A number of their albums are concept albums - Catatonia is a concept album "depicting the internal journey of a man born without the ability to dream". The Robbery of Murder is about a man who hunts down the drunk driver responsible for running down his father when he was a boy.
Their CD, Mimi's Magic Moment features guest appearances from Neal Morse, David Ragsdale of Kansas and Fred Schendel from Glass Hammer and is highly recommended. They recently released their eighth studio album, Pennies in the Karma Jar, on the surface it appears to be a "praise and worship" album, but like everything with Salem Hill it is much deeper than that. Carl Groves' exceptional guitar playing, introspective lyrics, and love affair with the Hammond dominates their latest work.
When
Salem Hill Lyrics
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You know you break my heart. It's hard on me, you know
"When's he coming home?" Nose pressed 'gainst the glass
You tear me up inside. I miss him too, you know
It may be natural, but so is suffering
He's been gone for such a long long time
It takes all that I've got just to hold it in
"When's he coming home?" Arms stretched reaching out
I know you're hurt so deep, you're all I've got, you know
"When's he coming home?" Stubborn tears of hope
It's much too hard to bear. We're all alone, you know
It may be clinical thought that you're perfectly sound
But you should be able to see he's gone
You're listening for a voice which cannot respond
When you meekly murmur his name
"When's he coming home?" Patience undeterred
You need to let him go. It's time to move ahead
The lyrics of Salem Hill's song When may refer to a loved one who has gone away for an extended period and two individuals waiting for his return. The emotional pain and longing for the absent individual are evident in the lyrics, which convey a sense of sadness and frustration.
The devastated person waiting for the return of a loved one is expressed consistently throughout the song. The lyrics "When's he coming home?" repeats throughout the piece with slightly different wordings, emphasizing the individual's desperate longing for their beloved. The lyrics, "You know you break my heart" and "You tear me up inside," indicate how much the absence of the individual hurts the other person. Despite the pain, the waiting individual tries to be strong, holding in their emotions while waiting for their beloved's return.
The song's emotional themes and powerful messages resonate with the audience, hitting a chord with all those who have experienced the pain of separation from a loved one. The lyrics highlight the emotional turmoil that one experiences while waiting for someone they love, and the feelings of loss, loneliness and helplessness that come with it.
Line by Line Meaning
"When's he coming home?" Waiting by the door
The singer is waiting for someone to come home and it's causing them pain because they miss the person so much.
You know you break my heart. It's hard on me, you know
The singer is telling the person that their sadness and pain is hurting them too.
"When's he coming home?" Nose pressed 'gainst the glass
The singer is anxiously waiting and hoping to see the person return.
You tear me up inside. I miss him too, you know
The artist is expressing their own feelings of missing the person and being deeply affected by their absence.
It may be natural, but so is suffering
The artist is acknowledging that it's normal to miss someone who's gone but it's also very painful to endure.
He's been gone for such a long long time
The singer is emphasizing that the person they miss has been away for a significant amount of time and they're feeling the effects of that absence.
It takes all that I've got just to hold it in
The singer is struggling to keep their emotions in check because they want to cry out and express how much they miss the person.
When you meekly murmur his name
The artist is referring to the moments when the person can't help but say the name of the person they miss, despite feeling powerless and alone.
"When's he coming home?" Arms stretched reaching out
The artist is expressing the physical longing they feel for the person they miss - it's as though they're stretching out to try and touch them.
I know you're hurt so deep, you're all I've got, you know
The artist is trying to comfort the person and make them feel heard and understood in the midst of their pain.
"When's he coming home?" Stubborn tears of hope
The singer is describing how the tears the person sheds are not only sad but also hopeful - they're still holding out for the person to return.
It's much too hard to bear. We're all alone, you know
The artist is acknowledging that the situation is incredibly difficult and that they're struggling to cope with the person's absence too.
It may be clinical thought that you're perfectly sound
The singer is noting that from a medical perspective, the person may appear to be doing OK - however, the singer knows how deeply they're hurting inside.
But you should be able to see he's gone
The singer is gently encouraging the person to accept that the person they miss is no longer there and to stop holding onto hope that they'll return.
You're listening for a voice which cannot respond
The singer is describing the painful experience of waiting for the person they miss to contact them, despite knowing that this is impossible.
When you meekly murmur his name
The artist is restating the previous line, emphasizing the emotional pain and longing that's associated with saying the name of the person they miss.
"When's he coming home?" Patience undeterred
The artist is acknowledging the person's persistence in hoping and waiting for the other person's return.
You need to let him go. It's time to move ahead
The singer is urging the person to start coming to terms with the fact that the person they miss is not coming back and to start taking steps towards moving forward with their life.
Contributed by Adrian I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Steve Blomerth
A great band and totally unknown to me until just last week. Great composing, playing and singing in the service of melodic progressive rock music.
Roger Kent
One of the best epics I've heard this century. Completely wonderful
Kate Murphy
Unfortunately, You Tube wonโt let me subscribe to this channel. I apologize for complaining about what seems to be a You Tube malfunction. Thank you for the upload