Chris Rice's most recent offerings to the music world include pop radio hit… Read Full Bio ↴Chris Rice's most recent offerings to the music world include pop radio hits "When Did You Fall (In Love With Me)" and "Lemonade" from his album "What A Heart Is Beating For."

Rice was born in Washington DC, and has been a resident of Franklin and Nashville TN since his early twenties.

From his official website: "In 1996 he signed with a record label (Rocketown Records) as their first artist. After four plus albums and a few handfuls of Christian radio hit singles, he moved to an indie label (Eb+Flo) started by his producer and long time friend Monroe Jones. This new label relationship helped him expand his musical reach into more mainstream pop radio, especially with his light-hearted love songs 'When Did You Fall (In Love With Me)' and 'Lemonade,' still heard in Home Depots, Toys-R-Uses, restaurant bathrooms, airports and shopping malls around the country."

In June 2022, Tates Creek Presbyterian Church released a report on allegations of past sexual misconduct by Rice after commencing an investigation in October 2020.

Home Tonight
Chris Rice Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I've come to my senses
How did I get so far from home
The lies dissipating
Revealing I'm so alone
And I remember now how strong love can be
And I wonder how did I ever leave

Burn your fire on the altar

Leave a candle on the porch
I'm still too far away to see it
But I'm aching for its warmth
And I'm so tired and cold and dark and lonesome
But still I hear your song inside
So sing it louder if you want me home tonight
Sing it loud now, 'cause I'm comin' home tonight

This isn't the first time
I've wandered away from home before
You'd have every reason
To slam and dead-bolt the door
But I remember now how strong your love can be
And I wonder how you might welcome me

Burn your fire on the altar
Leave a candle on the porch
I'm still too far away to see it
But I'm aching for its warmth
And I'm so tired and cold and dark and lonesome
But still I hear your song inside
So sing it louder if you want me home tonight
Sing it loud now, 'cause I'm comin home tonight

Into your arms, to my back yard
Where I used to play
How I miss the days...

So burn your fire on the altar
Leave a candle on the porch
I'm still too far away to see it
But I'm aching for its warmth
And I'm so tired and cold and dark and lonesome
But still I hear your song inside

So sing it louder if you want me home tonight
Sing it loud now, 'cause I'm comin' home tonight

Overall Meaning

The song "Home Tonight" by Chris Rice is a heartfelt ballad about finding one's way back home after wandering off into a lonely and dark place. The opening lyrics express the sense of coming to one's senses and the realization that they have strayed far from home. These lines are followed by acknowledging the lies being told to oneself, and the resulting loneliness. In the next verse, the song recalls the strength of love and how it is possible to leave its warm embrace.

The chorus, "Burn your fire on the altar, leave a candle on the porch, I'm still too far away to see it, but I'm aching for its warmth" speaks to the yearning for home and the comfort a welcoming fire could bring. The lyrics showcase the depth of longing that can come from feeling isolated and uncertain of one's place in the world. The next verse acknowledges the struggle of returning home after wandering away from it, understanding that closing the door would be within the realm of reason. It is a heartfelt plea to be accepted back with open arms.

The song ends with a nostalgic and wistful touch, expressing the desire to return to familiar comforts, where one used to play. It is a powerful reminder of how love and comfort can be found in the most unlikely of places, and how coming home can be one of the most fulfilling experiences in life.

Line by Line Meaning

I've come to my senses
I have regained my consciousness and rationality

How did I get so far from home
I wonder how I drifted so far away from my loved ones

The lies dissipating
The falsehoods are fading away

Revealing I'm so alone
Exposing my true state of being forlorn and lonely

And I remember now how strong love can be
Recalling the immense power of love

And I wonder how did I ever leave
Reflecting on how I could have possibly walked away

Burn your fire on the altar
Set the blaze on the altar

Leave a candle on the porch
Place a candle on the front doorstep

I'm still too far away to see it
Despite being distant, I cannot see it

But I'm aching for its warmth
I desperately long for the comfort of the fire's heat

And I'm so tired and cold and dark and lonesome
I am exhausted, freezing, gloomy, and isolated