She moved to New York City at age seventeen in order to attend Fordham University. After her divorce her music career began and she joined Cherish the Ladies in 1987. She acted as lead singer at times and in 1995 she started her solo career. Most of her albums were released by Shanachie Records.
Discography
1997 Cathie Ryan Shanachie
1998 The Music of What Happens Shanachie
2001 Somewhere Along the Road Shanachie
2005 The Farthest Wave Shanachie
Home Sweet Home
Cathie Ryan Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Be it ever so humble, there's no place like home
A charm from the skies seems to hallow us there
Which seek through the world, is ne'er met with elsewhere
Home, sweet home, there's no place like home
I gaze on the moon as I tread the drear wild
And feel that my mother now thinks of her child
As she looks on that moon from our own cottage door
Through the woodbine whose fragrance will cheer me no more
Home, sweet home, there's no place like home
Home, sweet home, there's no place like home
An exile from home, splendor dazzles in vain
Oh give me my lowly-thatched cottage again
The birds singing gaily that came at my call
Give me them and that peace of mind, dearer than all
Home, sweet home, there's no place like home
Home, sweet home, there's no place like home
Home, sweet home, there's no place like home
Be it ever so humble, there's no place like home
Cathie Ryan's "Home Sweet Home" speaks to the idea that home is not just a physical place, but a feeling and state of mind. The first two lines of the song ("Mid pleasures and palaces though we may roam, be it ever so humble, there's no place like home") suggest that no matter how far we travel, no matter how much wealth and luxury we experience, we will always come back to the comfort of our humble abodes. The following lines ("A charm from the skies seems to hallow us there, which seek through the world, is ne'er met with elsewhere") recognize that there is something special and unique about home that cannot be found anywhere else in the world.
The second verse ("I gaze on the moon as I tread the drear wild, and feel that my mother now thinks of her child. As she looks on that moon from our own cottage door, through the woodbine whose fragrance will cheer me no more") speaks to the emotional connections we have to home. Even when we are far away, we can look at the same moon as loved ones back home and feel a sense of connection. The loss of the fragrant woodbine serves as a symbol for the loss of the comforts we associate with home.
The third verse ("An exile from home, splendor dazzles in vain, oh give me my lowly-thatched cottage again. The birds singing gaily that came at my call, give me them and that peace of mind, dearer than all") acknowledges that some may be forced to leave their homes behind, but they will always yearn for the simplicity and familiarity of their humble abodes. The final chorus ("Home, sweet home, there's no place like home, be it ever so humble, there's no place like home") emphasizes the central message of the song - that no matter where we go or what we do, there truly is no place like home.
Line by Line Meaning
Mid pleasures and palaces though we may roam
Even though we may travel to and live in luxurious places and have great experiences...
Be it ever so humble, there's no place like home
...there is no place like being at home, no matter how modest it may be.
A charm from the skies seems to hallow us there
There is a magical quality about being at home that makes us feel blessed and elevated.
Which seek through the world, is ne'er met with elsewhere
This quality is not found anywhere else in the world.
I gaze on the moon as I tread the drear wild
As I walk through a dark and desolate landscape, I look up at the moon
And feel that my mother now thinks of her child
and I feel that my mother is thinking of me at that moment,
As she looks on that moon from our own cottage door
just as she is likely standing in our doorway back home and looking at the same moon.
Through the woodbine whose fragrance will cheer me no more
I am reminded of the scent of the flowers at home, which I cannot currently enjoy.
An exile from home, splendor dazzles in vain
As someone who has been forced to leave home, I am not impressed by fancy things and beautiful settings.
Oh give me my lowly-thatched cottage again
All I really want is to return to my modest, thatched-roof home.
The birds singing gaily that came at my call
I miss the birds that used to answer my calls and come to me.
Give me them and that peace of mind, dearer than all
More than anything else, I long for the peace of mind that came with being at home and among those simple pleasures.
Home, sweet home, there's no place like home
The refrain repeats the central theme of the song, that home is the sweetest and most desirable place to be.
Contributed by Muhammad D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.