Home Again Blues<br />Words and Music by Irving Berlin and Harry Akst<br />Sung by Frank Crumit<br />January 19, 1921<br />Columbia A3375<br /><br />Frank Crumit (1889 - 1943) was born in Jackson Ohio, was an entertainer on stage, radio and records, active in 1920s and 1930s. He was known for his novelty numbers "Abdul Abulbul Amir" and "Gay Caballero" (his compositions). Educated at Indiana's Culver Military Academy and Ohio University. Vaudeville in early years, played ukulele, sang with soft voice, and stressed novelty material.. He had a brief run on Broadway show "Betty Be Good" (1920), "Greenwich Village Follies" (1920), "Tangerine" (1921) which starred future wife, Julia Sanderson, with whom he shared the lead in "Nifties of 1923" and "Moonlight" (1924). He married Sanderson in 1927, retired from show business but returned in 1929 to star together with his wife in radio, continuing through the 1930s. He and his wife became known as The Singing Sweethearts. In 1939 he began "Battle of the Sexes" a radio game show which ran until his death in 1943.<br /><br />The musical form known as the blues originated around the end of the 19th century but it wasn't until 1912 when the first blues songs were actually published. Many of the early blues songs produced by tin pan alley in the following years were not authentic in form and chord progression, but had a 'bluesy' feeling. However, "Home Again Blues", composed by Irving Berlin and Harry Akst, uses a true blues 12-bar chord progression in the verse (repeated once) but changes to a standard 32 bar pattern in the chorus.<br /><br />HOME AGAIN BLUES - Lyrics<br /><br />I've been known to be a rolling stone for many years<br />Now alone, I sit around and moan when night appears<br />Thoughts of my home fill me with regrettable tears<br />Ev'ry year Oh! how I long to hear a bit of news<br />Friends appear to offer words of cheer but I refuse<br />Pack up my trunk 'cause I've got the home again blues<br />I'm going<br /><br />Home, knock at the door<br />Home, just like before<br />Roam, never no more<br />No place like<br />Home<br />Oh! what a song<br />Home, where I belong<br />Oh! I've got the home again blues<br /><br />I can't wait until I reach that gate and home I see<br />Sure as fate I know they're gonna wait to welcome me<br />I want to state that that's the end of my mis'ry<br />If I knew I'd ever feel so blue I'd never roam<br />But it's true you learn a thing or two away from home<br />I'm telling you I've ceased to be a rollable stone<br />I'm going<br /><br />Home, knock at the door<br />Home, just like before<br />Roam, never no more<br />No place like<br />Home<br />Oh! what a song<br />Home, where I belong<br />Oh! I've got the home again blues.
