What Human Tragedy Inspired Stuart Hamblen’s “This Old House”?
Posted by: Guest Author / Category: Real EstateThere’s no place like home. “Hearth and Home” is an American expression, but it’s a concept that transcends culture and is closely related to the song, “This Old House.”
Hearth & Home
The Greeks and Romans had their own version of the “hearth and home” motif. Since the gods were created in the image of man, they each appointed a special deity to watch over the family and help order and protect the household. For the Greeks it was Hestia and for the Romans it was Vestia. Accordingly, we find words like vespers (evening prayers) and Venus (evening star) in our modern lexicon. Vestia presided over anything related to the economy of the home or the well-being of the family.
But even more, “there’s no place like home” is a Biblical ideal, which finds its highest expression in the husband/wife relation and the traditional family. Modernist sensibilities to the contrary, man is depicted in the Bible as “defender of the faith” and woman as “keeper at home.” Husband, wife, and children — the nuclear family — is presented in the Bible as the cornerstone of society.
But Eve was no Victorian wallflower, and her descendants were not meant to be shrinking violets either. The last Chapter of the Book of Proverbs is famous for its depiction of “the Proverbs 31 woman.” This industrious female made frequent forays outside the home as a prosperous real estate investor. But she always returned to “home base” to care for her husband and children.
She considers a field and buys it; From her earnings she plants a vineyard. She girds herself with strength, and makes her arms strong. She senses that her gain is good; Her lamp does not go out at night.
All of this is wrapped up in the idea of “home.” That haven to which man retires for contentment and revitalization. This conjures images of wood burning stoves and families finding happiness together in the simple pleasures. We see it in countless colloquialisms and clichs:
* Home is where the heart is
* There’s no place like home
* I’ll be home for Christmas
* I’ll be home for Christmas
* Home sweet home
* Home sweet home
This Old House
Rosemary Clooney tapped into this vein of sentiment when she thrilled the musical world of 1954 with her lively presentation of “this old house.” It was the #1 hit in both America and Britain that year and was also picked up by Shakin Stevens who had his own English rendition. In the next half century the song enshrined itself as one of our most treasured songs of remembrance. But very few are aware of the tragic tale behind the descant.
Stuart Hamblen was a radio personality of the 1920’s who sang and acted with stars like Gene Autry, Roy Rogers, and John Wayne. The song was born in an old house that Hamblen and a friend stumbled across on a hunting trip. Inside they were shocked to discover the dead body of the homeowner. In a moment of inspiration Hamblen scribbled the song on his brown paper lunch bag. The melody came to him later in the week.
The words and the music of “This Old House” interact in a marvelous way to create a stirring mood. The verse depicts the aging human body in the decay of an old, dilapidated house. The need for this earthly tabernacle will soon be gone in the face of impending death. But this grim prospect is mitigated by the snappy bounce and rhythm of the tune, representing the joy of the soul anticipating a return to its Maker.
Hamblen was singing out of his deep Christian faith in the words of Jesus at John 11: 23-26: Jesus said to her:
“Your brother shall rise again.” Martha said to Him, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.” Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me shall live even if he dies, and everyone who lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?”
Oliver Woods is a real estate entrepreneur offering some of the best deals possible for residential and commercial investors today. Or he can help you find the highest price available when selling your property through his nationwide home marketplace for sellers
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