Words & Music:
Joy Byers
This proud wild land where the wind blows free
Has always been a part of me
It's in my blood, I just can't get it out
For a hundred miles a man can see
And be about as wild as he wants to be
If he feels like shouting all he's gotta do is shout
Where the purple mountains reach up high
And look like they're gonna touch the sky
Where the canyon walls have stood for a million years
Where the days are hot, the nights are cold
The desert sand looks just like gold
These trails were carved in sweat and blood and tears
Where the painted desert as you pass by
Looks like a rainbow in the sky
The cactus blooms in the early morning sun
Where the nightwings sing and eagles fly
The clouds paint pictures in the sky
The coyotes howl tells you when the day is done
I'm coming home, this time I'm gonna stay
I'm coming home and I ain't never goin' away
My feet are itching to get back home
I've had the desert fever since I've been gone
I need some loving so bad that I can't see
When a woman looks a man in the eye
You know it takes a man to satisfy
Thinking about them girls is killing me
I'm going home, going home
Going home, I'm going home
Going home, going home
Going home
Recordingdate: 1968/01/15, first released on: Speedway (album)
Musicians
Musicians who contributed to the first recording of Goin' Home:
(guitar)
(guitar)
(guitar)
(steel guitar)
(bass)
(drums)
(drums)
(piano)
(harmonica)
(vocals)
(vocals)
(vocals)
(vocals)
Availability
Find available albums with Goin' Home.
Always liked it. At least things were starting to change around this time. The songs were beginning to sound a bit fresh again. It didnt belong on Speedway however.
Recorded for, but not used in the movie "Stay Away Joe". This song was to be used over the opening credits, but then came the masterpiece "Stay Away" and this nice song was discarded. It somehow found it's way onto the "Speedway" soundtrack LP. I really like this song until the last verse and the part about love seems thrown in and not in keeping with the rest of the song (very oddly worded too after being written so smoothly up until that point).
Elvis even sounds that he wants to sing this song, which shows in his performance.The only thing I dislike about the song is the backing which seems altogether disjointed.
This song has a fabulous 'outdoor' feel to it and it is one of my favourites. The arrangement and backing fit perfectly and Elvis gives it just the right vocal treatment. He certainly knew how to inhabit a song ! I love the lyrics but, as is often the case, the ones shown above are not totally accurate. For instance, "nightwings" should be "night winds".
This "lost gem" was added, as a bonus song track, to the "Speedway" movie soundtrack, but wasn't featured in the movie. I believe it was intended, but cut, from the movie "Stay Away Joe". Elvis, sings the song with such Feeling, and passion. And,"Goin' Home"- might be a good choice, for a remix, because this is a song, that the casual Elvis fan, might not, have heard of, and, would sound new, with a new mix, behind his amazing vocals.
The writer of the song was more likely to be Bob Johnston one time Patti Page and Bob Dylan producer rather than the credited Joy Byers who was Johnston's wife. Johnston used his spouses name as many writers did for legal reasons. The song is a good one with Elvis sounded much more confident than he had done for some time with soundtrack material.
I wouldnt consider this a 'gem', but it is certainly lost and not a bad song at all. I can see another ALLC here with a good remix (orig backing is awful with those Indian tom toms) and maybe used in an airline commercial or a car commercial, something outdoorsy about going home. Oh yeah this could be a hit, no doubt about it and another 'discovered' Elvis tune for the many that do not know it.
A new background arrangement, would do wonders for this song, as I pointed out earlier. And its definately a hidden "gem". I stand behind that. (LOL)
I often play the Speedway soundtrack and that's mostly because of this beauty. Great vocal and it sounds timeless.5 stars
Of a piece with I'm Coming Home, Gonna Get Back Home Somehow and Stranger In My Own Home Town, though I must admit I prefer these three. Not entirely sure what to make of Presley's own faux doo-wop intro. Anybody else?
This is out of the same stable as Stay Away with that big outdoor feel. There is something about the arrangement of the song that does not always flow like Stay Away, although the style and soaring notes of the song suit his voice.
Speedway was an Elvis album I bought around 1980. I've always liked this song, although the Indian intro should be omitted.
This is such a splendid, fun, underrated, overlooked and unique Elvis song and I've never skipped it. I even like the intro of this song too. I've always considered this song to be one of Elvis' hundreds of hidden gems. It's such a shame that it wasn't included in the movie "Stay Away, Joe" since it was recorded with only "Stay Away, Joe" in mind. This song didn't belong on the "Speedway" soundtrack album though.
Fairly good song, Elvis seemed more confident with it too, unlike many of the soundtrack songs. My only nit? The backing was bad. I honestly don't thin k that Elvis needed the Jords or for that matter any other singers like them.That sound was great in the 50s and early 60s, then sounded dated later. From Elvis in Memphis proved this, this was a great contemporary sound
It’s such a great song and Elvis was in such a great mood when he recorded it! The take we find in Collectors Gold Nashville, is superb, with Presley singing Heartbreak Hotel and the band cracking in laugh! Then our man says "I don't know what to do to improve, except to go home..." And gives a great rendition of this song. It was 1968 and the King was claiming his Throne. The next five years were meant to be fantastic, unique, and Elvis would re write Rock History again! Love this song!
nice uplifting song, but its a pity that the intro is rather bad
I've always really liked this song and Elvis' rendition of it was spectacular.
The other fifteen songs that Elvis recorded that were written or co-written by Joy Byers were "Baby, If You'll Give Me All Of Your Love", "C'mon Everybody", "Hard Knocks", "Hey, Hey, Hey", "Hey Little Girl", "It Hurts Me", "I've Got To Find My Baby", "Let Yourself Go", "Please Don't Stop Loving Me", "She's A Machine", "So Close, Yet So Far (From Paradise)", "Stop, Look And Listen", "The Meanest Girl In Town", "There Ain't Nothing Like A Song" and "There's A Brand New Day On The Horizon".
One of those obscure songs recorded you never play because it's in the background of your mind; however, it's not a bad song. Probably because of the time period it was recorded is the main reason you don't remember or listen to it. It's a shame in this instance.