Hello and welcome to Hearing Double, where I compare and contrast two unrelated songs of the same name and decide which one does the song’s title the most justice!
Over the past two weeks, college students from across the country dispersed from their campuses in celebration of spring break. Some travelled to beautiful destinations like Cancún, San Juan or Miami, soaking up the sun after midterms. Others, like myself, enjoyed some quiet time at home.
It seems perfectly fitting that this week’s focus is on the familiar charm of home. Two songs both entitled “Our House” were released by folk rock supergroup Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young and British pop group Madness.
Before I dive into my analysis of these songs, it’s interesting to note the word choice in the song title. There’s a distinct difference between the connotations of “house” and “home.” While both songs use the colder “house,” the lyrics evoke much warmer feelings of home.
Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young’s “Our House” certainly paints a picture of domestic bliss. The lyrics go beyond the physical bounds of a house, putting more emphasis on the feelings and the domestic activities than the structure itself:
“Staring at the fire / for hours and hours while I listen to you / play your love songs all night long for me.”
This 1970 release was written by Graham Nash while he was living with his then-girlfriend Joni Mitchell in Laurel Canyon. The story behind the song is simple: The couple got breakfast and then went to an antique store where Mitchell found a nice vase to bring home. When they got home, Nash lit a fire while she put flowers in the vase, which struck him as a beautifully “ordinary moment” in what was an otherwise extraordinary life for the two.
There is something to be said about the ordinary moments in love. We’re made to believe by the entertainment industry that love is all about passion, grand romantic gestures and excitement. These are important factors in a relationship, to be sure, but they mean nothing without the feelings of comfort and home when with your partner.
The Laurel Canyon sound is immediately felt in this folksy ballad. The slow tempo and layered vocals of the group create a warm and familiar feeling that draws the listener in with its sweet simplicity. I can just imagine this song being sung around a firepit, smiling faces of friends, family and lovers illuminated by the firelight.
Don’t get me wrong, I’ll always desire city life, but Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young’s “Our House” makes a very compelling case for small town romance.
Madness’ “Our House,” released in 1982, has the sound qualities of new wave, but the band’s Spotify describes their music as rooted in ska, pop and British classic rock. It’s a much different sound than Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young’s rendition, with a faster-paced, upbeat tempo and a loud backing band. But the two songs are not entirely different.
Romanticization of simplicity is also a prominent theme in this competing title. The difference is that this rendition romanticizes family life as opposed to a romantic relationship. It’s a story of a chaotic but loving home — an ode to childhood and to family:
“Our house, it always has a crowd / there’s always something happening / and it’s usually quite loud / our mum she’s so house proud.”
The lyrics indicate that the narrator’s family isn’t materially rich, they’re rich in love. The idea, Madness vocalist and bassist Chas Smash says, sprang from his feelings of isolation on tour. Missing his family, he encouraged the group to collectively come up with lyrics to honor their families.
While the Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young song is focused on the present, Madness is looking into the past, seeking comfort in memories of home. Now that they’re older, they can appreciate the small things that made their childhoods special.
Future nostalgia is foreshadowed in the line “[mother’s] the one they’re going to miss in lots of ways.” The people, places and things that are overlooked in youth may very well be the memories cherished most in adulthood.
Both of these songs are lyrically rich and sonically unique, so it’s not easy to decide who is more worthy of the title. I went into writing this article sure I would pick Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young — sweet, simple, beautiful. Now, I’m thinking that Madness is the winner here (by a very narrow margin).
The lyrics are a beautiful reflection of the sacrifices that families make in order to ensure the best lives for one another. The message is clear: loved ones are what make life beautiful. Additionally, the struggle that the band went through to make this song — inexperience, hours of tweaking chords and lyrics, isolation from loved ones — makes the final result more special. It was a true labor of love.