According to the Slow Songfacts, Sarah spent the early years of her life in Pakistan,having been born in Islamabad on 3rd June 1979, where her father was the chief-engineer of the enormous Tarbela Dam, 30 miles to the northwest of Islamabad. The youngest of seven children, living in an expat colony without TV or newspapers, Rumer and her family would often sing and write songs together. Her brother Rob gave Rumer her first guitar; which she taught herself to play, and on which, years later, she wrote all the songs on her debut album, Seasons of My Soul.
The singer/songwriter spent her teenage years in Carlisle at Newman School before leaving at 16 to pursue her ambition. It has been a hard slog but years later she is finally hitting the big time and gradually becoming a household name. She now hopes her success will inspire other young people to follow their dreams.
Having had her single listed ahead of its release on both Radio 2 and Magic FM, she is also preparing to support Jools Holland on his UK tour this autumn – the finale being a show at the Albert Hall.
She also has a celebrity fan in the form of easy listening legend Burt Bacharach, who invited her to sing for him when she visited California.
On My Way Home
Rumer Lyrics
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Stood at the gates of Heaven, I watched you disappear
Now I hear you say
"It's time to walk away"
But how can I when I don't know my way home from here?
Out of nowhere, I'm on the side of the road
I must've cut my heart out
As I turn my weary head toward the desert sky
As your last light faded from you
And I knew I was lost
I was on my way, on my way
On my way home
I was on my way, on my way
On my way home
When I was hiding from the storms, you heard me calling out
Where were you?
With every demon on the road, you had me crying out
Where were you?
You know I've searched the stars
I don't know where you are
Oh, on my way, on my way
On my way home
Oh, on my way, on my way
On my way home
When I wake up, I see a fire red sky
And I get my down on my knees and praise in disbelief
As this beauty lay before my eyes
And it feels so strong
And it feels so good
Oh, my God; oh, my God
I am yours
Oh, my God; oh, my God
I am yours
The lyrics of Rumer's On My Way Home depict a story of loss, confusion, and redemption. The opening lines refer to the singer's sorrow, which leads her to follow someone, perhaps a lover, to a place that seems heavenly. But as she stands at the "gates of Heaven," she watches this person "disappear." The singer is left alone and lost, not knowing how to get back "home."
The next verse suggests that the singer might have lost herself in trying to follow this person. She's on the side of the road, having cut out her heart and sold her soul. She looks toward the desert sky as the last light fades from her lover, and she realizes that she is lost. The chorus repeats the phrase "on my way home" several times, emphasizing the singer's determination to find her way back.
The second half of the song shifts to the perspective of the person the singer was following. They seem to have been absent when the singer needed them most. The singer accuses this person of abandoning her during storms and leaving her at the mercy of demons. She's searched everywhere, even the stars, but still hasn't found them. However, the final verse introduces a note of hope as the singer wakes up to a "fire red sky" and sees the beauty around her. She thanks God for this profound experience and affirms her faith, saying "I am yours."
Ultimately, the song seems to be about finding oneself after losing someone else. The singer has experienced a painful separation, but ultimately finds a sense of peace and grounding through faith.
Line by Line Meaning
Full of sorrow, I must've followed you here
I came here feeling unhappy, and it seems like I must have come here chasing after you
Stood at the gates of Heaven, I watched you disappear
I was in a heavenly place with you, but then you vanished from my sight
Now I hear you say
"It's time to walk away"
But how can I when I don't know my way home from here?
You're telling me to leave now, but I don't know how to get back home
Out of nowhere, I'm on the side of the road
I must've cut my heart out
I must've sold my soul
As I turn my weary head toward the desert sky
As your last light faded from you
And I knew I was lost
Suddenly I find myself stranded on this road. I feel like I've given up everything, and as I gaze at the sky and see the last bit of light fading from you, I realize that I'm completely lost
I was on my way, on my way
On my way home
I was on my way, on my way
On my way home
I was heading home, but it seems like I'm lost now
When I was hiding from the storms, you heard me calling out
Where were you?
With every demon on the road, you had me crying out
Where were you?
You know I've searched the stars
I don't know where you are
When I was in trouble, I asked for your help, but you were nowhere to be found. I searched everywhere for you, but I still don't know where you are
Oh, on my way, on my way
On my way home
Oh, on my way, on my way
On my way home
I'm still trying to find my way home
When I wake up, I see a fire red sky
And I get my down on my knees and praise in disbelief
As this beauty lay before my eyes
And it feels so strong
And it feels so good
When I wake up, I'm surrounded by a beautiful and intense red sky. I'm so amazed and grateful to see this. It feels so good and powerful
Oh, my God; oh, my God
I am yours
Oh, my God; oh, my God
I am yours
I feel connected to a higher power, and I give myself to it
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: SARAH JOYCE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind