Temporary Home
"Temporary Home" is a song co-written and recorded by American country music artist Carrie Underwood. It was released in December 2009 as the second official single from her third studio album, Play On. Before being released as a single, the song was made available to iTunes on October 20, 2009. A promotional music video for the song was released in November 2009,[1] and an official music video followed in February 2010. In December 2010, the song was ranked at number 25 on Billboard's Top Country Songs of 2010.[2]
"Temporary Home"
The song was nominated for Best Female Country Vocal Performance at the 53rd Grammy Awards.
Background[edit]
Carrie Underwood was inspired by the book The Purpose Driven Life by Pastor Rick Warren, who wrote that this world is a "temporary home" and that when we leave here, it is not the end of existence.[3] Carrie said, "I thought of a little boy in a foster situation, and he knows where he's going, and the place where he is isn't where he should be, but he'll get there someday." She met with songwriters Luke Laird and Zac Maloy to write the song, provide the idea and the title, and had the melody.[3]
On November 16, 2009, Underwood performed the song on The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien.[4] She also performed this song on 'Home for the Holidays', a CBS special that Faith Hill hosted on December 23, 2009. Before her performance at Foxwoods Casino, Connecticut, Underwood's tour bus crashed and the driver was killed. During her performance, Underwood got emotional and said "This song means so much to me..." and gave a tearful performance.[5]
Critical reception[edit]
Reviews of the song have been mainly positive. Billboard gave a positive review saying that "Hope reverberates through the scenarios as each character senses that life on Earth is but a temporary trial....Vocally, she has never sounded more heartfelt and compelling. 'Temporary Home' is a powerful song that's stirring but not preachy, and Underwood's performance is sure to resonate strongly with listeners."[6][7]
Country Universe gave the track an A− grade saying "It’s not the narrative that powers this song, but the depth and strength of her personal conviction. From the inclusion of neglected members of society to the intricate shades of fully-invested emotion to the telling last line –“this is our temporary home”–, the song provides a glimpse at the person behind the artist."[8]
Roughstock was also positive in their review saying, "In 'Temporary Home', three characters all take on some interpretation of the title phrase: a literal sense for the foster child bounced from home to home, a struggling young mother in a halfway house, and a spiritual sense for the man on his deathbed. What could've easily been a mountain of glurge instead becomes simple and effective."[9]
Jim Malec of 9513 was less enthusiastic about the song, saying "It’s hard to relate to, or have much sympathy for, people who we know aren’t real. As a result, 'Temporary Home' has a very dull emotional affect—we’re sad because hard times are sad, and we’re happy because we hope tomorrow will be better, but we know the whole scenario is constructed to preach a particular point of view. Between the first note and the last, not a single lyric works to reveal something about ourselves or strives to tell us a story—its impact is blunt, hits fast and fades quickly." He was positive about Underwood's vocals saying, "Underwood shows off those refined chops on new single 'Temporary Home'; her vocal is beautifully delicate, and the downtempo pace of the song grants a welcome reprieve for her typically bombastic production."[10]