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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UEAUKqe6tAA&t=2s
HOMER
I saw Homer on the "E" train
Must've come from out of town
Mumbling in broken English
Blindly wandering around
I saw Homer in the alley
Dressed in dirty rags and sandals
Listening to the police sirens
Mugged by thugs, harassed by vandals
And I feel like a one-eyed monster
Living in a concrete cave
I know I'll never be a hero
Money is the only thing I'll save
Homer lived by the diner's dumpster
Surrounded by discarded Trojans
Ate his meals in the parking lot
Warmed his hands over the engines
Long ago he left his homeland
Followed dreams and crossed the ocean
Fought against strange gods and men
Washed ashore where no one knows him
And I dream I'm an ancient sailor
Battling the wind and waves
Riding the "E" train to Ground Zero
Where money is the only thing I'll save
Homer hung with the kitchen workers
Entertained them with his stories
Then he went to sleep in a cardboard box
Dreaming of his fabled glories
Dreaming of his fabled glories -
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innovative angle, enjoyed it, well done.
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I think you need (and he said) on both them verses.
I feel like a one-eyed monster
Living in a concrete cave
I know I'll never be a hero
Money is the only thing I'll save
I dream I'm an ancient sailor
Battling the wind and waves
Riding the "E" train to Ground Zero
Where money is the only thing I'll save.
If that is all about Homer ? -
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Elvis,
Thank you for your feedback!
Actually, I intended the point of view to be the E train Wall Street commuter, he sees a homeless man who he mentally dubs "Homer", imagines the life of the homeless man, and compares it to his own life. That's why the first line is "I saw Homer on the E train". All of the references to "I" e.g. I feel like a one-eyed monster, refer to the narrator, totally straightforward.
It actually doesn't make sense that the Homer character is speaking the two verses you refer to (and he said)...if nothing else, that character doesn't have the concern that money is a thing that he saves.
That said, most of the imagery and story is about the Homer character, so I absolutely understand why the listener might think it's all about the Homer character. This song is multi-layered and complicated - maybe too complicated. :-)
Best regards,
Mike -
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Thanks for clarifying the intended POV. Looking back at it with that framing, I can see the commuter/narrator angle more clearly now, especially the contrast between the observer riding the E train and the imagined life/story he projects onto “Homer.”
I think what pulled me toward a more merged interpretation was how naturally the lyric blurs the emotional line between the two characters. The shift from “I saw Homer…” into “I feel like…” and “I dream I’m…” creates a strong psychological overlap, even if the “I” sections are technically the narrator throughout.
The immigrant/outsider angle also came through strongly to me because of the “broken English,” “crossed the ocean,” and displacement imagery, which made the Homer figure feel symbolic as well as literal. So I don’t think the layered reading was misplaced — more that the song invites multiple interpretations because the imagery and perspective are so intertwined.
Interesting piece. The mythic framing over modern NYC imagery definitely gives it a distinctive atmosphere. -
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Thanks for picking up on the symbolic imagery. Those of us who stayed awake in High School English class might notice the Easter eggs referencing Homer's Odyssey. "one-eyed monster" (Cyclops), "Trojans" and "ancient sailor" might be tip-offs; lots more there as well.
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I'm really liking this. I won't pretend that I get the lyrics fully but it's a lovely song. Some nice chord progressions and structured vocals. Great recording too. Yeah, I like this.
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It took me a few listens to grab the theme. But after reading other comments, I see it a little more clearly.
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Hey there, you did a great job making this demo. The song is a bit quirky but is very engaging. A good story. The "trojans" in this story was a bit disgusting, but that was all part of the cleverness of this.
"Homer"... love the title! -
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I wonder if it would be best if I explain something about the song before we perform it live?
Here's the story as I see it (y'all may interpret it differently and that's what the art of songwriting is about, anyway.)
A commuter is heading to work on the subway, probably on multiple days he sees a homeless man, maybe seems Greek, thinks of him as Homer. He sees this guy, or maybe some other homeless guy, at various times and places during his commute, and he gets to thinking about the contrast between his life of privilege and commerce versus the life of this street person. I like to picture him nodding out on the subway and conflating in his dream this man with Odysseus - a hero washed up on the shore after the Trojan war. And the irony is that it turns out that the commuter is heading to his job in the NYC financial district, home of capitalism - and also ground zero in the 9/11 attack. So the song is about homelessness, capitalism and the nature of heroism. But it doesn't preach or tell you what to think. Or so I say. :-)
On the other hand, it's just a song, right? And it works for you as a song or it doesn't. Thanks for listening! -
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Thanks for clarifying the intended POV. Looking back at it with that framing, I can see the commuter/narrator angle more clearly now, especially the contrast between the observer riding the E train and the imagined life/story he projects onto “Homer.”
I think what pulled me toward a more merged interpretation was how naturally the lyric blurs the emotional line between the two characters. The shift from “I saw Homer…” into “I feel like…” and “I dream I’m…” creates a strong psychological overlap, even if the “I” sections are technically the narrator throughout.
The immigrant/outsider angle also came through strongly to me because of the “broken English,” “crossed the ocean,” and displacement imagery, which made the Homer figure feel symbolic as well as literal. So I don’t think the layered reading was misplaced — more that the song invites multiple interpretations because the imagery and perspective are so intertwined.
Interesting piece. The mythic framing over modern NYC imagery definitely gives it a distinctive atmosphere.
Ok I got it now . New York is a nightmare -
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Hmm, that was not what I was trying to say but, ok. If you ever get to visit the E train stop at Ground Zero, hope you think of this song. Thanks for your feedback.
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Wow I think this lyric is above my pay grade. And I loved literature in high school and college............
Great work! -
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