Released March 1972 Length 5:08 | Genre Hard rock, heavy metal | |
Recorded 6–21 December 1971
Montreux, Switzerland Label EMI (UK)
Warner Bros. Records (US) Writer(s) Ian Gillan
Ritchie Blackmore
Roger Glover
Jon Lord
Ian Paice | ||
Pictures of Home is a song by the British hard rock group Deep Purple, from their 1972 album Machine Head. It begins with a drum introduction by Ian Paice and features a fast paced, driving guitar riff and bass line with several instrumental solos.
Contents
History
According to Classic Rock Review": "“Pictures of Home” is Deep Purple at their most poignant, a driving rhythm topped by sweeping vocals pushing out deep lyrical motifs, all accented by the distinct, distorted Hammond organ of John Lord. Glover even gets a short bass solo in the middle section before Blackmore warms for lift-off before a surprising false stop and comeback makes the song all the more interesting".
Ritchie Blackmore says that he was inspired by a short wave radio channel, "probably from Bulgaria or Turkey" when writing the main riff. Ian Gillan's lyrics were a result of studio paranoia and home sickness.
It is the only song from Machine Head that was not performed live during Deep Purple's 1972 tour.
Blackmore refused to play the song live. Since his replacement with Steve Morse in 1994, the song has become a recent feature in Deep Purple's live shows. It has been the opening song throughout the Rapture of the Deep Tour.
In 2010 “Pictures of Home” documentary film about Ian Gillan was made. The film is based on the footage, made in October, 2009, during the rock stars’ visit to Armenia within the framework of “Armenia Grateful 2 Rock” project, and the interview with Ian Gillan, recorded in March, 2010.