Reno I'm Coming Home
Roy Lyrics


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Reno, I'm coming home, I swear I'll be back soon.
Left Salt Lake at midnight, home by noon.
Pass out on the bench seat and sleep for half the drive.
Pray we get home safe and endure the ride.
Alcohol, sleep withdrawal, a diet of fast food.
Reno' I'm coming home. I'll see you soon.
Father asks, "is it worth it? You're broke and in debt too."
Mother asks, "are you homesick, lonesome and blue?"
"Your twenties will soon be over and you haven't paid your dues.
Your classmates already got some years on you"
Long hard days with shitty pay ain't enough to get you through.
Father, please be proud of what I do.
Reno, I'm coming home for another week or two,
Then it's back out on the road away from you.
I miss you when I'm gone but I'm restless when I'm here.
Just one last time and we're done for the year.




Empty halls with sparse applause yields another bad review.
Reno, I'm coming home, I'll see you soon.

Overall Meaning

The song "Reno I'm Coming Home" by Roy is a poignant portrayal of the struggles and sacrifices made by musicians who have hit the road in the quest of success. The lyrics describe the singer's journey back to his hometown Reno after traveling for a while. Envisioning the familiar town and his loved ones, the singer is filled with a sense of longing and nostalgia. The song captures the essence of a life on the road with its hangovers, lack of sleep, and dependence on fast food to make it through long journeys. The singer implores his parents to understand his struggle and his passion for music, even though it may not necessarily pay off in the conventional sense. The song ends on a note that calls to mind not just a sense of exhaustion and disillusionment but also a deep appreciation for the idea of returning to one's roots and the renewal that it brings.


The song also speaks of the harsh realities of the music industry, where success can be both fleeting and elusive. Even amidst the hard work and continuous grind of performing, the singer often encounters sparse audiences and negative reviews. However, the longing to reconnect with his hometown and his loved ones keeps him going. "Reno I'm Coming Home" is a unique song in that it not only conveys the struggles of a musician but also appeals to the broader audience by evoking the emotions of what it means to return home.


Line by Line Meaning

Reno, I'm coming home, I swear I'll be back soon.
I'm headed back home to Reno and I promise it won't be long before I'm there.


Left Salt Lake at midnight, home by noon.
I left Salt Lake City at midnight and plan to arrive home by noon.


Pass out on the bench seat and sleep for half the drive.
I'm so tired that I plan on passing out on the bench seat and sleeping for half the drive home.


Pray we get home safe and endure the ride.
I'm hoping that we make it home safely and that I can handle the journey.


Alcohol, sleep withdrawal, a diet of fast food.
I've been drinking, not sleeping enough, and eating unhealthy food.


Reno' I'm coming home. I'll see you soon.
I'm definitely coming back to Reno and will be there shortly.


Father asks, "is it worth it? You're broke and in debt too."
My father is questioning if it's worth it for me to keep working despite not having much money and being in debt.


Mother asks, "are you homesick, lonesome and blue?"
My mother is concerned if I'm feeling homesick, lonely, or depressed.


"Your twenties will soon be over and you haven't paid your dues.
My parents think I haven't worked hard enough to be successful and that time is running out.


Your classmates already got some years on you"
My peers are already more experienced and ahead of me in their careers.


Long hard days with shitty pay ain't enough to get you through.
Working long, tough days for low pay is not sustainable in the long term.


Father, please be proud of what I do.
I want my father to be proud of the work I do.


Reno, I'm coming home for another week or two,
I plan on being home in Reno for a short period of time, about a week or two.


Then it's back out on the road away from you.
After my brief visit, I'll be back on the road and away from my hometown.


I miss you when I'm gone but I'm restless when I'm here.
While I do miss home when I'm away, I still feel restless when I'm there.


Just one last time and we're done for the year.
After this short visit, I won't be back home for the rest of the year.


Empty halls with sparse applause yields another bad review.
My work has not been well received and I've had bad reviews and sparse audiences.


Reno, I'm coming home, I'll see you soon.
I'm definitely coming back to Reno and will be there shortly.




Contributed by Isabella N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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