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

Jim Adkins of Jimmy Eat World

Jim Adkins of Jimmy Eat WorldSongwriter Interviews

Jim talks about the impact of "The Middle" and uses a tree metaphor to describe his songwriting philosophy.

Song Titles That Inspired Movies

Song Titles That Inspired MoviesSong Writing

Famous songs that lent their titles - and in some cases storylines - to movies.

Jim McCarty of The Yardbirds

Jim McCarty of The YardbirdsSongwriter Interviews

The Yardbirds drummer explains how they created their sound and talks about working with their famous guitarists.

Ian Gillan of Deep Purple

Ian Gillan of Deep PurpleSongwriter Interviews

Deep Purple frontman Ian Gillan explains the "few red lights" in "Smoke On The Water" and talks about songs from their 2020 album Whoosh!

Superman in Song

Superman in SongSong Writing

Not everyone can be a superhero, but that hasn't stopped generations of musicians from trying to be Superman.

Rick Astley

Rick AstleySongwriter Interviews

Rick Astley on "Never Gonna Give You Up," "Cry For Help," and his remarkable resurgence that gave him another #1 UK album.