WCSX Classic Cuts : Long, Long Way from Home

WCSX Classic Cuts

Foreigner: "Long, Long Way from Home"

The Hook: The first song Mick Jones and Lou Gramm wrote together and the first Foreigner worked on as a band.

Album: Foreigner

Year: 1977

Writers: Mick Jones, Lou Gramm and Ian McDonald

Stats: Peaked at number-20 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Background: The original Foreigner lineup featured three British expatriates, two from New York City and one, singer Lou Gramm, from upstate Rochester, New York. Guitarist Mick Jones says that situation directly led to the writing of "Long, Long Way from Home."

Foreigner guitarist Mick Jones on writing “Long Long Way from Home” with singer Lou Gramm. OC:…the feeling. :22

“When Lou came down to New York when we were getting the band together that was sort of the first song that we collaborated together on and wrote. Lou was actually a long way from home, I guess I was, too, and here we were kind of getting something together. And that was the first thing we put together as a band when the final lineup got together. I guess we were all feeling a bit lost – ‘Gosh, what are we doing? What is this?’ – and that sort of summed up the feeling.”