“This World is Not My Home” is a country gospel song of murky origin that reached its biggest audience when a 1962 album by Country Music Hall of Famer Jim Reeves hit the Top 20 on the U.K. charts.
But for bluegrass, I’ll always be partial to the Jimmy Martin version.
The big difference between those two is that Reeves slips in a II chord before the V chord on the second line of each verse and chorus, where Martin just hangs on the I chord. I’ve provided chords for the Reeves version below, but be aware that many bluegrassers will just skip that II chord.
The original words to “This World is Not My Home” were apparently published in 1919 in a songbook called Joyful Meeting in Glory Song Book No. 1, and they were very close to the lyrics we know today.
A song that seems closely related was recorded in 1924, but the first recording that really sounds like the same song is this one by the Golden Echo Quartet from 1927:
The Carter Family recorded the song in 1931 under the title “Can’t Feel At Home,” and A.P. Carter even copyrighted it despite not having written it.
Albert E. Brumley, of “Rank Stranger” and “I’ll Fly Away” fame, also copyrighted a modified version in 1937, but his changes were minimal.
Fun fact: Folksinger Woody Guthrie adapted “This World is Not My Home” into a homelessness anthem in 1940 when he changed a couplet to: “Rich man took my home and drove me from my door / And I ain’t got no home in this world anymore.”
Even Bill Monroe recorded this one, but he was late to the party. His version came out in 1991.
“This World is Not My Home” Lyrics and Chords
This
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
world is not my home, I’m
IV
IV
IV
IV
IV
IV
IV
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IV
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IV
just passing
I
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I
I
I
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I
I
through.
My treasures are laid up some
II
II
II
II
II
II
II
II
II
II
II
II
where beyond the
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V
V
V
V
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V
blue.
The
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I
angels beckon me from
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heaven’s open
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I
I
door
And I can’t feel at home in this
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V
V
V
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V
world
any
I
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I
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I
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I
more.
CHORUS
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I
Oh Lord, you know I
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have no friend like
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I
you.
If heaven’s not my home, oh
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II
II
II
II
II
Lord what would I
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V
V
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V
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V
do?
The
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I
angels beckon me from
IV
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IV
heaven’s open
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I
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I
I
I
I
I
door
And I can’t feel at home in this
V
V
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V
V
V
V
V
V
V
world
any
I
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I
more.
They’re
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I
all expecting me, that’s
IV
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IV
one thing I
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I
know.
I fixed it up with Jesus a
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II
II
II
II
long time a
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go.
I
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I
know he’ll take me through, though
IV
IV
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IV
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IV
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IV
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IV
I am weak and
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I
I
poor
And I can’t feel at home in this
V
V
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V
V
V
V
V
V
V
world
any
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I
more.
CHORUS
Just
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I
over in the glory land, there’ll
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IV
be no dying
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I
there,
The saints all shouting victory and
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singing
every
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where.
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I
hear the voice of those that’s
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IV
gone on be
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fore
And I
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I
I
I
I
can’t feel at home in this
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
world
any
I
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I
I
I
I
more.
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Iconic: Jimmy Martin
Old School: The Carter Family
Also Good: Blue Highway
2 thoughts on ““This World is Not My Home” Lyrics and Chords”
Your article on jamming etiquette is the most comprehensive and accurate I’ve read. We are having some issues in our organization with “alternative instrumentation” and music. I would like to reprint your article and give you proper credit in our newsletter. Would you be open to this?
Your article on jamming etiquette is the most comprehensive and accurate I’ve read. We are having some issues in our organization with “alternative instrumentation” and music. I would like to reprint your article and give you proper credit in our newsletter. Would you be open to this?
You are more than welcome to do so. I’d be delighted if you linked to it from your Jams or Links section. Happy jamming!