‘The House’ by Rebecca Richards’ review

Rebecca is a country singer songwriter from Pontypool in South Wales, and is releasing ‘The House’ on 26th April 2024.

Rebecca says her favourite part of music creation are the connections she makes with others through her music.

“It is something really special when people tell you your song has resonated with their experiences and it has moved them.”

“I know it’s not cool to say you love your family and are grateful for them, but I am and this song expresses my gratitude in the only way I know how. I am very lucky to have had them in my life”

Starting with beautiful keys and what sounds like strings the song has a very light yet whimsical feeling. The song uses ‘The House’ as an anchor as we travel through nostalgia of our childhood; recounting many stories and how these events have helped shape the person we are today.

“The mansion I remember is only three up and two down

And the endless green of the backyard a little patch of ground

The view from the window, looks better in than out

And those that tend the house’s needs

A little frailer now.”

The opening verse speaks of a literal house with reference to “three up and two down” however could also be suggested this is a metaphor for ourselves. The mansion being us, with many different rooms (emotions) not all yet explored, and the “endless green” reflects the future and the unlimited possibilities that lay ahead. It charts a growing individual, and their changing needs. Reference to the frailing people who tend to the house’s needs would also represent our parents, guardians and responsible adults.

“The house that helped to build me had foundations in the faith

And walls that wrapped themselves around kept me safe from hurricanes

And the roof that kept me warm at night

Taught me how to raise my gaze

I’ve been blessed by those who kept the house that helped build me.”

The chorus portrays ‘The House’ as being a spiritual anchor, and is our solitude. It is a place where we can feel safe and practice our faith and focus on self development as much as reflection. Reference to the wrapping walls at first could be construed as a prison, yet the lyric continues to provide context ‘from hurricanes’ which is symbolic of life. Essentially, the chorus is saying when life is tough, you’ve got your home. Arguably home doesn’t have to be a physical place, but a sense of feeling, of belonging and purpose.

The roof is perhaps considered a metaphor for the barriers in our lives. Changing your perspectives or “gaze” is something we all do from time to time, usually after becoming more informed. Whilst we felt safe with the roof on, keeping us warm, removing it has peeled back an insight into the outside world.

“The smallest room was left for me, the baby of the pack

It’s where I built my lifelong dreams

And where I hid when I ran back

Arms were always open, hearts were always full

Forever will be thankful for the address that’s my true north.”

This verse demonstrates that we don’t need much to dream, and even when we can feel trapped in ‘the smallest room’ it’s what we make of it and choose to do that matters. ‘The smallest room’ could also be perceived as being the intricate parts of our brain where we escape to; a notion further supported by the lyric ‘where I hid when I ran back’ as most people will hide within themselves. The final line of the verse, ‘Forever will be thankful for the address that’s my true north’ portrays that home is where the heart is.

The song returns to the chorus, before detailing:

“I remember how I kicked at those walls

When all I wanted was to be free

And when I bruised myself

They held me so gently.”

The kicking suggesting again being confined in a prison, but perhaps this is our own mind, or kicking ourselves at the missed opportunities. Conversely the kicking could be bouncing ideas off of the walls to navigate our future, to be free and ourselves.

The song concludes with the chorus, perhaps reminding us to stay grounded and humble whilst also cherishing those we take for granted more.

Click here for your final chance to pre save before it’s released at https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/rebeccarichards/the-house/ For more updates from Rebecca about her music and any tour dates head over to either her Instagram page @becmusician or her website https://rebeccarichardsmusic.com/

‘The House’ is available to download and stream from your usual music platforms from 26th April 2024.