Almost Home (Craig Morgan song)

"Almost Home" is a song co-written and recorded by American country music singer Craig Morgan. It was released in November 2002 the second single from his album I Love It. The song was Morgan's first Top 10 hit on the U.S. country music charts.[1] In addition, the song earned him a "Song of the Year" award from BMI,[2] and a Songwriter's Achievement Award from the Nashville Songwriters' Association International.[3] The song was written by Morgan and Kerry Kurt Phillips.

"Almost Home"
Single by Craig Morgan
from the album I Love It
ReleasedNovember 4, 2002
GenreCountry
Length4:48
LabelBroken Bow
Songwriter(s)Craig Morgan
Kerry Kurt Phillips
Producer(s)Craig Morgan
Phil O'Donnell
Craig Morgan singles chronology
"God, Family and Country"
(2002)		 "Almost Home"
(2002)		 "Every Friday Afternoon"
(2003)

Content

The song is a ballad mostly backed by acoustic guitar and fiddle. It tells of the singer's encounter with an old, homeless man who is sleeping behind a trash can on a cold winter day. Presuming that the homeless man may be dead, the singer then rouses him. Upon being awakened, the homeless man says that he is "almost home", and then lists off the activities that he had been doing in his dream. The narrator then offers to drive the old man to a shelter, but the old man refuses.

According to songwriter Kerry Kurt Phillips, the homeless man's explanation that he is "almost home" is intentionally open-ended, and can mean that the man had almost reached home in his dream, or that he is about to die and go to Heaven: "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."[4]

Critical reception

Chuck Taylor of Billboard gave the song a positive review and wrote, "Always an affecting vocalist, Morgan gives a sensitive, nuanced performance of the poignant lyric. The song is sure to stir emotions and should be a welcome addition to playlists."[5]

Chart positions

During its run, "Almost Home" fell from the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts starting with the chart dated for March 8, 2003 after a peak of No. 33, as the song had decreased in airplay, was below No. 20, and was more than 20 weeks old, then the publication's policy for moving a song into recurrent rotation. After its removal, it began to increase in airplay over the next three weeks, so it was restored to that chart in the No. 25 position starting with the March 29 publication.[6] The song ultimately peaked at No. 6.

Chart (2002–2003) Peak
position
US Billboard Hot 100[7] 59
US Hot Country Songs (Billboard)[8] 6

Year-end charts
Chart (2003) Position
US Country Songs (Billboard)[9] 42

References
  1. Gilbert, Calvin (2003-06-23). "Craig Morgan Beats The Odds With "Almost Home"". Retrieved 2007-12-30.
  2. "Music Row Awards Herald 'Almost Home'". BMI.com. June 10, 2004.
  3. "Craig Morgan". BMI.com. May 20, 2004.
  4. "Story Behind the Song". October 14, 2007. Archived from the original on October 14, 2007.
  5. D.E.P., and Chuck Taylor. "Almost Home (Music release)." Billboard 114.46 (2002): 26. Academic Search Complete. EBSCO. Web. 7 June 2011.
  6. "Singles Minded". Billboard: 55. March 29, 2003.
  7. "Craig Morgan Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard.
  8. "Craig Morgan Chart History (Hot Country Songs)". Billboard.
  9. "Best of 2003: Country Songs". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. 2003. Retrieved July 13, 2012.
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