Going Home: Theme of the Local Hero

Album: Local Hero (1983)
Charted: 56
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • Mark Knopfler, the mastermind behind Dire Straits, might be known for guitar work that could melt glaciers, but spare a thought for "Going Home." This instrumental number, the closing act of the 1983 film Local Hero, is a quiet charmer that snuck out as Knopfler's solo debut single.
  • American jazz maestro Michael Brecker plays the saxophone piece. The prolific musician laid down tracks on nearly 900 albums before passing away in 2007. They include Joni Mitchell's Shadows And Light, Carly Simon's Spy and Art Garfunkel's Fate For Breakfast.
  • The music video shows Knopfler strumming his guitar on the New York City waterfront with the Twin Towers and Empire State looming in the background like steel spectres. Intercut with that are scenes from the film.
  • "Going Home" didn't exactly set the charts on fire in the UK, peaking at a respectable-but-not-earth-shattering #56. But don't let that fool you. This song's a slow burner, a whisky neat by the fireplace kind of tune that's become a cult classic.
  • The song has become a bit of a good luck charm for the Geordie faithful - that's Newcastle United fans, for the uninitiated. "Going Home" gets a pre-match airing at St. James' Park, a ritual that (presumably) fills the Toon Army with a quiet sense of determination before they roar their team on to victory (hopefully).
  • "Going Home" wasn't content to just be a one-man show. It wormed its way into the live sets of both Dire Straits and Knopfler's solo tours. It even graced the Encores live EP, which topped the charts in France, Portugal, and Spain and reached #31 in the UK.
  • In 2024 a supergroup called Mark Knopfler's Guitar Heroes recorded "Going Home" to support the Teenage Cancer Trust and Teen Cancer America.

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Frankie Valli

Frankie ValliSong Writing

An interview with Frankie Valli, who talks about why his songs - both solo and with The Four Seasons - have endured, and reflects on his time as Rusty Millio on The Sopranos.

The Girl in That Song

The Girl in That SongFact or Fiction

Billie Jean, Delilah, Sara, Laura and Sharona - do you know who the girls in the songs really are?

Michael Schenker

Michael SchenkerSongwriter Interviews

The Scorpions and UFO guitarist is also a very prolific songwriter - he explains how he writes with his various groups, and why he was so keen to get out of Germany and into England.

Actors With Hit Songs

Actors With Hit SongsMusic Quiz

Many actors have attempted music, but only a few have managed a hit. Do you know which of these thespians charted?

Charles Fox

Charles FoxSongwriter Interviews

After studying in Paris with a famous composition teacher, Charles became the most successful writer of TV theme songs.

Rock Revenge Songs

Rock Revenge SongsMusic Quiz

John Lennon, Paul Simon and Lynyrd Skynyrd are some of the artists who have written revenge songs. Do you know who they wrote them about?