There's No Place Like Home
Abie Rotenberg Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

You had searched so long, for the answers and the truth,
And they said you'll find it here, with promises of truth.
But the long white robes, and the chanting in the streets,
It left you cold, your soul still had to seek.

What you're looking for, is right there at your door,
Believe me when I tell you friend, you couldn't ask for more.
What your heart has known, is that there is no place like home,
So come on back, oh you'll never be alone.

And when the others came so gently, as peaceful as a dove,
They stirred inside something inside of you, they only spoke of love.
But what your mind cried out "What of history, the hatred to my race",
And you knew then, you still had not found your place.

What you're looking for, is right there at your door,
Believe me when I tell you friend, you couldn't ask for more.
What your heart has known, is that there is no place like home,
So come on back, oh you'll never be alone.

Despairing and confused, you traveled far and wide,
But you passed through one small country, where you started feeling pride.
So you found a place to study, what you thought was ancient law,
And you wished you learned about it all before.

Now you can stand up straight and tall, because you're where you want to be
No one had it, strong as steel, your faith has set you free.
And as you gaze up at that simple wall, your hand upon a stone,
You can say the journey's over, I am home.

What you're looking for, is right there at your door,
Believe me when I tell you friend, you couldn't ask for more.
What your heart has known, is that there is no place like home,
So come on back, oh you'll never be alone.

What you're looking for, is right there at your door,
Believe me when I tell you friend, you couldn't ask for more.




What your heart has known, is that there is no place like home,
So come on back, oh you'll never be alone.

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Abie Rotenberg’s song “There’s No Place Like Home” speak to the universal human need to belong and find meaning in one’s life. The song tells the story of a person’s journey to find “the answers and the truth,” seeking guidance from religious leaders and spiritual practices. Despite their efforts, the person still feels lost and seeks out other sources for guidance, including a group that “only spoke of love.” However, they still feel disconnected and struggle with the weight of history and their own identity. It’s not until they find a sense of pride in their own culture and heritage that they finally feel at home, with a newfound appreciation for the ancient law and traditions they wish they had learned earlier.


The lyrics suggest that our most profound sense of belonging and purpose can come from within ourselves and our own sense of identity. We may look to external sources for guidance and direction, but ultimately it is up to us to find our own path and sense of place in the world. The song speaks to the power of community and tradition in shaping our sense of self, but also reminds us that our journey is unique and that we must ultimately find our own way.


Line by Line Meaning

You had searched so long, for the answers and the truth,
You went on a long, exhaustive search for the answers and the truth.


And they said you'll find it here, with promises of truth.
People promised that you'll find what you're looking for here, with the truth.


But the long white robes, and the chanting in the streets,
Despite the long white robes and chanting in the streets,


It left you cold, your soul still had to seek.
you didn't feel fulfilled, and your soul yearned for more.


What you're looking for, is right there at your door,
What you're searching for is much closer than you think,


Believe me when I tell you friend, you couldn't ask for more.
trust me when I say that you have everything you need,


What your heart has known, is that there is no place like home,
You've always known that there's no place like home deep in your heart,


So come on back, oh you'll never be alone.
So come back because you're never alone.


And when the others came so gently, as peaceful as a dove,
Then came people who were gentle and peaceful,


They stirred inside something inside of you, they only spoke of love.
They awakened something inside you, they only talked about love,


But what your mind cried out "What of history, the hatred to my race",
But your mind exclaimed, 'what about my race's history of hate?'


And you knew then, you still had not found your place.
And you discovered that you still haven't found where you belong.


Despairing and confused, you traveled far and wide,
You felt hopeless and lost, so you traveled to far-off places.


But you passed through one small country, where you started feeling pride.
You traveled through a small country that made you feel a sense of pride.


So you found a place to study, what you thought was ancient law,
So you found a place to study what you thought was the old law.


And you wished you learned about it all before.
And you regretted that you hadn't learned about it earlier.


Now you can stand up straight and tall, because you're where you want to be
Now you can confidently stand tall where you choose to be.


No one had it, strong as steel, your faith has set you free.
Your faith is unbreakable, as strong as steel, and has set you free.


And as you gaze up at that simple wall, your hand upon a stone,
As you look up at that simple wall, your hand touching the stone,


You can say the journey's over, I am home.
You can say that your journey has finally led you home.


What you're looking for, is right there at your door,
What you're searching for is at your doorstep,


Believe me when I tell you friend, you couldn't ask for more.
Trust me when I say that you have everything you need,


What your heart has known, is that there is no place like home,
Your heart knows that nothing compares to being at home.


So come on back, oh you'll never be alone.
So come back because you're never alone.


What you're looking for, is right there at your door,
What you seek is closer than you imagine,


Believe me when I tell you friend, you couldn't ask for more.
Trust me when I say you already have everything you want.


What your heart has known, is that there is no place like home,
Your heart always knew that there's nowhere like where you belong.


