"Home Sweet Home" is a

power ballad A sentimental ballad is an emotional style of music that often deals with romantic and intimate relationships, and to a lesser extent, loneliness, death, war, drug abuse, politics and religion, usually in a poignant but solemn manner. Balla ...

by American heavy metal band

Mötley Crüe Mötley Crüe is an American Heavy metal music, heavy metal band formed in Hollywood, California, in 1981 by bassist Nikki Sixx and drummer Tommy Lee, with guitarist Mick Mars and lead vocalist Vince Neil joining right after. The band has sol ...

. It was originally released in 1985 on the album ''

Theatre of Pain ''Theatre of Pain'' is the third studio album by American Heavy metal music, heavy metal band Mötley Crüe, released on June 21, 1985. Released in the aftermath of lead vocalist Vince Neil's arrest for Manslaughter#Vehicular or intoxication man ...

'', and again in 1991 for the '' Decade of Decadence 81-91'' compilation album. It has been

covered Cover or covers may refer to: Packaging * Another name for a lid * Cover (philately), generic term for envelope or package * Album cover, the front of the packaging * Book cover or magazine cover ** Book design ** Back cover copy, part of ...

by several artists, most notably country singer

Carrie Underwood Carrie Marie Underwood (born March 10, 1983) is an American singer and songwriter. She rose to prominence after winning the fourth season of ''American Idol'' in 2005, returning as a judge beginning with the twenty-third season. Underwood's f ...

, who released her version as a single in 2009.

Release

Originally released on the band's 1985 album, ''

'', the song was accompanied by a music video which documented the band's undertakings over the course of one or several concerts. Some of the original video was shot in Houston, Texas live at The Summit during the 1985 Theatre of Pain tour. They performed the song twice that night apparently to get more video footage. "Home Sweet Home" was released and remixed twice: once for the original promotion for the single in 1985. A radio only promo 12" with the remix was sent to stations, but not released commercially until the 1988 Japan-only EP '' Raw Tracks.'' The song was remixed again in 1991 with additional instrumental overdubs. Now called "Home Sweet Home '91", it was released as a single with a new video and included on the '' Decade of Decadence'' compilation. The song is often referred to as a

, and its success became a lucrative, marketing template for other hair bands of the late 1980s. The song ranks number 12 on VH1's list of the greatest power ballads. ''

Cash Box ''Cashbox'', also known as ''Cash Box'', is an American music industry trade magazine, originally published weekly from July 1942 to November 1996. Ten years after its dissolution, it was revived and continues as ''Cashbox Magazine'', an online ...

'' said that the song has "a slow-rocking groove and a surprisingly melodic verse and chorus," making it "a pleasant metal outing." ''

Billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertis ...

'' called it a "loping rock ballad

hat A hat is a Headgear, head covering which is worn for various reasons, including protection against weather conditions, ceremonial reasons such as university graduation, religious reasons, safety, or as a fashion accessory. Hats which incorpor ...

is beefed up by power guitar."

Music video

The video (directed by

Wayne Isham Wayne Isham (born December 2, 1958) is an American film director and music video director who has directed films and music videos of many popular artists. Early life and education Isham was born on December 2, 1958 in Vinita, Oklahoma. He at ...

and guest-starring actor Michael Berryman) depicts each band member receiving a phone call home, and replying "I'm on my way!", Vince Neil on a beach, Mick Mars on a throne in a haunted house, Nikki Sixx at a bar, and Tommy Lee at a wild party. The piano intro plays over a clip of a

tour bus A tour bus service is an escorted tour (sometimes a package holiday) or bus service that takes visitors sightseeing, with routes around tourist attractions. Information Double-decker buses and open top buses are commonly used, for provid ...

driving by at sunset. The rest of the video shows the band pre-concert and performing on stage, shot at The Summit in

Houston, Texas Houston ( ) is the List of cities in Texas by population, most populous city in the U.S. state of Texas and in the Southern United States. Located in Southeast Texas near Galveston Bay and the Gulf of Mexico, it is the county seat, seat of ...

(concert footage) and

Reunion Arena Reunion Arena was an indoor arena located in the Reunion, Dallas, Reunion district of downtown Dallas, Texas, United States. The arena served as the primary home of the National Hockey League's (NHL) Dallas Stars and the National Basketball Ass ...

