This is a song about humans returning to a destroyed, war-torn earth after having previously been captured by aliens and taken to a foreign planet.
Those who returned were somehow “chosen” to rebuild a new, peaceful and harmonious world from the ruins of the old, but as it turns out, it’s not quite...
I saw the ruins once the smoke cleared
(Once upon returning home)
A touch of sadness but no fear
(Once upon returning home)
I don't know what I cried about but
Reality removed all doubt
I felt warm but all alone
(Once upon returning home) Returning home
Once this place was paradise
Green and blue colors of the sea
It's still alive so it shall return
Eventually (Oh, oh, oh)
The sacred builders, the chosen ones
Have learned to live and let live
Once you take what's there to share
You've got to give, you've got to give
Oh, don't let the changes get you down
You'll see the this world turned upside down
If you listen, you'll hear the word
When it comes around, when it comes around, yeah
I saw the ruins once the smoke cleared
(Once upon returning home)
A touch of sadness but no fear
(Once upon returning home) Yeah
I don't know what I cried about but
Reality removed all doubt
I felt warm but all alone
(Once upon returning home)
Look around, there's work to do
A new life for the chosen few
The world sings in the same key, sweet harmony
(Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh)
Just when you thought you had it made
With fool's gold, the road was paved
And circles get so big and wide
You can't see to the other side, other side
Oh, the long journey wore me down
To see the world turned upside down
There'll be some time before things
Settle down
I saw the ruins once the smoke cleared
(Once upon returning home)
A touch of sadness but no fear
(Once upon returning home)
Yeah, still I, I don't know what I cried about but
Reality removed all doubt
I felt warm but all alone
(Once upon returning home) Returning home, yeah
Oh, don't let the changes get you down, no
You'll see the world turned upside down
If you listen, you'll hear the word
When it comes around, when it comes around
I saw the ruins once the smoke cleared
(Once upon returning home)
A touch of sadness but no fear
(Once upon returning home)
I don't know what I cried about but
Reality removed all doubt
I felt warm but all alone
(Once upon returning home)
Returning home, yeah, wooh
Oh yeah
(Coming home) I saw the ruins, oh
(Coming home) I saw the smoke clear
(Coming home) I felt the world turn upside down
(Coming home)
Oh, I'm (Coming home) oh
(Coming home)
(Coming home)
(Coming home)
Mama, I'm (coming home)
Mama, I'm (coming home)
Oh, returning home (coming home) yeah, ow
(Coming home) ow, ow, ow, ow, ow, ow
(Coming home)
Oh, oh, oh (coming home)
(Coming home)
Returning Home was written by Sammy Hagar.
Returning Home was produced by Eddie Van Halen & Sammy Hagar.
Sammy Hagar released Returning Home on Tue Jun 23 1987.