Like many of the other Europe members, he grew up in Stockholm suburb Upplands Väsby. His biggest idols were Thin Lizzy and Led Zeppelin. During his teens, he played in a number of bands such as Made in Hong Kong and Roxanne. At that time he alternated between playing rhythm guitar and bass, in addition to lead vocals. In 1979 he formed the band Force, together with guitarist John Norum, drummer Tony Reno and bassist Peter Olsson. Three years later, Force changed its name to Europe and won the national talent contest Rock-SM. The reward was a record deal with Hot Records.
Tempest played the keyboards on the first two Europe albums before the band decided to recruit keyboardist Mic Michaeli in April 1984. A couple of years earlier, Tempest had borrowed a keyboard from Michaeli and used it to compose the main keyboard riff in the song "The Final Countdown". After a jam session in 1985, Michaeli and Tempest co-wrote the ballad "Carrie". Later that year, Tempest wrote the soundtrack for the Swedish film On the Loose, as well as the song "Give A Helping Hand" for the benefit project Swedish Metal Aid. The song was produced by future Europe bandmate Kee Marcello. In 1986 Tempest wrote and produced the album One of a Kind for Tone Norum, John Norum's younger sister. Tempest also collaborated with John Norum on the single "We Will Be Strong" from Norum's album Face the Truth in 1992. This was Tempest and Norum's first collaboration since Norum left Europe in November 1986.
After Europe went on hiatus in 1992, Tempest released three solo albums. The first album, A Place to Call Home featured a guest appearance from John Norum on the song "Right to Respect". Several songs on the third album, Joey Tempest, were co-written by Mic Michaeli. 2004 saw the release of Europe's comeback album, Start from the Dark, featuring the band's classic Final Countdown line-up with John Norum on guitar. The follow-up, Secret Society, was released in 2006, and Last Look at Eden in 2009.
Tempest is currently living in London with his wife Lisa Worthington-Larsson and their son James Joakim.
A Place To Call Home
Joey Tempest Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Wanted my freedom no matter what the cost
It made no difference what anyone said
I didn't follow my heart I followed my head
Well a man is an island but the water is deep
And the shore on the other side is ragged and steep
Well I built my castle for just one man
The tower of strength with no one around
To pick me up when it all came down
Well I should have known
We all need a place to call home o
H yeah, uh huh
Well you travel the highways and you travel the world
When there ain't much left you haven't seen or heard
To look for perfection is a lonely old ride
It takes a whole lot of courage and a whole lot of pride
And then one day when you really care
She touches your soul but you're far too scared
Well I should have known
We all need a place to call home
Oh yeah, uh huh, oh yeah
I'm trying everyday to find out more about myself
Learning how to love now I need it from somebody else
Yeah, yeah Come poets and writers come spare me some time
Come tell me the reason come tell me the rhyme
When you look for independence and you get what you want
How come you look back thinking "what have I done?"
But time and again it dawns on me
It's the price we pay for liberty
Well I should have known
We all need a place to call home oh yeah, home
God I miss you tonight
We all need a place to call home oh yeah
In the first verse of Joey Tempest's song "A Place to Call Home," he sings about his desire to be free and have the freedom to follow his head instead of his heart. He emphasizes this point by saying that he was willing to pay any cost to pursue his freedom, and he didn't care what anyone else said about it. However, although he values his independence, he recognizes that no man is an island, and that everyone needs a place to call home. In the second verse, Tempest reflects on his travels, noting that the search for perfection can be a lonely one and require a lot of courage and pride. When he finally does find someone who touches his soul, he is too scared to let her in because he hasn't found his home yet. Finally, in the chorus, he admits that he is still searching and recognizes that we all need a place to call home.
The lyrics of "A Place to Call Home" reflect a universal human longing for belonging and connection. The song recognizes the importance of independence and individuality, but ultimately argues that these aspirations must be balanced with a desire for community and companionship. The song is also an embodiment of Tempest's personal struggles, as he left his native Sweden to pursue a music career in America before eventually returning to Europe. The song is an ode to Tempest's journey, as well as a message to anyone who has ever felt like they don't quite belong.
Line by Line Meaning
I was out the front door like nothing was lost
I left without hesitation and didn't care about what I was leaving behind.
Wanted my freedom no matter what the cost
I desired to be free, even if it meant sacrificing other things like love and relationships.
It made no difference what anyone said
I didn't care about the opinions of others and made my own choices regardless of their advice.
I didn't follow my heart I followed my head
I made logical decisions instead of following my emotions and desires.
Well a man is an island but the water is deep
People may feel independent, but there are depths to their emotions and needs.
And the shore on the other side is ragged and steep
The path to finding love and a secure place can be difficult and treacherous.
Well I built my castle for just one man
I created a life and a sense of security for myself, by myself without considering others.
Without the love of a woman it's made out of sand
Love and companionship is essential for a long-lasting and strong foundation.
The tower of strength with no one around
I appeared strong and capable, but lacked support from others.
To pick me up when it all came down
I needed someone to be there for me during tough times.
Well I should have known
In hindsight, I realize that I needed a place to call home.
We all need a place to call home o
Everyone needs a sense of belonging and a secure place to call their own.
Well you travel the highways and you travel the world
Traveling the world and experiencing new things can be exciting and informative.
When there ain't much left you haven't seen or heard
After experiencing so much, it can be difficult to find something new or exciting to explore.
To look for perfection is a lonely old ride
Striving for perfection can be lonely and isolating.
It takes a whole lot of courage and a whole lot of pride
Trying to achieve perfection requires bravery and a strong sense of self.
And then one day when you really care
When you deeply care about someone, you may realize that striving for perfection isn't as important as love and companionship.
She touches your soul but you're far too scared
Fear and insecurity can prevent someone from opening up to love.
I'm trying everyday to find out more about myself
I am on a journey of self-discovery and growth.
Learning how to love now I need it from somebody else
After learning about myself, I now realize that I need love and companionship from someone else.
Come poets and writers come spare me some time
I am seeking advice and insight from people who are experienced in expressing emotion and feelings through words.
Come tell me the reason come tell me the rhyme
I want to know the reasoning and inspiration behind their writing and how it may apply to my life.
When you look for independence and you get what you want
When someone strives for independence, they may achieve it, but may also feel lonely and unfulfilled.
How come you look back thinking "what have I done?"
In retrospect, achieving independence may not have been worth the cost of sacrificing love and companionship.
But time and again it dawns on me
Repeatedly, I realize that I need a sense of belonging and a secure place to call home.
It's the price we pay for liberty
The cost of freedom and independence is sometimes sacrificing security and love.
God I miss you tonight
I am feeling lonely and miss someone's companionship.
We all need a place to call home oh yeah
Everyone needs a place to belong and feel secure.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: JOEY TEMPEST
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
MsLeeadama
Thanks so much for uploading this video! Being looking for it for ages :-) And it's really great quality! Thanks again!! Just love this song!
Park Kh
I love it!
Lorenzo Nava
I LOVE THIS SONG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
adamantane1985
@brucepkh, I Love It, Too! ;D