“Almost Home” is a song written and sung by American country artist Craig Morgan. It came out in November 2002 as the second single from his album called “I Love It”. This song marked Morgan’s first big hit, reaching the Top 10 on the country music charts in the United States.
Moreover, Morgan received recognition for the song’s success, winning a “Song of the Year” award from BMI and a Songwriter’s Achievement Award from the Nashville Songwriters’ Association International. Craig Morgan wrote the song with Kerry Kurt Phillips.
The song is about a homeless man’s statement, “almost home,” which is purposely vague. It could mean he was close to reaching home in his dream, or it could suggest he’s nearing death and heading to Heaven.
In this article, we’ll take a closer look at what the lyrics of the song mean.
Table of Contents
“Almost Home” Lyrics Meaning
[Verse 1]
He had plastic bags wrapped ’round his shoes
He was covered with the evening news
Had a pair of old wool socks on his hands
The bank sign was flashin’ 5 below
It was freezing rain and spittin’ snow
He was curled up behind some garbage cans
In Verse 1, Craig Morgan describes encountering a man who is struggling and appears homeless.
The man has plastic bags wrapped around his shoes, is covered with the evening newspaper, and is wearing old wool socks on his hands. The weather is harsh, with freezing rain and snow.
The man is huddled behind garbage cans, indicating his dire circumstances.
[Pre-Chorus 1]
I was afraid that he was dead, I gave him a gentle shake
When he opened up his eyes, I said, “Old man are you OK?”
In Pre-Chorus 1, Craig Morgan recounts his reaction upon discovering the man’s condition. He is concerned that the man might be dead, so he gently shakes him to check.
When the man opens his eyes, Morgan asks if he is okay, showing his immediate concern for the stranger’s well-being.
[Chorus]
He said, “I just climbed out of a cottonwood tree
I was runnin’ from some honey bees
Drip-dryin’ in the summer breeze
After jumpin’ into Calico creek
I was walkin’ down an old dirt road
Past a field of hay that had just been mowed
Man I wish you’d just left me alone
‘Cause I was almost home”
In the Chorus, Craig Morgan narrates the man’s response to his inquiry about his well-being.
The man recounts a somewhat fantastical tale, claiming that he had just escaped a perilous situation.
He describes fleeing from bees, drying off in the summer breeze, and jumping into a creek.
He expresses a longing for home, mentioning passing familiar landmarks like an old dirt road and a freshly mowed field.
Despite Morgan’s attempt to intervene, the man insists that he was on the brink of returning home, as expressed in the lines “‘Man I wish you’d just left me alone, ‘Cause I was almost home.”‘
[Verse 2]
Then he said, “I’s just comin’ ’round the barn
‘Bout the time you grabbed my arm
When I heard mama holler, “Son, hurry up”
I was close enough for my old nose
To smell fresh cobbler on the stove
And I saw daddy loadin’ up the truck
In Verse 2, the man describes being close to home when Morgan approached him.
In the lines” I was close enough for my old nose, To smell fresh cobbler on the stove,” he mentions hearing his mother calling him and smelling fresh cobbler cooking on the stove.
Apart from that, he sees his father loading up the truck, as evident in the line “And I saw daddy loadin’ up the truck.”
The man expresses nostalgia for these familiar sights and sounds.
[Pre-Chorus 2]
Cane poles on the tailgate, bobbers blowin’ in the wind
Since July of ’55, that’s as close as I’ve been”
In Pre-Chorus, Craig Morgan shares more details about the man’s reminiscences.
The man recalls a specific memory from July of 1955, where he saw cane poles on the truck’s tailgate and bobbers blowing in the wind.
This memory holds sentimental value for him, as it represents a cherished moment from his past.
[Bridge]
I said ,”Old man you’re gonna freeze to death
Let me drive you to the mission”
He said, “Boy, if you’d’ve left me alone
Right now I’d be fishin'”
In the Bridge, he expresses concern for the man’s well-being and offers to drive him to a shelter.
However, the man declines the offer, insisting that if Morgan had left him alone, he would be fishing right now.
This refusal underscores the man’s strong desire to be left alone and his preference for his own way of life, even if it means enduring difficult circumstances.
[Outro]
Man I wish you’d just left me alone
I was almost home
In the Outro, Craig Morgan reflects on the man’s insistence on being left alone.
Despite Morgan’s attempts to help, the man repeats his desire to be left alone, reiterating that he was almost home.
Deeper Meaning Behind “Almost Home”
Craig Morgan got the idea for the song while on tour. His wife wasn’t happy about his frequent absences, and during one phone call, he tried to reassure her by saying he’d be “almost home” soon. That phrase stuck with him.
Fate brought Morgan together with Kerry Kurt Phillips, a renowned songwriter. On his way to meet Phillips to discuss the song idea, Morgan saw a homeless man on a bridge. That moment clicked – that man was “almost home.”
The song is a slow, gentle tune with acoustic guitar and fiddle. In the lyrics, the singer describes meeting an elderly homeless man sleeping by a trash can on a cold day. Thinking the man might be dead, the singer wakes him up. The homeless man then says he’s “almost home” and talks about what he was dreaming about. The singer offers to take the man to a shelter, but the man says no.
Now, if you’re wondering about the meaning of “almost home” in this context, you’re not alone. Morgan and Phillips intentionally left it open to interpretation. Morgan saw it as the man dreaming of returning home, while Phillips thought it could signify nearing the end of life. Phillips said:
“A lot of people ask me if the guy almost died[…] was he dying or dreaming? It’s funny how people have different interpretations. That’s the neat thing about a song, and I think understatement is the key to a good song…leaving enough room for the listener to draw their own conclusion[…] so I never answer them on that. I guess it’s up to the listener.”
But one thing is quite clear: the song demonstrates how memories and longing can offer comfort during challenging times. It also subtly critiques how society treats the homeless, urging us to empathize with their struggles and recognize the humanity in every individual, regardless of their circumstances.
Jacob Carter is a lyricist. He created the lyrics writing course to teach people how to analyze and write lyrics. He graduated from the University of Oxford with a degree in English Literature, so he’s skilled at playing with words.
He’s also an amateur guitarist, which means he knows music and melody very well. With this background, he’s a great lyricist you can rely on to learn writing lyrics.