In This House That I Call Home
X Lyrics


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A hundred lives are shoved inside guests arrive to dump their mess obedient host and visiting wife come outa the bedroom straightening clothes in this house that I call home nobody knows the party rules gotta get in but there's no room in this house that I call home beautiful walls are closing in looking at you you're having a nightmare stumble over tombstone shoes but it's too soon I finally look in your sweet eyes and somebody comes with a bottle of beer after he leaves I turn for a kiss and see the lady next door she's naked in the street




Overall Meaning

The lyrics of X's song "In This House That I Call Home" depict a chaotic and overcrowded party filled with guests who are constantly entering and leaving the house with little regard for the rules or the space available. The lines "a hundred lives are shoved inside, guests arrive to dump their mess, obedient host and visiting wife come out of the bedroom straightening clothes" indicate the overwhelming and disorderly atmosphere of the party.


Despite the chaos, the singer insists that this house is their home, even though "nobody knows the party rules" and that "there's no room" for everyone. The theme of feeling a sense of belonging even in the midst of chaos is reinforced by the lines "beautiful walls are closing in, looking at you you're having a nightmare, stumble over tombstone shoes but it's too soon". This suggests that despite the chaos and the oppressive nature of the environment, there is still a sense of comfort and familiarity that the singer finds in this house.


The song takes a surreal turn in the final lines, with the singer discovering a naked woman in the street outside the house. This sudden and unexpected moment adds to the sense of confusion and disorientation that permeates the rest of the song, and suggests that even the outside world is not immune to the chaotic energy of the party.


Line by Line Meaning

A hundred lives are shoved inside
There are many different people living within the walls of this house.


Guests arrive to dump their mess
Visitors come over and make a mess of the house.


Obedient host and visiting wife
The homeowner and their spouse are dutifully attending to their guests.


Come outa the bedroom straightening clothes
The homeowner is coming out of their bedroom, making sure their appearance looks good.


In this house that I call home
The songwriter is talking about their own home, where all of this chaos is happening.


Nobody knows the party rules
The guests don't know how to behave properly at the party.


Gotta get in but there's no room
People want to attend the party but there isn't enough space for everyone.


In this house that I call home
Again, the singer is emphasizing that this is their own space.


Beautiful walls are closing in
The songwriter feels trapped or suffocated in their own home.


Looking at you you're having a nightmare
The guests are behaving poorly and making the homeowner uncomfortable.


Stumble over tombstone shoes but it's too soon
Someone tripped over something, but the timing of the fall was inappropriate for laughter.


I finally look in your sweet eyes
The songwriter is addressing someone in particular and taking a moment to look into their eyes.


And somebody comes with a bottle of beer
Another guest arrives and offers a drink to the homeowner.


After he leaves I turn for a kiss
As soon as the guest leaves, the homeowner makes a romantic move towards someone else.


And see the lady next door
The songwriter notices their neighbor, who is nearby.


She's naked in the street
The neighbor is unclothed and outside.




Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC, RESERVOIR MEDIA MANAGEMENT INC
Written by: EXENE CERVENKA, JOHN DOE

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

@joeski734

It is amazing how traditional rock and roll/ rockabilly this sounds now and how raw and startling it was then compared to most everything else. Damn this is good 40 years later.

@elmoblatch9787

Marks a golden time when people drifted in seemingly at random and everyone survived. The division between rock star and fan was at its most miniscule during those amazing L.A. punk days. Mike Watt and D. Boon did not retreat to the VIP section. John and Exene were RIGHT THERE. And then it was gone in a blink.

@stevendurham9996

Beautifully said.
It's not gone. It's here.
Sometimes, discretion is the better part of valor, and Dad has to keep His powder dry.

@ericandriechack1726

John and Billy Zoom were hanging out with people when I saw them in 2008. They are two of the nicest most down to earth people ever.

@JohnERed

What an lp. Brilliant start to finish.

@yorkandpomona

In this house that I call home
Nobody knows the party rules
I gotta get in but there's no room

@dougieh9676

X fan for life

@medusatorrez8068

❤️❤️❤️❤️

@ethanhill9460

The lyrics denote what is always confused in American domestic life. The rockabilly rages. So might the song's characters.

@starbird1111

No place like leavin home

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