The precursor to BTO was the band Brave Belt, which was formed in 1970 by Randy Bachman and Chad Allan (both of The Guess Who), Robbie Bachman and Fred Turner. An original form of the group included musician Keith Emerson of The Nice (and later of Emerson, Lake & Palmer), but he was dropped due to illness. After two moderately successful Brave Belt albums came out, Allan was replaced by Tim Bachman, the third of the Bachman brothers, and the band changed its name to Bachman-Turner Overdrive.
Hailing from Winnipeg, Canada as stated before, BTO released their first album under that name in the spring of 1973. Their second album was Bachman-Turner Overdrive II, and it became a massive hit in the US and their native Canada. It also yielded their best-remembered single, "Takin' Care of Business" written by Randy Bachman. BTO were one of the early hard rock bands which opted for songs backed by catchy melodies and powerful riffing. The band also promoted a strait-laced lifestyle due to the Mormon religious beliefs of Randy Bachman.
Tim Bachman left because of limited performance skills and personal lifestyle issues, and was replaced by Blair Thornton. The first album with the modified lineup, 1974's Not Fragile became a hit, including the #1 single "You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet". The band continued to steadily produce successful albums through the mid-1970s including Four Wheel Drive and Head On (both 1975).
After the release of Freeways in 1977, Randy Bachman left the group for a solo career and another band, Ironhorse. Randy was replaced by Jim Clench, formerly of April Wine, and BTO released a pair of albums before breaking up in 1979. They reunited in 1983, leading to a lawsuit between the brothers, as one group, led by Randy, toured as Bachman-Turner Overdrive and another, led by Robbie, toured as BTO (Robbie Bachman, Fred Turner, Blair Thornton, and Randy Murray). Interestingly enough, in 1984 the line up for Bachman-Turner's first studio LP in 5 years consisted of Randy and Tim Bachman, Fred Turner and Garry Peterson on drums. In 1986 they were the opening band for the newly reformed Van Halen. By that time Fred Turner had left the band, probably to join the "other" BTO. Robbie Bachman's BTO toured and performed until early 2005.
Musicians Randy Bachman and Fred Turner reunited in 2010 for a tour and collaboration on new songs. In 2010, they notably played the half-time show at the Grey Cup in Edmonton, AB.
Website: http://www.bachmanandturner.com/
Welcome Home
Bachman-Turner Overdrive Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And rush to catch a plane
I'm going to live inside my suitcase
Back on the road again
Big stage and bright lights
Try to relax before the show
So glad to be here tonight
Welcome home
Welcome home
Welcome home
It feels good
I'm going to save up all of my money
Just to see if I could
Try to brighten my appearance
With clothes from Hollywood
We're climbing up the music ladder
The girls won't leave us alone
But it really doesn't matter
If we're nothing back home, back home
Welcome home
Welcome home
Welcome home
Feels good
Welcome home
Welcome home
Welcome home, baby
Feels good
So glad we left the prairie city
And now we're living on the coast
We went and got ourselves a manager
We all think he's the most
Silver 'vette with gold wheels
We see him cruise around town
No, he's never really up
No, he's never really down, down, he's just mojo
Welcome home
Said, welcome home, baby
Ah, welcome home
Feels good
Welcome home
It's so good to drive in your own car with the radio on with your old lady
Said, welcome home, brother
Welcome home
It's so good to sleep in your own bed
Welcome home, baby
Ooh-whoo, feels good
The lyrics of Bachman-Turner Overdrive's "Welcome Home" paint a picture of the life of a traveling musician. The song talks about the constant hustle of catching a plane to go back to the road again, living in a suitcase, and the rush of getting back on stage to perform. The performer seems to be having the time of their life on stage surrounded by bright lights, big stages, and a swarm of adoring fans.
The song also mentions the perks of being a successful musician, with money to spend on expensive clothes and an increasing fan following that makes them feel like a rockstar. Despite being away from home for months on end, the idea of returning home brings some comfort to the singer. The song talks about how it feels good to be back home, to brighten one's appearance, and even to sleep in one's own bed.
Overall, "Welcome Home" is a song that captures the life of a rockstar on tour, the challenges and rewards of being a traveling musician, and the longing for the comforts of home.
Line by Line Meaning
I get up early in the morning
I wake up early in the morning
And rush to catch a plane
I hurry to catch a plane
I'm going to live inside my suitcase
I'll be travelling a lot
Back on the road again
I'm going on tour again
Big stage and bright lights
Performing on a big stage with bright lights
Try to relax before the show
I'm trying to calm down before performing
So glad to be here tonight
Happy to be performing tonight
That I just can't wait to go, I gotta go
Excited to perform and can't wait any longer
Welcome home
Happy to be back home
It feels good
Being back home makes me feel good
I'm going to save up all of my money
I'll be saving all my money
Just to see if I could
To see if I can do it
Try to brighten my appearance
Improve my looks
With clothes from Hollywood
Buying fashionable clothes
We're climbing up the music ladder
Becoming more popular in the music industry
The girls won't leave us alone
The group is getting a lot of attention from girls
But it really doesn't matter
Attention from girls isn't important
If we're nothing back home, back home
Being famous doesn't matter if we're not appreciated at home
So glad we left the praire city
Happy we left the small town
And now we're living on the coast
Living on the coast now
We went and got ourselves a manager
Hiring a manager to help us
We all think he's the most
We like our manager a lot
Silver 'vette with gold wheels
Our manager has a flashy car
We see him cruise around town
He drives his car around a lot
No, he's never really up
Our manager is never too excited
No, he's never really down down, he's just mojo
Our manager has a good energy all the time
Said welcome home baby
A warm welcome home
So good to drive in your own car with your old lady
Driving with someone special in your own car feels good
So good to see you again
Happy to see old friends again
So good to sleep in your own bed
Sleeping in your own bed feels good
Ooh whoo, feels good
All in all, it feels good to be home
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Randy Bachman
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind