Show Me the Way to Go Home
Encyclopedia
"Show Me the Way to Go Home" is a folk song. It was made famous by its 1925 adaptation by the pseudonymous "Irving King
" (the British songwriting team Jimmy Campbell and Reg Connelly). The song was written on a railroad train journey from London by Campbell and Connelly. They were tired from the travelling and had a few alcoholic drinks during the journey, hence the lyrics. It is believed to be of English origin but is also sung commonly in Ireland and North America. The song can be modified to be used in swing dancing.
The lyrics are:
Show me the way to go home
I'm tired and I want to go to bed
I had a little drink about an hour ago
And it went right to my head (or it's gone straight up to my head)
Where ever I may roam
On land or sea or foam
You will always hear me singing this song
Show me the way to go home
Irving King
Jimmy Campbell and Reg Connelly were British music publishers and songwriting team...
" (the British songwriting team Jimmy Campbell and Reg Connelly). The song was written on a railroad train journey from London by Campbell and Connelly. They were tired from the travelling and had a few alcoholic drinks during the journey, hence the lyrics. It is believed to be of English origin but is also sung commonly in Ireland and North America. The song can be modified to be used in swing dancing.
The lyrics are:
Show me the way to go home
I'm tired and I want to go to bed
I had a little drink about an hour ago
And it went right to my head (or it's gone straight up to my head)
Where ever I may roam
On land or sea or foam
You will always hear me singing this song
Show me the way to go home
Popular culture
- Famously used in the popular 1975 thriller film JawsJaws (film)Jaws is a 1975 American horror-thriller film directed by Steven Spielberg and based on Peter Benchley's novel of the same name. In the story, the police chief of Amity Island, a fictional summer resort town, tries to protect beachgoers from a giant man-eating great white shark by closing the beach,...
, the song was sung by the three principal characters, following the famous Indianapolis speech by Robert ShawRobert Shaw-Arts and humanities:* Bob Shaw , Irish science fiction writer* Bob Shaw , co-writer for Seinfeld, A Bugs Life and others* Robert J...
's character, Quint. - George Orwell references the song in his 1934 novel Burmese DaysBurmese DaysBurmese Days is a novel by British writer George Orwell. It was first published in the USA in 1934. It is a tale from the time of the waning days of British colonialism, when Burma was ruled as part of the Indian empire - " a portrait of the dark side of the British Raj." At its centre is John...
. - Supporters of the Scottish football team, Celtic fc used to sing the song at their home games.
- Brick, a main character of the Tennessee WilliamsTennessee WilliamsThomas Lanier "Tennessee" Williams III was an American writer who worked principally as a playwright in the American theater. He also wrote short stories, novels, poetry, essays, screenplays and a volume of memoirs...
play Cat on a Hot Tin RoofCat on a Hot Tin RoofCat on a Hot Tin Roof is a play by Tennessee Williams. One of Williams's best-known works and his personal favorite, the play won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 1955...
, sings this song toward the end while drinking liquor, leaving out the line "And it's gone right to my head." and the last two lines due to dialogue between other characters. - In a season 1 episode of the anime PokemonPokémonis a media franchise published and owned by the video game company Nintendo and created by Satoshi Tajiri in 1996. Originally released as a pair of interlinkable Game Boy role-playing video games developed by Game Freak, Pokémon has since become the second most successful and lucrative video...
, Team Rocket member James quotes "Show me the way to go home, I'm tired and I want to go to bed" after being exploded by Voltorb and Electrode. - In the World War IIWorld War IIWorld War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
TV show Combat!, a captured German soldier shows his love for America by singing this song. - In the August 9, 1953 Philco Television Playhouse production of "Ernie Barger is 50" (written by Tad MoselTad MoselTad Mosel was an American playwright and one of the leading dramatists of hour-long teleplay genre for live television during the 1950s. He received the 1961 Pulitzer Prize for Drama for his play All the Way Home....
), the title character (portrayed by Ed BegleyEd BegleyEdward James Begley, Sr. was an Academy Award-winning American actor.-Biography:Born in Hartford, Connecticut, Begley began his career as a Broadway and radio actor while in his teens. He appeared in the hit musical Going Up on Broadway in 1917 and in London the next year. He later acted in...
) sings this song—often as a way to express overall happiness. - In an episode of Family GuyFamily GuyFamily Guy is an American animated television series created by Seth MacFarlane for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series centers on the Griffins, a dysfunctional family consisting of parents Peter and Lois; their children Meg, Chris, and Stewie; and their anthropomorphic pet dog Brian...
(A Fish out of WaterA Fish out of Water (Family Guy)"A Fish out of Water" is the 10th episode from the third season of Family Guy that first aired September 19, 2001. It guest stars Michael Chiklis, Ralph Garman, Alfonso Ribeiro, Brian Doyle-Murray as Salty, and Lisa Wilhoit as Connie D'Amico. This episode is rated TV-14 D. This was the first...
) where Peter and his friends are on his boat hunting a feared fish, they recreate the scene from Jaws and sing this song as they become weary. Another episode (Mind Over MurderMind over Murder"Mind Over Murder" is the fourth episode of the first season of the animated comedy series Family Guy. It originally aired on Fox in the United States on April 25, 1999. The episode features Peter after he is placed under house arrest, and decides to open his own bar in the family's...
) has a drunk Stewie singing the song. - In the film Rory O'Shea Was Here, Rory (James McAvoyJames McAvoyJames McAvoy is a Scottish stage and screen actor. He made his acting debut as a teen in 1995's The Near Room and continued to make mostly television appearances until the early 2000s. His notable television work includes State of Play, Shameless, and Frank Herbert's Children of Dune...
) sings the first line, replacing "home" with "Carrigmore," the residential home where he and his friend Michael (Steven RobertsonSteven RobertsonSteven Robertson is a Scottish theatre and film actor.-Education:* Vidlin Primary School* Brae High School* Anderson High School, Lerwick* Fife College , Kirkcaldy...
) lived. - The character Harry Hewitt sings a portion of this song in a drunker stupor in an early episode of Coronation StreetCoronation StreetCoronation Street is a British soap opera set in Weatherfield, a fictional town in Greater Manchester based on Salford. Created by Tony Warren, Coronation Street was first broadcast on 9 December 1960...
, transmitted in early 1961. - BonoBonoPaul David Hewson , most commonly known by his stage name Bono , is an Irish singer, musician, and humanitarian best known for being the main vocalist of the Dublin-based rock band U2. Bono was born and raised in Dublin, Ireland, and attended Mount Temple Comprehensive School where he met his...
sings the first four lines in his MacPhisto alter-ego during the Zoo TV: Live from SydneyZoo TV: Live From SydneyZoo TV: Live from Sydney is a concert video release by rock band U2 from the "Zoomerang" leg of their Zoo TV Tour. Recorded on Saturday, November 27, 1993 at Sydney Football Stadium on the band's featured stop in Sydney, Australia, it was released in May 1994 on VHS and Laserdisc, and re-released...
video. - It is sung by Cat, Lister, Holly and Rimmer in Red DwarfRed DwarfRed Dwarf is a British comedy franchise which primarily comprises eight series of a television science fiction sitcom that aired on BBC Two between 1988 and 1999 and Dave from 2009–present. It gained cult following. It was created by Rob Grant and Doug Naylor, who also wrote the first six series...
Series 2 Episode 3 by a rather intoxicated crew. - Jefferson StarshipJefferson StarshipJefferson Starship is an American rock band formed in the early 1970s. The group is a spin-off from the iconic 1960s psychedelic/folk group Jefferson Airplane. The band has undergone several major changes in personnel and genres through the years while retaining the same Jefferson Starship name...
covered the song live during shows of their Acoustic Explorer / Acoustic Shuttlecraft incarnation in 1996-1998. - Emerson, Lake & PalmerEmerson, Lake & PalmerEmerson, Lake & Palmer, also known as ELP, are an English progressive rock supergroup. They found success in the 1970s and sold over forty million albums and headlined large stadium concerts. The band consists of Keith Emerson , Greg Lake and Carl Palmer...
included their version of the song on the 1977 release Works Volume IIWorks Volume IIWorks Volume 2 is an album released in 1977 by Emerson, Lake & Palmer. Unlike Works Volume 1 , Volume 2 was a single album which seemingly was a compilation of leftover tracks from other album sessions that had not made those albums...