Dallas, Texas Dallas () is a city in the U.S. state of Texas and the most populous city in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, the List of Texas metropolitan areas, most populous metropolitan area in Texas and the Metropolitan statistical area, fourth-most ...

(exterior). The end of the video shows the same

with the words "Rockin 'N' Rollin" on the marquee. The video topped the MTV daily request chart for over three months, until MTV invoked the (unwritten) "Crue Rule", dropping videos from their request line 30 days after their MTV premiere.

Legacy

A parody of this video was used for the end credits of the 2010 film ''

Hot Tub Time Machine ''Hot Tub Time Machine'' is a 2010 American science fiction comedy farce film directed by Steve Pink and written by Josh Heald, Sean Anders, and John Morris. John Cusack, Rob Corddry, Craig Robinson, and Clark Duke star in the film as four ...

'', with Rob Corddry's character Lou "Violator" Dorchen clothed in

Vince Neil Vincent Neil Wharton (born February 8, 1961) is an American musician. He is the lead vocalist of heavy metal music, heavy metal band Mötley Crüe, which he fronted from their 1981 formation until his departure in 1992. Neil reunited with the ...

's purple vest, white tiger striped spandex & headband, with the band's name altered to "Mötley Lüe". It also parodies some of the same clips from the original video. Drummer

Tommy Lee Thomas Lee (born Thomas Lee Bass; October 3, 1962) is an American musician who co-founded and plays drums for the heavy metal band Mötley Crüe. He also founded rap metal band Methods of Mayhem and has pursued solo musical projects. Early ...

re-recorded the song in 2011, for Season 4 of the TV series ''

Californication Californication may refer to: *Californication (word), an expression that refers to the influx of Californians into various western states in the U.S. *Californication (album), ''Californication'' (album), a 1999 album by the Red Hot Chili Peppers ...

'', and has a cameo in "Lights, Camera, Asshole" performing the song on piano in a bar at the end of the episode, the third episode in the show's fourth season was named for this song.

John Cena John Felix Anthony Cena ( ; born April 23, 1977) is an American actor and professional wrestler. As a wrestler, he has been signed to WWE , where he is the current WWE Championship, Undisputed WWE Champion in his record 14th reign, which is ...

performs a heartfelt, instrumental rendition of the song at the end of the sixth episode of '' Peacemaker''. This version was released as a single on February 4, 2022.

Track listing

#"Home Sweet Home" #"Red Hot"

Personnel

– lead vocals *

Mick Mars Robert Alan Deal (born May 4, 1951), known professionally as Mick Mars, is an American musician best known as the former lead guitarist and co-founder of the Heavy metal music, heavy metal band Mötley Crüe, being the oldest of the four origin ...

– guitar *

Nikki Sixx Nikki Sixx (born Frank Carlton Serafino Feranna Jr.; December 11, 1958) is an American musician, songwriter, record producer, and radio personality, best known as the co-founder, bassist, primary songwriter, and only constant member of the hea ...

– bass, keyboards, backing vocals *

– drums, piano

Chart positions

The original release of "Home Sweet Home" peaked at No. 89 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 and No. 80 on the ''Cash Box'' Top 100. "Home Sweet Home '91" peaked at No. 37 the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 and did significantly better on the ''Cash Box'' Top 100, peaking at No. 19. As of 2025, "Home Sweet Home '91" is the last Mötley Crüe song to chart on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100.

Cover versions

*The song was re-recorded by

Linkin Park Linkin Park is an American Rock music, rock band formed in Agoura Hills, California, in 1996. The band's current lineup consists of vocalist/rhythm guitarist/keyboardist Mike Shinoda, lead guitarist Brad Delson, DJ/turntablist Joe Hahn, bass ...

vocalist

Chester Bennington Chester Charles Bennington (March 20, 1976 – July 20, 2017) was an American singer who was the lead vocalist of the rock band Linkin Park. He was also the lead vocalist of Grey Daze, Dead by Sunrise, and Stone Temple Pilots at various po ...

on co-lead vocals along with Mötley Crüe in the wake of

Hurricane Katrina Hurricane Katrina was a powerful, devastating and historic tropical cyclone that caused 1,392 fatalities and damages estimated at $125 billion in late August 2005, particularly in the city of New Orleans and its surrounding area. ...

