Raised in Velma, Oklahoma, Diffie worked in a foundry while playing local nightclubs in Oklahoma and moved to Nashville in 1986 to work for Gibson Guitar Corporation.
His first album arrived in 1990 when country music was thriving commercially and creatively. His first single, a sensitive traditional country ballad, Home, reached No. 1, although Diffie quickly counted on novelty hits to sustain his career. For instance, his other No. 1 hits are Pickup Man, Bigger Than the Beatles, Third Rock From the Sun and If the Devil Danced (In Empty Pockets). Toward the end of the 1990s, Diffie lost his chart momentum and left Epic Records following his 2001 album, In Another World. Subsequently, he toured with Mark Chesnutt and Tracy Lawrence on the Rockin' Roadhouse tour.
In 2013, Diffie collaborated with Aaron Tippin and Sammy Kershaw on the album All in the Same Boat, and cut the single "Girl Riding Shotgun" with D Thrash of the Jawga Boyz. This was followed in 2019 by a vinyl album called Joe, Joe, Joe Diffie.
Diffie passed away from complications of coronavirus (COVID-19) on March 29, 2020.
Home
Joe Diffie Lyrics
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Is just the heat rising off the road
The rainbows I've been chasing
Keep on fading 'fore I find my pot of gold
And more and more I'm thinking
That the only treasures that I'll ever know
Are long ago and far behind
Home was a swimming hole
And a fishing pole
And the feel of a muddy road
Between my toes
Home was a back porch swing
Where I would sit
And mama'd sing 'Amazing Grace'
While she hung out the clothes
Home was an easy chair
With my daddy there
And the smell of Sunday supper on the stove
My footsteps carry me away
But in my mind I'm always going home
Now the miles I put behind me
Ain't as hard as the miles that lay ahead
And it's way too late to listen
To the words of wisdom that my daddy said
The straight and narrow path he showed me
Turned into a thousand winding roads
My footsteps carry me away
But in my mind I'm always going home
Home was a swimming hole
And a fishing pole
And the feel of a muddy road
Between my toes
Home was a back porch swing
Where I would sit
And mama'd sing 'Amazing Grace'
While she hung out the clothes
Home was an easy chair
With my daddy there
And the smell of Sunday supper on the stove
My footsteps carry me away
But in my mind I'm always going home
The straight and narrow path he showed me
Turned into a thousand winding roads
My footsteps carry me away
But in my mind I'm always going home
These lyrics are from the song "Home" by the late Joe Diffie. The song speaks about the feelings of nostalgia and longing for one's childhood home. Diffie speaks about travelling on the open road, and the only thing he sees ahead of him is the heat rising off of it. He references chasing rainbows and seeking his pot of gold, but these things keep fading away before he can find them.
The song mentions the thoughts of the treasures in life that he holds dear to him - memories of home. He describes his childhood home as a place where he would spend time swimming and fishing in the local swimming hole, running through the muddy roads without a single worry, and sitting on the back porch swing together with his mother, and savouring the moment while listening to her sing "Amazing Grace" as she did chores. He further recollects memories of sitting in his easy chair with his father, smelling Sunday supper cooking in the kitchen, and feeling the warmth of love and contentment.
Diffie then reflects on the road that brought him to where he is now, travelling miles away from home. He speaks about how the miles behind him are not as challenging as the ones that lay ahead. He regrets not listening to the words of wisdom his father shared with him, wishing he had taken the "straight and narrow path" his father recommended, which would have led him to a more direct way of achieving his goals in life. But, he acknowledges the reality that the road life took him down is one full of winding roads, but the cherished memories of his childhood home still hold strong in his mind, and he is still always going home.
Overall, the song "Home" is one of joy, sorrow, and contemplation. It reminds us of the beauty and simplicity of childhood memories while also acknowledging the complexities of life and how things don't always go as planned.
Line by Line Meaning
The only thing I see ahead
Is just the heat rising off the road
I don't see much promise or hope for the future, just the hot and blurry mirage rising from the road.
The rainbows I've been chasing
Keep on fading 'fore I find my pot of gold
My dreams and aspirations always seem to disappear before I can achieve them fully.
And more and more I'm thinking
That the only treasures that I'll ever know
Are long ago and far behind
Wrapped up in my memories of home
I'm realizing that the only things of value and comfort that I have are in my memories of home and the past.
Home was a swimming hole
And a fishing pole
And the feel of a muddy road
Between my toes
Home to me meant enjoying the simple things in life like swimming, fishing, and the sensation of the earth between my toes.
Home was a back porch swing
Where I would sit
And mama'd sing 'Amazing Grace'
While she hung out the clothes
Home was also a place of relaxation, where I could sit on the porch swing and listen to my mother's singing while she performed her daily chores.
Home was an easy chair
With my daddy there
And the smell of Sunday supper on the stove
Home also meant spending time with my father in his favorite chair while we awaited the aroma of Sunday dinner cooking on the stove.
Now the miles I put behind me
Ain't as hard as the miles that lay ahead
And it's way too late to listen
To the words of wisdom that my daddy said
Although I've traveled some distance in life, I know that the challenges and obstacles I will face in the future will be much harder to overcome. Additionally, I now understand the value of my father's advice, but feel that I didn't fully appreciate it when I should have.
The straight and narrow path he showed me
Turned into a thousand winding roads
The path that my father initially laid out for me in life has now become muddled and complex, with countless twists and turns that I must navigate alone.
My footsteps carry me away
But in my mind I'm always going home
Although I may physically move away from my hometown and family, I will always carry the memories and emotions of home with me wherever I go.
Lyrics © O/B/O DistroKid
Written by: Andy Spooner, Fred Lehner
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind