There are many parent/children songs: happy; sad; poignant; funny; bittersweet; angry; sorrowful; joyful.
Helen asked us to chose one for this weeks Song Lyric Sunday theme. I picked Father & Son by Cat Stevens (Yusuf Islam) for a very personal reason.
After the sudden shock of learning of my father’s death, snippets of this song kept rolling around in my sad, tired, questioning brain. I’m not sure why, but I found it soothing to sing those pieces of lyrics to myself during the chaos of his death and the aftermath. So, when parent/child was mentioned, it was the first song that came to mind. There are other songs which speak more closely to my relationship to my parents, but this song, strangely, was a comfort in a time when I really needed it.
2016 marked the twenty-fifth anniversary of his death and I found myself again singing those snippets quietly in my mind. So for my father . . .
father and son
Father
It’s not time to make a change,
Just relax, take it easy.
You’re still young, that’s your fault,
There’s so much you have to know.
Find a girl, settle down,
If you want you can marry.
Look at me, I am old, but I’m happy.
I was once like you are now, and I know that it’s not easy,
To be calm when you’ve found something going on.
But take your time, think a lot,
Why, think of everything you’ve got.
For you will still be here tomorrow, but your dreams may not.
Son
How can I try to explain, when I do he turns away again.
It’s always been the same, same old story.
From the moment I could talk I was ordered to listen.
Now there’s a way and I know that I have to go away.
I know I have to go.
Father
It’s not time to make a change,
Just sit down, take it slowly.
You’re still young, that’s your fault,
There’s so much you have to go through.
Find a girl, settle down,
If you want you can marry.
Look at me, I am old, but I’m happy.
Son, away away away, I know I have to
Make this decision alone, no son
All the times that I cried, keeping all the things I knew inside,
It’s hard, but it’s harder to ignore it.
If they were right, I’d agree, but it’s them you know not me.
Now there’s a way and I know that I have to go away.
I know I have to go.
Father, stay stay stay, why must you go and
Make this decision alone?
Songwriters: CAT STEVENS, YUSUF ISLAM
Data from: LyricFind
January 23, 2017 at 2:59 pm
Ah, I would have chosen this song too! Great choice.
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January 23, 2017 at 3:40 pm
Thanks. :)
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January 15, 2017 at 1:44 pm
Both of my parents are still alive, so I can’t imagine the loss you must feel. I think this song is classic and easy to relate to, no matter what kind of relationship you had with your parents. Thanks so much for sharing. I’ve always loved Cat Stevens! <3
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January 16, 2017 at 8:14 am
I always loved his music too. I wore the grooves out of my Tea for the Tillerman album.
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January 16, 2017 at 9:25 am
He was a little before my time, but I probably would have done the same thing! 😉
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January 16, 2017 at 12:07 pm
To admit to albums with grooves is to admit to one’s age, too, lol.
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January 16, 2017 at 12:31 pm
😉
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January 15, 2017 at 1:41 pm
A beautiful song! Great choice! :)
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January 16, 2017 at 8:15 am
Thanks :)
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January 15, 2017 at 10:23 am
I’d forgotten about this song until just now. Thanks for choosing to share it! Such a beautiful sentiment. As for your personal connection to the song – I love how music can do that. And sorry – even so far out – for your loss.
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January 15, 2017 at 11:18 am
Thank you for your kind words. Not sure why that song, but something in parts of the lyrics so resonated then, and now.
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January 15, 2017 at 9:58 am
This song is always such a “twang” – or maybe “pang” – nah, these words too harsh – but this song, the melody, the lyrics, it’s softness but yet hard strung …. oh, damn, never mind …. great choice …. and just because ((((Lorraine))))
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January 15, 2017 at 11:22 am
The words are very harsh — the parts that stuck were lines like: It’s not time to make a change,/ Just relax, take it easy.
I was once like you are now, and I now that it’s not easy, etc.
It wasn’t about the relationship I had with my father, but the sense of reassurance some of the lines gave me for some strange reason.
thanks for the hugs (((((Pat)))))
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January 15, 2017 at 11:36 am
I know what you mean.
I’ve always liked Cat Stevens well enough, and this song has always stuck in my craw …. but I can’t piece it together …. maybe it’s because of the dueling nature in the combination ….
and thanks for the hugs …. always right back at you :)
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January 15, 2017 at 8:23 am
He has a way of choosing songs that always go right to he heart and the heart of the matter.
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January 15, 2017 at 11:27 am
So true.
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January 15, 2017 at 7:40 am
I almost chose this one- such a beautiful song, sung so beautifully and the lyrics mean so much more as we grow older.
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January 15, 2017 at 8:10 am
Yes, it is a beautiful song with much meaning.
Thanks for stopping by.
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