It often astounds me that I have now lived in my current city longer than in my “hometown”. It is getting close to twice the number of years! Although I only lived in my “birth town” for the first two years of my life, I often feel like I have two “hometowns” with the history and family stories associated with both. I have raised my children in the city I live in now and at times it can feel odd that it is their hometown, but not mine. I often wonder about moving back to my hometown for retirement years, but I know it would not be as I left it and I need to keep a perspective on that. I recognize that not everyone will have fond memories of their hometown, but I think we preserve a piece of ourselves in the places we grow up. It can mean so many things and involve many emotions. Maybe this is a needed thing. I have had a few very emotional reactions when I have returned to visit places that connect my past (self).
There is no shortage of songs about hometowns, returning home, a love left behind, etc., and I have a number of favourites that I wanted to round up for my blog.
I really like the messages and lyrics in a recent new song and nostalgic video created by this musician:
I still love this music video about Thunder Bay:
I love this sentimental one by Snow Patrol:
I thought this video was cool too — not a song about a hometown, but an animation:
Do you have a favourite “hometown” song to share? Do you have a song about your own hometown or another place you like to visit? What hometowns might mean to each of us can be complex and personal but the frequent question often is, “Where are you from?”
SheilaSpeaking 
Apr 14, 2022 @ 20:41:39
There is a line from an old Neil Diamond song (“I Am, I Said”) that rings true for me. Diamond sings “L.A. is fine, but it ain’t home. New York’s home, but it ain’t mine no more.” I can relate.
I think we have but one ‘home town’. That would be the place that holds the majority of our childhood memories. As an adult, I have lived in three Canadian provinces. Each one became “home” for a time. But my “hometown” is where I learned to ride a bike, where I ran through the sprinkler in the summertime, and where I graduated high school. Returning there to live now, though, would be impossible for me for many reasons. And really, would it still be “home” for me now? Probably not. It could never compete with the expectations of my childhood memories. And so where I live today is ‘home’, but where I lived then is my ‘hometown’.
Apr 14, 2022 @ 22:43:49
That is both realistically and beautifully said, Denise! Thanks for adding that sentiment and related song!
Apr 22, 2022 @ 05:02:07