensitive, nuanced performance of the poignant lyric. The song is sure to stir emotions and should be a welcome addition to playlists."[5]
Chart positions[edit]
"Almost Home" fell from the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts starting with the chart dated for March 8, 2003, after a peak of number 33. This was because the song had decreased in airplay, was below the number 20 position, and was more than 20 weeks old, then the publication's policy for moving a song into recurrent rotation. After its removal, it experienced an unexpected surge in airplay and was restored to that chart at the number 25 position starting with the March 29 publication.[6] After being reinstated on the charts, it achieved a new peak of number six.
| Chart (2002–2003) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| US Billboard Hot 100[7] | 59 |
| US Hot Country Songs (Billboard)[8] | 6 |
Year-end charts[edit]
| Chart (2003) | Position |
|---|---|
| US Country Songs (Billboard)[9] | 42 |
References[edit]
- ^ Gilbert, Calvin (2003-06-23). "Craig Morgan Beats The Odds With "Almost Home"". Retrieved 2007-12-30.
- ^ "Music Row Awards Herald 'Almost Home'". BMI.com. June 10, 2004.
- ^ "Craig Morgan". BMI.com. May 20, 2004.
- ^ "Story Behind the Song". October 14, 2007. Archived from the original on October 14, 2007.
- ^ D.E.P., and Chuck Taylor. "Almost Home (Music release)." Billboard 114.46 (2002): 26. Academic Search Complete. EBSCO. Web. 7 June 2011.
- ^ "Singles Minded". Billboard: 55. March 29, 2003.
- ^ "Craig Morgan Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard.
- ^ "Craig Morgan Chart History (Hot Country Songs)". Billboard.
- ^ "Best of 2003: Country Songs". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. 2003. Retrieved July 13, 2012.