B-side Kill Eye Recorded 1988 Length 3:07 | Released July 1988 Genre Rock | |
Format CD singleCassette singleVingle | ||
"Better Be Home Soon" is a 1988 song written by Neil Finn and performed by New Zealand/Australian Rock band Crowded House. The song was released as a single in July 1988 by Capitol Records. It performed modestly on both the American and British charts, but managed to peak at number two on the Australian and New Zealand charts. The song appeared on the album Temple of Low Men, which was also released in July 1988. In 2001, and the song was voted by members of APRA as the 33rd best New Zealand song of the 20th century. In 2005, following drummer Paul Hester's death, Neil Finn performed the song solo at the ARIA Awards while a montage of Hester's life was played in the background.
Contents
Music video
Nick Seymour attempted to explain the concept of the video in a 1988 issue of Smash Hits. He likened it to the INXS video he worked on for Listen Like Thieves "only theirs was sort of macho." He called it a fun video with the Dickensian style clothes people were wearing. Seymour says it this way:
"Basically a film clip just makes people see things that the song's not really about. This song is definitely not about being in a theatre stuck out in the desert! It's about being home, how it's better being home.
The reason why Seymour was playing the double bass for the video was because "it just looks better".
Notable performances
"Better Be Home Soon" was performed by Crowded House in their 1996 charity performance Farewell to the World. As a song commonly performed by the band, this was to be expected, however the end of this version featured a country or polka style double-time feeling at the end, possibly in joking retort to some criticisms of the song when initially released that it was a bit "country-ish". They also performed it as an encore at the Sydney Live Earth concert. At the 2005 ARIA Awards program, Neil Finn performed the song as a memorial to Paul Hester.
Cover versions
Track listings
All songs written by Neil Finn. "Don't Dream It's Over" live performance from King Biscuit Flower Hour, The Trocadero, Philadelphia, 24 March 1987.
Single release
Released in UK as 7" vinyl and in US as cassette.
- "Better Be Home Soon"
- "Kill Eye"
EP release
Released in UK as CD and 12" vinyl.
- "Better Be Home Soon"
- "Don't Dream It's Over" (live)
- "Kill Eye"
Promotional release
Released as CD in US. Released as 12" vinyl in Brazil (33⅓ rpm one side, 45 rpm on other).
- "Better Be Home Soon"