You Will Never Believe These Bizarre Truths Behind "Home Sweet Home": Remembering John Howard Paine’s "Home Sweet Home"

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Unveiling the Astonishing Facts about "Home Sweet Home": Commemorating John Howard Payne's Timeless Masterpiece

Introduction

John Howard Paine

Man’s greatest longing is for home. Home is the very essential core of our family: love is its circumference and peace is its centre. These two fulfilled, life has no regret. And they are both fulfilled together, never separately. People have tried to fulfill love without freedom. Then love brings more and more misery, more and more bondage. Then love is not what one has expected it to be, it turns out just the opposite. It shatters all hopes, it destroys all expectations and life becomes a wasteland -- a groping in darkness and never finding the door. Love without freedom naturally tends to be possessive. And the moment possessiveness enters, you start creating bondage for others and bondage for yourself -- because you cannot possess somebody without being possessed by him. You cannot make somebody a slave without becoming a slave yourself. Whatever you do to others is done to you. This is the basic principle to be understood, that love without freedom never brings fulfillment. Herein Paine’s Home Sweet Home we also celebrate love with the greatest possession of Home that makes it really sweet. Thus, "Home Sweet Home," a phrase that resonates with warmth and nostalgia, has deep-rooted significance for many individuals. The origins of this beloved phrase can be traced back to a sentimental song written by John Howard Payne in the 19th century. This article explores the fascinating truths behind Payne's "Home Sweet Home," uncovering its enduring legacy and the remarkable story of its creator.

Now let’s take the whole poem a recite:

Home Sweet Home
John Howard Payne

Mid pleasures and palaces though we may roam,
Be it ever so humble, there's no place like home;
A charm from the sky seems to hallow us there,
Which, seek through the world, is ne'er met with elsewhere.
Home, home, sweet, sweet home!
There's no place like home, oh, there's no place like home!

An exile from home, splendor dazzles in vain;
Oh, give me my lowly thatched cottage again!
The birds singing gayly, that come at my call --
Give me them -- and the peace of mind, dearer than all!
Home, home, sweet, sweet home!
There's no place like home, oh, there's no place like home!

I gaze on the moon as I tread the drear wild,
And feel that my mother now thinks of her child,
As she looks on that moon from our own cottage door
Thro' the woodbine, whose fragrance shall cheer me no more.
Home, home, sweet, sweet home!
There's no place like home, oh, there's no place like home!

How sweet 'tis to sit 'neath a fond father's smile,
And the caress of a mother to soothe and beguile!
Let others delight mid new pleasures to roam,
But give me, oh, give me, the pleasures of home.
Home, home, sweet, sweet home!
There's no place like home, oh, there's no place like home!

CHORUS

To thee, I'll return, overburdened with care,
The heart's dearest solace will smile on me there.
No more from that cottage again will I roam,
Be it ever so humble, there's no place like home.

John Howard Payne: The Mastermind Behind the Melody

John Howard Payne, an American actor, playwright, and poet, penned the lyrics of "Home Sweet Home" in 1822. Born on June 9, 1791, in New York City, Payne showed early promise as a writer and performer. Throughout his career, he wrote numerous plays and contributed to the American theatrical scene. 

 His best-known works are Brutus, or, The Fall of Tarquin (1818), a verse tragedy, and Charles II, or, The Merry Monarch (1824), a comedy. He also wrote the libretto of the opera Clari, or, The Maid of Milan (1823), which contains the famous song “Home, Sweet Home.” The home that Payne wrote of was a little cottage in East Hampton, Long Island.  The song was first heard in London in his play "Clari" in 1823.  The air had appeared in an early collection of Bishop's as a Sicilian tune.  The theme of the song and the beauty of the melody have given it world-wide fame. However, it was his composition of "Home Sweet Home" that would secure his place in history.

The Song's Origin and Evolution

Payne originally wrote "Home Sweet Home" as part of a three-act opera titled "Clari, or the Maid of Milan." The song appeared in Act II and was performed by the character Clari, who expresses her longing for her homeland. Despite the opera's mixed reception, "Home Sweet Home" gained immense popularity in its own right, leading to its separation from the larger work and becoming a standalone piece.

"Home! Sweet Home!" is a song that has remained well-known for over 150 years. Adapted from American actor and dramatist John Howard Payne's 1823 opera Clari, Maid of Milan, the song's melody was composed by Englishman Sir Henry Bishop with lyrics by Payne. In the evening of May 8, 1823, at the Theatre Royal, Covent Garden, London, Miss Maria Tree, a sister of the famous actress, Ellen Tree, gave voice to a song which thrilled the audience and since has reechoed in every heart in the English-speaking world as the song that better than any other expresses the sentiment of "home." The occasion was the first performance of "Clari, the Maid of Milan," a play by John Howard Payne, with musical numbers by Henry Rowley Bishop, and the song was "Home, Sweet Home " It was characteristic of the "homeless bard of home," that he was living in Paris, that his song was heard first in London, while the home he sang of was a little cottage in Easthampton, Long Island) in which he had not set foot since boyhood. The opening lines:
“Mid pleasures and palaces though we may roam,
Be it ever so humble, there's no place like home;”
have become famous. It is also used with Sir Henry Wood's Fantasia on British Sea Songs and in Alexandra Guilmant's Fantasy for organ , the Fantaisie sur deux mélodies anglaises, both of which also use "Rule, Britannia!". It also was characteristic of his fate that although "Home, Sweet Home" won a wealthy husband for the singer, and earned a small fortune for the theatre and the publisher, it left Payne little or no better off than he had been before. The song had that valuable theatrical quality professionally known as "thrills," but these did not extend to the author's pocketbook. He had sold "Clari" for a lump sum, had no interest in the publishing rights; while as to fame—the publisher did not even think it worth while to put Payne's name on the title-page!

Impact on American and British Culture

"Home Sweet Home" not only resonated with the American audience but also made a significant impact on British culture. The song's sentimentality struck a chord with British soldiers during the Crimean War, and it became an unofficial anthem for them. Its popularity endured through subsequent conflicts, including both World Wars, offering solace and a sense of familiarity to those serving far from home.

Cultural Adaptations and Legacy

Over the years, "Home Sweet Home" has been adapted and interpreted by countless artists and performers in various languages and musical styles. Its enduring popularity led to adaptations in operas, films, and stage productions, ensuring its continued presence in the cultural zeitgeist. The song remains a cherished piece of Americana and a symbol of longing for home.

A Global Sensation: The Widespread Popularity of the Song

"Home Sweet Home" captured the hearts of audiences across the globe, transcending cultural boundaries. Its universal theme of longing for one's homeland or a place of comfort struck a chord with people from all walks of life. The song's emotional resonance led to its rapid dissemination, and it became an enduring anthem of solace and nostalgia.

Conclusion

The captivating tale behind John Howard Payne's "Home Sweet Home" reveals the profound impact of a song that has resonated with countless individuals worldwide. Its timeless message of longing for home continues to evoke a sense of nostalgia and comfort. Through the years, "Home Sweet Home" has transformed into an emblem of our collective yearning for a place of belonging, reminding us of the enduring power of music to touch our souls.

Ardhendu De 

References

The life and writings of John Howard Payne : Harrison, Gabriel, 1818-1902 : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive. (n.d.). Internet Archive. https://archive.org/details/cu31924022147932

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