When I stand before you shining in the early morning sun
When I feel the engines roar and I think of what we've done
Oh the bittersweet reflection as we kiss the earth goodbye
As the waves and echoes of the towns become the ghosts of time
Over borders that divide the earthbound tribes
No creed and no religion, just a hundred winged souls
We will ride this thunderbird, silver shadows on the earth
A thousand leagues away, our land of birth
To Albion's land
Coming home when I see the runway lights
In the misty dawn the night is fading fast
Coming home, far away as their vapor trails align
Where I've been tonight, you know I will not stay
Curving on the edge of daylight 'til it slips into the void
Waited in the long night, dreaming 'til the sun is born again
Stretched the fingers of my hand, covered countries with my span
Just a lonely satellite, speck of dust and cosmic sand
Over borders that divide the earthbound tribes
Through the dark Atlantic, over mariners stormy graves
We will ride this thunderbird, silver shadows on the earth
A thousand leagues away, our land of birth
To Albion's land
Coming home when I see the runway lights
In the misty dawn the night is fading fast
Coming home, far away as their vapor trails align
Where I've been tonight, you know I will not stay
To Albion's land
Coming home when I see the runway lights
In the misty dawn the night is fading fast
Coming home, far away as their vapor trails align
Where I've been tonight, you know I will not stay
Coming home, far away when I see the runway lights
In the misty dawn the night is fading fast
Coming home, far away as their vapor trails align
Where I've been tonight, you know I will not stay
When I feel the engines roar and I think of what we've done
Oh the bittersweet reflection as we kiss the earth goodbye
As the waves and echoes of the towns become the ghosts of time
Over borders that divide the earthbound tribes
No creed and no religion, just a hundred winged souls
We will ride this thunderbird, silver shadows on the earth
A thousand leagues away, our land of birth
To Albion's land
Coming home when I see the runway lights
In the misty dawn the night is fading fast
Coming home, far away as their vapor trails align
Where I've been tonight, you know I will not stay
Curving on the edge of daylight 'til it slips into the void
Waited in the long night, dreaming 'til the sun is born again
Stretched the fingers of my hand, covered countries with my span
Just a lonely satellite, speck of dust and cosmic sand
Over borders that divide the earthbound tribes
Through the dark Atlantic, over mariners stormy graves
We will ride this thunderbird, silver shadows on the earth
A thousand leagues away, our land of birth
To Albion's land
Coming home when I see the runway lights
In the misty dawn the night is fading fast
Coming home, far away as their vapor trails align
Where I've been tonight, you know I will not stay
To Albion's land
Coming home when I see the runway lights
In the misty dawn the night is fading fast
Coming home, far away as their vapor trails align
Where I've been tonight, you know I will not stay
Coming home, far away when I see the runway lights
In the misty dawn the night is fading fast
Coming home, far away as their vapor trails align
Where I've been tonight, you know I will not stay
Lyrics submitted by star tripper
"Coming Home" as written by Bruce Dickinson Stephen Percy Harris
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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Something that caught my attention was the pre-chorus. The two separate pre-choruses are about the things that can divide humans: religion and country of origin. Though on earth there may be racial and religious tensions, no belief system or place of birth can divide this team of brothers.
Unless Bruce is taking pot-shots at Christianity with his lyrics for this album (unlikely, even on Starblind), this is likely the correct interpretation. Feel free to continue this point, though.
He also noted about how when they are all on the plane, (pre chorus) there is no separation, discrimination, and no one cares what religion are believe in, where you come from, or who you are, and that we are just one hundred million souls coming home!
Amazing song and even better Live!!
Although I would disagree with the retirement, because despite what everyone is saying, I don't think this is Maidens last album. I bet they'll continue to make music until they die haha
But yeah, as Octavarium said, this song is simply about Bruce flying his plane and the chorus is about him landing it. Simple enough and still an awesome song!
The theme of the record seems to be journeys in general, not Maiden's retirement (although WTWWB scared me as it sounded a tad like a swan song). Coming Home is just about flying home to Britain (Albion's land) and the feeling behind the wheel of a Boeing 757. I just love that lyric:
"Stretched the fingers of my hand, covered countries with my span
Just a lonely satellite, speck of dust and cosmic sand"
Chills.
The first verse i believe it refers to them leaving the country they last played in (it mentions the sound of the engines and the country being left behind),
The prechorus refering to the plane flying above different countries("over borders that divide the earthbound tribes") while the line "No creed and no religion just a hundred winged souls" might refer to the maiden crew (not sure though)
The chorus refering to the arrval in itself (Albion's land being the UK)and the second verse refering to Bruce flying the plane over the atlantic (which makes the possibility of the song being about the SBiTWT even more likely since it ended in the US)
As a pilot myself I could listen to this song over and over again, just listening to it makes me think of my cross country solo, flying several hours in the summer sun, coming home to the small grass aerodrome and drinking an ice cold glass of lager in the garden at home afterwards.
Octavarium, my first thoughts were the ones I've wrote above but I reckon that you are probably right, the landing after the long journey is probably the end of the Somewhere Back In Time tour.
I'm a bit disappointed with myself that I didn't consider the song being about Bruce Dickinson flying the plane until I came here and saw your post.
I don't think Iron Maiden will retire, look at bands like the Rolling Stones, The Who (yes I know there is only two original members) and AC/DC, performing is in their blood, muscle and in their bones, bands like that don't retire.
I'm also a pilot and absolutely love this song, good connection to it after hearing it for the first time. After spending time away, whether it's days, months, or even years, few things are as symbolic as seeing those runway lights as your about to touch down on your way home.