"Pictures of Home" is a song by the

British British may refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories, and Crown Dependencies. ** Britishness, the British identity and common culture * British English, ...

hard rock group Deep Purple, from their 1972 album

Machine Head A machine head (also referred to as a tuning machine, tuner, or gear head) is a geared apparatus for tuning stringed musical instruments by adjusting string tension. Machine heads are used on mandolins, guitars, double basses and others, and ar ...

. It begins with a drum introduction by

Ian Paice Ian Anderson Paice (born 29 June 1948) is an English musician, best known as the drummer and last remaining original member of the rock band Deep Purple. He is often cited as one of the greatest drummers of all-time. He remains the only membe ...

and features a fast-paced, driving

guitar riff A riff is a repeated chord progression or refrain in music (also known as an ostinato figure in classical music); it is a pattern, or melody, often played by the rhythm section instruments or solo instrument, that forms the basis or accompanime ...

and

bass line Bassline (also known as a bass line or bass part) is the term used in many styles of music, such as blues, jazz, funk, dub and electronic, traditional, or classical music for the low-pitched instrumental part or line played (in jazz and some ...

with several instrumental solos.

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 Jon 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 Richard Hugh Blackmore (born 14 April 1945) is an English guitarist and songwriter. He was a founding member of Deep Purple in 1968, playing jam-style hard rock music that mixed guitar riffs and organ sounds. He is prolific in creating guita ...

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 ''

'' that was not performed live during Deep Purple's 1972 tour. Blackmore refused to play the song live. Since his replacement with

Steve Morse Steve J. Morse (born July 28, 1954) is an American guitarist, best known as the founder of the Dixie Dregs and as the lead guitarist of Deep Purple from 1994 to 2022. Morse has also enjoyed a successful solo career and was briefly a member of ...

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 The Rapture of the Deep tour was a worldwide concert tour by British hard rock band Deep Purple. It took place in support of their 2005 studio album '' Rapture of the Deep''. It is supposed to be one of the most successful and long-lasting ...

. 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.

Cover-versions

Yngwie Malmsteen Yngwie Johan Malmsteen ( ; born Lars Johan Yngve Lannerbäck, 30 June 1963) is a Swedish guitarist. He first became known in the 1980s for his neoclassical playing style in heavy metal, and has released 22 studio albums in a career spanning ov ...

on album '' Inspiration'' (1996) *

Barón Rojo Barón Rojo (') is a Spanish heavy metal band from Madrid that achieved international success in the 1980s. The band is led by siblings Carlos and Armando de Castro, previously from the band Coz, and is considered one of the most important rep ...

on album ''Perversiones'' (2003) * Pentti Hietanen on album ''On the Rocks'' (2005) * Perfect Strangers (Deep Purple tribute band) on album ''Live in Klagenfurt'' (2007) *

Jon Lord John Douglas Lord (9 June 194116 July 2012) was an English orchestral and rock composer, pianist, and Hammond organ player known for his pioneering work in fusing rock with classical or baroque forms, especially with the British rock band Deep ...

on album ''Live'' (2011) *

Black Label Society Black Label Society is an American heavy metal band formed in Los Angeles, California in 1998 by guitarist/singer Zakk Wylde. To date, the band has released eleven studio albums, two live albums, two compilation albums, one EP, and three vid ...

on album '' Re-Machined: A Tribute to Deep Purple's Machine Head'' (2012)
Pictures of Home - Deep Purple Cover - Diceros

References

{{Authority control 1972 songs Deep Purple songs Songs written by Ian Gillan Songs written by Roger Glover Songs written by Ritchie Blackmore Songs written by Jon Lord Songs written by Ian Paice