. - Shai HuludShai Hulud (band)Shai Hulud is an American hardcore punk band with progressive metal influences, originally formed in Pompano Beach, Florida, the band later moved up to Poughkeepsie, New York....
sings the song as a group as the hidden track on their album Hearts Once Nourished with Hope and CompassionHearts Once Nourished with Hope and CompassionHearts Once Nourished with Hope and Compassion is the first full length album by hardcore punk band Shai Hulud, released on November 4, 1997, on the Revelation Records' subsidiary, Crisis Records, in CD/LP and 12" clear brown . It is now sold through Revelation Records. It was reissued in a...
". - Neleh Dennis and Kathy Vavrick-O'Brien sing the song in the season finale of Survivor: MarquesasSurvivor: MarquesasSurvivor: Marquesas is the fourth season of the United States reality show Survivor. Hosted by Jeff Probst, it aired from February 28 - May 19, 2002 on CBS. Thirteen episodes aired, plus a mid-season recap and live interview with Rosie O'Donnell...
- Sawyer sings it in the ninth episodeStranger in a Strange Land (Lost)"Stranger in a Strange Land" is the ninth episode of the third season of the American drama television series Lost, and the show's 58th episode overall. The episode was written by Elizabeth Sarnoff and Christina M. Kim, and directed by Paris Barclay...
of the third season of LostLost (TV series)Lost is an American television series that originally aired on ABC from September 22, 2004 to May 23, 2010, consisting of six seasons. Lost is a drama series that follows the survivors of the crash of a commercial passenger jet flying between Sydney and Los Angeles, on a mysterious tropical island...
. - Duckman and Cornfed sing this song at the end of the DuckmanDuckmanDuckman: Private Dick/Family Man is an American animated sitcom that aired from 1994–1997, created by Everett Peck and developed by Peck. The sitcom is based on characters created by Peck in his Dark Horse comic...
episode "The Amazing Colossal Duckman". - In the English version of "Ghost Stories"Ghost Stories (anime), also known as Ghosts at School, is a 19-episode anime series created in 2000 by animation studio Pierrot and Aniplex for Fuji Television, based on a book series by Toru Tsunemitsu....
, Leo is forced to make up a ghost-repelling chant on the spot, and chooses the lyrics from this song. - The Toy Dollstag the end of their track Lambrusco Kid with the first 4 lines
- In an episode of Family Guy, Mind Over MurderMind over Murder"Mind Over Murder" is the fourth episode of the first season of the animated comedy series Family Guy. It originally aired on Fox in the United States on April 25, 1999. The episode features Peter after he is placed under house arrest, and decides to open his own bar in the family's...
in which Peter builds a bar in his basement while being under house arrest, Lois brings Stewie downstairs and tells Peter to watch him. Stewie is teething and begins to cry, so Peter rubs alcohol on his gums. Later, when Lois retrieves Stewie he is drunk, and as she carries him upstairs he begins to sing the song. - In the Babylon 5Babylon 5Babylon 5 is an American science fiction television series created, produced and largely written by J. Michael Straczynski. The show centers on a space station named Babylon 5: a focal point for politics, diplomacy, and conflict during the years 2257–2262...
episode "Meditations on the AbyssMeditations on the Abyss"Medidations on the Abyss" is an episode from the fifth season of the science-fiction television series Babylon 5.-Synopsis:Lennier undergoes Ranger training aboard White Star 27, unofficially designated "Maria" by her captain and crew...
", Michael GaribaldiMichael GaribaldiMichael Garibaldi is a lead fictional character in the universe of the science fiction television series Babylon 5, played by Jerry Doyle.-Overview:...
sings this while drunk. - In an episode of the US dubbed version of PokémonPokémon (anime), abbreviated from , is a children's TV anime series, which has since been adapted for the North and South American, Australian and European television markets...
, James from Team Rocket says the first two lines of this song, disguised as normal dialogue. - Wyclef Jean has also remade the original song and is featured in the credits of the documentary "Running the Sahara."