. The music video for the song shows videos of Katrina rescues, along with a performance from the band. * 30 Foot Fall included a cover version of the song as a bonus track on their album ''Ever Revolving, Never Evolving''. *It was also recorded by

Limp Bizkit Limp Bizkit is an American nu metal band from Jacksonville, Florida. Its lineup consists of lead vocalist Fred Durst, drummer John Otto (drummer), John Otto, guitarist Wes Borland, turntablist DJ Lethal and bassist Sam Rivers (bassist), Sam ...

for their '' Greatest Hitz'' album, and is joined by a remake of "

Bitter Sweet Symphony "Bitter Sweet Symphony" is a song by the English rock band the Verve, released on 16 June 1997 by Hut Recordings and Virgin Records as the lead single from their third album, ''Urban Hymns''. It was produced by Youth (musician), Youth at Olympi ...

" by

The Verve The Verve were an English Rock music, rock band formed in Wigan in 1990 by lead vocalist Richard Ashcroft, guitarist Nick McCabe, bass guitarist Simon Jones (musician), Simon Jones and drummer Peter Salisbury. Guitarist and keyboard player Sim ...

. It is often referred to as "Bittersweet Home". * Rob Corddry did a cover version for the 2010 film ''

''. *Tommy Lee performed the song on piano when he guest starred as a singer on the TV series ''

'' at the end of the episode of "Lights, Camera, Asshole". This version also appears on the show's Season 4 soundtrack. *In 2013, former ''

American Idol ''American Idol'' is an American Music competition, singing competition television series created by Simon Fuller, produced by Fremantle (company), Fremantle North America and 19 Entertainment, and distributed by Fremantle North America. It a ...

'' contestant

Todrick Hall Todrick Hall (born April 4, 1985) is an American singer, rapper, choreographer, and YouTuber. He gained national attention on the ninth season of the televised singing competition ''American Idol''. Following this, he amassed a following on Yo ...

made a version of the song in a medley video in tribute to ''

The Wizard of Oz ''The Wizard of Oz'' is a 1939 American Musical film, musical fantasy film produced by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM). Based on the 1900 novel ''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz'' by L. Frank Baum, it was primarily directed by Victor Fleming, who left pro ...

''. *

performed a piano cover of ''Home Sweet Home'' in episode six of '' Peacemaker'' in 2022. This version was arranged by John Murphy.

Carrie Underwood version

Country singer

recorded a cover version in 2009 as the contestant farewell song for the eighth season of ''

''. Underwood performed the song live on the season finale. The song was included on the deluxe edition of her third studio album '' Play On'', released exclusively in Australia and New Zealand. It sold 288,000 downloads in the United States.

Chart positions

Justin Moore version

Justin Moore Justin Cole Moore (born March 30, 1984) is an American country music singer and songwriter, signed to Big Machine Records imprint Valory Music Group. For that label, he has released seven studio albums: his self titled debut in 2009, '' Outla ...

covered the song as a duet with

on the 2014 album '' Nashville Outlaws: A Tribute to Mötley Crüe''. It was sent to country radio on July 8, 2014. On the

Country Airplay Country Airplay is a chart published weekly by ''Billboard'' magazine in the United States since October 20, 2012, although the magazine also retrospectively recognizes the Hot Country Songs charts from January 20, 1990, through October 13, 2012, ...

chart dated for July 19, 2014, Moore's version was the highest-debuting song of the week, entering at No. 39. The song has sold 112,000 copies in the U.S. as of September 2014. The members of Mötley Crüe make a cameo appearance in the song's promo video.

Chart positions

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Home Sweet Home (Motley Crue song) 1985 songs 1985 singles 1991 singles 2009 singles 2014 singles 1980s ballads Glam metal ballads Mötley Crüe songs Carrie Underwood songs Justin Moore songs Songs written by Nikki Sixx Songs written by Vince Neil Songs written by Tommy Lee Arista Nashville singles Elektra Records singles Big Machine Records singles Music videos directed by Wayne Isham