‘Our House’ is a song by the English ska and pop band Madness and was written by second lead vocalist Chas Smash and guitarist Chris Foreman. It was released as the lead single from their fourth studio album, The Rise & Fall, on 12 November 1982. The song charted within the top ten in several countries, and it was the band's biggest hit on the Billboard Hot 100. It won the category Best Pop Song at the May 1983 Ivor Novello Awards.
Released in November 1982, it peaked at No. 5 on the UK Singles Chart. ‘Our House’ was their biggest hit in the US, reaching No. 7 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1983. On the US rock chart, the song peaked at No. 9, and it reached No. 21 on the US dance chart. It received heavy airplay by radio stations.
This was written by Madness bass player/vocalist Carl Smyth and guitarist Christopher Foreman. The house where Smyth grew up inspired the lyrics. Front man, Suggs recalled to The Daily Mirror September 18, 2009: "This was the first time we worked with the string arranger David Bedford. It was clear to him what our records needed and he did great things for us. It's strange now to think we were so philosophical about such everyday things."
The band portrays a working-class family in the video, including one with a stubbly face, dressed in an apron and bonnet, playing the mother. The band members perform with their instruments in the living room, as they prepare for work and school. The family play squash and relax in a hot tub. The video includes exterior shots of other houses, such as the Playboy Mansion, Stocks House in Hertfordshire, and Buckingham Palace. The domestic property featured in the video is a terrace house on Stephenson Street in north-west London, near Willesden Junction station.
In 1984, Madness made a guest appearance in the series 2 episode "Sick" of The Young Ones, performing ‘Our House’. They had previously appeared in series 1, performing ‘House of Fun’. A musical called Our House, featuring Madness songs, ran in London's West End between October 2002 and August 2003.
Labels – Stiff (UK), Geffen (US)
Songwriters – Chris Foreman, Cathal Smyth
Producers – Clive Langer, Alan Winstanley
SONG LYRICS
[Intro]Father wears his Sunday best
Mother's tired, she needs a rest
The kids are playing up downstairs
Sister's sighing in her sleep
Brother's got a date to keep, he can't hang around
[Chorus]
Our house, in the middle of our street
Our house, in the middle of our
[Verse 2]
Our house, it has a crowd
There's always something happening and it's usually quite loud
Our mum, she's so house-proud
Nothing ever slows her down and a mess is not allowed
[Chorus]
Our house, in the middle of our street
Our house, in the middle of our
Our house, in the middle of our street
(Something tells you that you've got to move away from it)
Our house, in the middle of our
[Verse 3]
Father gets up late for work
Mother has to iron his shirt, then she sends the kids to school
Sees them off with a small kiss
She's the one they're going to miss in lots of ways
[Instrumental Break]
[Chorus]
Our house, in the middle of our street
Our house, in the middle of our
[Bridge]
I remember way back then, when everything was true and when
We would have such a very good time, such a fine time, such a happy time
And I remember how we'd play, simply waste the day away
Then we'd say nothing would come between us, two dreamers
[Pre-Chorus]
Father wears his Sunday best
Mother's tired, she needs a rest, the kids are playing up downstairs
Sister's sighing in her sleep
Brother's got a date to keep, he can't hang around
[Chorus]
Our house, in the middle of our street
Our house, in the middle of our street
Our house, in the middle of our street
Our house, in the middle of our
[Outro]
Our house, was our castle and our keep
Our house, in the middle of our street
Our house, that was where we used to sleep
Our house, in the middle of our street
Our house, in the middle of our street
Our house