- It is sung by an old man in the jail in A River Runs Through ItA River Runs Through It (film)A River Runs Through It is an Academy Award winning 1992 American film directed by Robert Redford and starring Brad Pitt, Craig Sheffer, Tom Skerritt, Brenda Blethyn, and Emily Lloyd...
when Paul is picked up by his brother - Asa-Chang & JunrayAsa-Chang & JunrayAsa Chang & Junray is the band of the Japanese percussionist Asa Chang, who was the founder and original bandmaster of Tokyo Ska Paradise Orchestra. After leaving that group in 1993, he formed Asa Chang & Junray in 1998 with programmer and guitarist Hidehiko Urayama. They were joined in 2000 by...
do a rendition on their 2009 album Kage No Nai Hito. - In the Traveling WilburysTraveling WilburysThe Traveling Wilburys were an English–American supergroup consisting of Bob Dylan, George Harrison, Jeff Lynne, Roy Orbison and Tom Petty, accompanied by drummer Jim Keltner...
inspired play, The Lion's Den, tramps Pancho and LeftyPancho and Lefty"Pancho and Lefty" is a song written by country singer and songwriter Townes Van Zandt. Van Zandt first recorded it for his 1972 album, The Late Great Townes Van Zandt...
singing the first half of this song upon entering the stage. - Davy Jones sings this during the Listen To The Band/Chaos segment of The Monkees TV special 33 and a 1/3 Revolutions Per Monkee (NBC, 1968.)
- Tobias Schneebaum says the first four lines at the end of his bio-documentary, Keep the River on Your Right: A Modern Cannibal Tale (David and Laurie Shapiro, 1999).
- In the Woody AllenWoody AllenWoody Allen is an American screenwriter, director, actor, comedian, jazz musician, author, and playwright. Allen's films draw heavily on literature, sexuality, philosophy, psychology, Jewish identity, and the history of cinema...
Film Cassandra's Dream, Terry (Colin FarrellColin FarrellColin James Farrell is an Irish actor, who has appeared in such film as Tigerland, Miami Vice, Minority Report, Phone Booth, The Recruit, Alexander and S.W.A.T....
) and Ian (Ewan McGregorEwan McGregorEwan Gordon McGregor is a Scottish actor. He has had success in mainstream, indie, and art house films. McGregor is perhaps best known for his roles as heroin addict Mark Renton in the drama Trainspotting , young Jedi Obi-Wan Kenobi in the Star Wars prequel trilogy , and poet Christian in the...
) sing this song on the maiden voyage of their boat. - In the opening scene of Piranha 3D (2010), Richard DreyfussRichard DreyfussRichard Stephen Dreyfuss is an American actor best known for starring in a number of film, television, and theater roles since the late 1960s, including the films American Graffiti, Jaws, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, The Goodbye Girl, Whose Life Is It Anyway?, Stakeout, Always, What About...
(reprising/spoofing his character of Matt Hooper from JawsJaws (film)Jaws is a 1975 American horror-thriller film directed by Steven Spielberg and based on Peter Benchley's novel of the same name. In the story, the police chief of Amity Island, a fictional summer resort town, tries to protect beachgoers from a giant man-eating great white shark by closing the beach,...
) is listening to this song as well as singing along. - Throughout the movie Hell Below 1933
- Sung by Penfold in an episode of the British cartoon Danger Mouse.
- There is a Swedish version of this song performed by Lars LönndahlLars LönndahlLars "Lasse" Lönndahl, born August 19, 1928, is a Swedish singer and actor, born in Stockholm. He is considered the most well-known Swedish singer of the 1950s and 1960s with nicknames including "The Swedish Frank Sinatra" and "World's Oldest Teenager"...
and Towa CarsonTowa CarsonTowa Carson , born on 31 March 1936 in Eskilstuna, Sweden, is a Swedish schlager singer. She debuted in 1954 and had the most success in the 1950s and 1960s, when she recorded many duets with Lasse Lönndahl...
. The song is called "Visa Mig Hur Man Går Hem" which is a nearly literal translation of the English title.