So come on back, oh you'll never be alone.
So come back because you're never alone.




Contributed by Victoria J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

Genre not found
Artist not found
Album not found
Song not found

Mayer


on Joe Dimaggio's Card


The singer and his best friend Sammy grew up together in New York City.


The singer reflects on how quickly time seems to have passed since he and Sammy were young.


The singer and Sammy were extremely close, almost like brothers.


The singer and Sammy were best friends.


The singer and Sammy enjoyed playing together by the oak tree behind the singer's house.


The two friends would play catch back and forth with a ball.


Both the singer and Sammy would dream about becoming like...


...the baseball legend Joe DiMaggio.


The singer and Sammy both bought a pack of baseball cards from the brand Topp's.


They opened the packs of cards together while sitting under the oak tree.


The singer was excited to have gotten Joe DiMaggio's card and showed it off to Sammy.


Sammy was envious of the singer for having gotten such a great card.


The singer put the card away as a treasured possession in a drawer.


The singer wanted to keep the card safe from harm or being lost.


The singer swore to himself that he would keep the card always.


The card was very valuable and meaningful to the singer.


The singer and Sammy grew older and went off to study at a Yeshiva.


From the beginning, the two friends drifted apart and his friend, Sammy was excelling in his studies.


The singer enjoyed daydreaming more than studying, while Sammy was focused on his studies.


The two friends grew more distant over time.


The singer watched Sammy progress in his religious studies and become more devout.


The singer felt both proud and envious of Sammy's progress.


The singer came to accept that he and Sammy would never be as close as they once were.


Even though they had grown apart, the singer still thought of Sammy as his best friend.


Years went by, and the singer became a parent himself.


The singer's children played outside in the yard.


Thinking of his children playing together reminded the singer of his own childhood friendship with Sammy.


The memory included the prized possession of his Joe DiMaggio baseball card.


People interested in the card started coming to the singer's door.


People even sent letters offering to buy the card.


Some collectors offered to pay the singer a great deal of money for the rare, one-of-a-kind card.


The singer always refused to sell the card, no matter the price offered.


The singer was very firm in his decision not to sell the card.


Over the years, the singer read news stories about his old friend Sammy.


The stories covered various events in Sammy's life.


Sammy became the head of their old school as its Rosh Yeshiva. Now known as Shmuel.


Sammy/Shmuel had become an important leader in his community.


The school where Sammy was the Rosh Yeshiva suffered a damaging fire.


The singer worried that the fire would be especially difficult for Sammy to deal with.


In an effort to help Sammy and let go of the past, the singer decided to part with his prized Joe DiMaggio baseball card and sell it to help out his old friend.


The singer had to say goodbye to the card that had been so important to him for so many years.


Years later, the singer's grandson came home from Yeshiva with a card to give to his grandfather.


The grandson brought a new card that he wanted to give to his grandfather.


The grandson explained that the card belonged to a very important person named Reb Shmuel, who was one of the Gedolim. (His old friend)


The grandson was giving the card to his grandfather as a gift.


The grandfather put his new gift card away in a drawer, just as he had done with his Joe DiMaggio card years before.


The grandfather wanted to keep the card safe and protected.


Just like with the Joe DiMaggio card, the grandfather promised to keep the new card always.


The new card was more valuable and meaningful to the grandfather than his old Joe DiMaggio card had been.

Mayer


on Joe Dimaggio's Card

"Joe Dimaggio's Card" is a poignant and nostalgic song by Abie Rotenberg that explores themes of friendship, time, and the value of material possessions. The narrator and his best friend Sammy grew up together in New York City, playing and dreaming of baseball greatness under a tree in the backyard. One day they each bought a package of Topp's baseball cards and the narrator received the coveted Joe Dimaggio card, causing envy in Sammy. The narrator hides the card away, knowing it's too valuable to trade or lose, and vows to hold onto it forever.

As they grow older, the two friends part ways as the narrator becomes more interested in daydreaming than studying. Years pass and the narrator starts a family, but the value of the Joe Dimaggio card only increases. Collectors offer to buy it for a fortune, but the narrator refuses to sell. He keeps it locked away in a drawer, a reminder of the precious memories of his friendship with Sammy and simpler times.

When tragedy strikes Sammy's (now known as Shmuel) Yeshiva, now run by his old friend Sammy (Shmuel) as Rosh Yeshiva, the narrator decides to sell the card to help out his old friend's Yeshiva. Then one day, his grandson brings him a card of a different kind, of a Gadol, a spiritual leader, of Reb Shmuel (his friend Sammy from his past). T⁸hat card he will now keep forever.

The song's themes of nostalgia, friendship, and shifting priorities are relatable and the metaphor of the baseball card serves to amplify the narrative's sense of sentimentality. The poignant storytelling and melody make "Joe Dimaggio's Card" a timeless classic.