Hothouse Flowers - Home

 

In music, as in so many other areas of life, timing is everything.  At the end of the 80s Australia was in thrall to U2 and Rattle and Hum.  I’m not pointing fingers here; I was in this boat too.  But by 1991 U2 hadn’t released anything new for a few years, so the public was clambering for another Irish band.  Hothouse Flowers filled that gap nicely. 

I really loved Home when it was released.  I must have played this album a thousand times.  The song they’ll be remembered for is, no doubt, their cover of I Can See Clearly Now.  It is one of those rare covers that improves on the original. 

 

My favourite, however, is Sweet Marie.  A song of such aching heartbreak that you can’t help but feel moved by it. The protagonist has received a “Dear John” letter and he moves through the emotions of grief, longing and ultimately the feeling of release and acceptance.  Finally he wants his ex-partner to find peace.  I had never heard a song quite like it before. 

The rest of the album is also pretty great.  It was their only number 1 album anywhere in the world (it got to number 5 in the UK).  They definitely have faded from the public consciousness, but there’ll always be a place in my heart for this album.