Introduction:
Country music legend George Jones released Too Cold At Home in 2005. While not one of his earliest hits, the song stands as a poignant example of themes that have long resonated with the genre’s audience. Too Cold At Home was included on the album Hits I Missed…And One I Didn’t, a collection of songs that Jones felt deserved greater recognition.
Too Cold At Home taps into a familiar country music trope: the struggles within a marriage. The songwriter duo of Bobby Lamoyne Harden is credited with writing the song. Unlike some of Jones’s most famous tear-in-your-beer ballads, Too Cold At Home offers a less sentimental take on marital discord. The song’s narrator seeks solace in a bar, finding the atmosphere more inviting than the coldness he encounters at home.
Too Cold At Home was produced by Billy Byerly, a longtime collaborator with Jones. Byerly is credited with producing some of Jones’s most iconic albums, including He Stopped Loving Her Today (1980) and I Am What I Am (1980). Too Cold At Home, while not reaching the same level of chart success as those aforementioned albums, became a fan favorite and is considered a classic example of Jones’s signature style. His distinctive vocals, characterized by a rich baritone and an aching vulnerability, perfectly capture the emotional turmoil of the protagonist.
Too Cold At Home stands as a testament to the enduring power of certain themes in country music. The song’s exploration of marital strife continues to resonate with listeners today, and it has been covered by numerous artists since its release. Though released later in Jones’s career, Too Cold At Home assured his place as a country music icon who could deliver powerful songs that captured the complexities of human relationships.
Video:
Lyrics:
Well it sure feels good to come in here and just pull up a seatA frosty mug of a cool one helps to beat the heatThese old dog days of summer Lord I’ll be glad when they’re gone
It’s too hot to fish too hot for golf and too cold at homeWell that baseball game on TV takes me back to when I was a kidWe proudly wore those uniforms just like the Dodgers didYeah we won a few and lost a few and for me it still goes onIt’s too hot to fish too hot for golf and too cold at homeWell I only planned on one or two I might stay for threeIf that good looking thing in the corner keeps smiling back at meIt’s so easy not to care bout what’s right or what’s wrongIt’s too hot to fish too hot for golf and too cold at home