Back Home Again

[cheeseczar]

I know there have been a bazillion threads on Jim and the song, but my Mom asked me why he had been picked to sing it. I thought about it and realized I'd never seen this question posed.

[LittleFauss]

.....'From what I gathered, cheeseczar, Jim Nabors just happened to be personally hand-picked by Tony Hulman right before the '72 race. Perhaps others can ad more.......

I'd have to go back and check all the tapes but if memory serves again, it might have been '90 or '91 that ABC captured Nabors' most beautiful rendition of the song in their broadcast of the pre-race ceremonies.

And if you've got a minute, try reading the lyrics for "Back Home Again" while at the same time visualize listening to Jim Nabors singing the song and see if it doesn't give you goose bumps?



Back home again in Indiana,
And it seems that I can see
The gleaming candlelight, still shining bright,
Through the sycamores for me.
The new-mown hay sends all its fragrance
From the fields I used to roam.
When I dream about the moonlight on the Wabash,
Then I long for my Indiana home.

[Doctorindy]

Pre-race ceremonies in the 1960s and 1970s weren't quite as orchestrated as they are now. Typically, the national anthem was simply played by the Purdue band (no vocalist), there was no invocation until the 1974 race, and "Taps" was quick and brief. Some years "Back Home..." had a celebrity scheduled to perform, some years, they didn't. A lot of times, they used someone from the Purdue band or Purdue glee club. Apparently they had no one scheduled in 1972. Tony Hulman chatted with Jim Nabors the morning of the race, and asked him if he'd do it, just on a whim. Then it just became an informal standing invite. Jim was replaced for several years in the late 70s and early 80s, but by 1987, he was back for good.

Jim claims it's nothing very 'official,' the invite is very informal, and as long as he shows up, he assumes he'll keep doing it...as he says, "as long as they've have me."

[ZOOOM]

And I sure hope we have him forever!
No hype, noselfagrandizment, no showing off....
Gives me goosebumps every time...

Zooom

[Seadog]

When he gets to "When I dream about the moonlight on the Wabash" and all the balloons start rising is when I get choked up - every single time.

[Frank Capua]

the water works start pumping for me when they announce he's back in town...

And hey I'm just glad Tyler didn't inspire him to offer his scat-version of Back Home Again.

[Jack Harrington]

the water works start pumping for me when they announce he's back in town...

And hey I'm just glad Tyler didn't inspire him to offer his scat-version of Back Home Again.

The dude TRULY abides...

[ndcrs]

When he gets to "When I dream about the moonlight on the Wabash" and all the balloons start rising is when I get choked up - every single time.

me too....every single time!

[cheeseczar]

I have'nt lived in Indiana in over 30 years. Each time I cross the state line I think of the song.

Thanks for the info guys.

[roach]

2000+ miles of scenery to look at on the way to Indy, and this is the part I like the best:

[indybigjohn]

I have to agree with cheeseczar. Crossing the river makes me think of the song, and the song makes me think of Jim Nabors.

[R22]

I have to agree with cheeseczar. Crossing the river makes me think of the song, and the song makes me think of Jim Nabors.

yups

[Frank Capua]

When I was a kid and we were on vacation (normally to the west coast) "Back Home Again" was just one of the songs we use to sing to make the miles pass by. Others were "On A Bicycle Built for Two" and something we use to listen to just our parents sing about " lil' fishies swimmin' over a dam". I remember we sang "Back Home Again" with a lot of reverb in our voices... only this was a decade before Jim started doing it at the 500.

I guess that me and my sisters were just psychic.

[Jamski]

I sing it every time I cross the Ohio. I cry like a baby when Mr. Nabors take the mike.

I live in Tennessee and I love it here. I even know the words to "Rocky Top". But I am still a Hoosier and proud of it, and a Gomer for life.

[LittleFauss]

.....'OK, Got bored with the rain and had a few extra minutes so I grabbed '93, '94 and '95 and backed one of them up to be able to listen to some more of that recently departed and great gentleman, Tom Carnegie.