Joseph Henry "T Bone" Burnett III (born January 14, 1948) is an American re… Read Full Bio ↴Joseph Henry "T Bone" Burnett III (born January 14, 1948) is an American record producer, guitarist and songwriter. He rose to fame as a guitarist in Bob Dylan's band during the 1970s. He has received multiple Grammy awards for his work in film music, including for O Brother, Where Art Thou? (2000), Cold Mountain (2004), Walk the Line (2005), and Crazy Heart (2010); and won another Grammy for producing the studio album Raising Sand (2007), in which he united the contemporary bluegrass of Alison Krauss with the blues rock of Robert Plant (ex-Led Zeppelin).

Burnett helped start the careers of Counting Crows, Los Lobos, Sam Phillips, and Gillian Welch, and he revitalized the careers of Gregg Allman and Roy Orbison. He produced music for the television programs Nashville and True Detective. He has released several solo studio albums, including Tooth of Crime, which he wrote for a revival of the play by Sam Shepard.

The only child of Joseph Henry Burnett Jr. and Hazel Perkins Burnett, Burnett was born in St. Louis, Missouri, in 1948, and raised in Fort Worth, Texas. His grandfather worked as secretary for the Southern Baptist Convention. His father wanted to be a pro athlete and was courted by the Brooklyn Dodgers, but instead, he got a job in Fort Worth with the Tandy Corporation. Burnett was brought up in the Episcopal Church of his mother. He forgot the origin of his nickname, which he uses without a dash.

Burnett discovered music through his parents' 78 RPM phonograph records of Louis Armstrong, Count Basie, Duke Ellington, Ella Fitzgerald, Mahalia Jackson, Dinah Washington, and the songs of Cole Porter. He was drawn to music that took him to unconventional places, and he felt no compulsion to stick to one genre. He heard Peggy Lee, Hank Williams, and the Beatles on the radio, was influenced by Buddy Holly, and revered Johnny Cash. He was smitten by the music of Howlin' Wolf, Skip James, the Stanley Brothers, and Jimmy Reed.

I'm Coming Home
T-Bone Burnett Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I been lost and all alone like a statue made of stone
But now I'm coming home
I fell for a painted face, thought I'd fallen out of grace
But now I'm coming home

I'm coming home, hold me to your breast
Let me stay and rest in your tenderness
I'm coming home, back where I belong

Still your love is strong, roll away the stone
I'm coming home

I said my prayers, made my plans
Set out for the promised land and now I'm coming home
I saw how you pay the price
For some distant paradise and now I'm coming home

I'm coming home, hold me to your breast
Let me stay and rest in your tenderness
I'm coming home, back where I belong

Still your love is strong, roll away the stone
I'm coming home, I'm coming home

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to T-Bone Burnett's song "I'm Coming Home" convey the singer's journey back to a place of comfort and love. The singer admits that they have been lost and alone, feeling like a "statue made of stone." They then describe how they fell for a "painted face," referring to a false image or desire that led them astray. However, through prayer and personal growth, the singer has decided to return home. They paint a vivid picture of their desire to be held close and to rest in tenderness. The chorus summarizes the singer's mission: to return to where they belong and to be embraced by strong and true love.

The song is a powerful testimony to the human capacity for growth and change. It speaks to the desire for belonging and connection that exists in all of us. The lyrics are crafted with masterful simplicity, using poetic imagery to convey complex feelings. The song's gentle melody reinforces the overall sense of comfort and peace.

Overall, "I'm Coming Home" is a song about finding one's way back to a place of love and belonging after a difficult journey. It invites the listener to reflect on their own journeys and the meaning of home.

Interesting Facts about the song:

Line by Line Meaning

I been lost and all alone like a statue made of stone
I felt isolated and hopeless, like I was stuck in a state of stillness and felt no purpose in my life.

But now I'm coming home
But now, I am returning to a place or time where I feel comfortable and happy.

I fell for a painted face, thought I'd fallen out of grace
I was deceived by an attractive appearance and thought I had lost the favor and mercy of those around me.

I'm coming home, hold me to your breast Let me stay and rest in your tenderness
I am returning home to find comfort and warmth in an embrace and to be able to take a break and relax in the nurturing environment.

I'm coming home, back where I belong Still your love is strong, roll away the stone
I am returning to where I feel I am meant to be and despite any obstacles, the love I have encountered there is steadfast and will overpower any hindrance to my return.

I said my prayers, made my plans Set out for the promised land and now I'm coming home
I have had hopes and dreams for a new place where I could find acceptance and opportunity, and now that I have tried, I know that my current home is the only place where I truly belong.

I saw how you pay the price For some distant paradise and now I'm coming home
I have seen how much work and sacrifice is required to achieve a goal or place far away, and I realized that what I have back home is worth much more because I can have it more easily and without having to pay a steep cost.

I'm coming home, I'm coming home
I am returning to where I feel is my true origin and where I am loved, and I am excited and determined to do so.

Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: T-BONE BURNETT

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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