Recommendations of the Editorial team
Rock musicians, like almost everyone else, have a range of feelings about their fathers: many good, some conflicting. (After all, fathers are the original authority figures.) To celebrate this pivotal relationship, we’ve put together this list of songs about fathers and their children. From tender odes from rock legends to sarcastic punk jibes, these selections cover pretty much the full range of fatherly emotions.
Angry Samoans, “My Old Man’s a Fatso”
“>
LA punk rockers Angry Samoans deliver an angry, mocking slice of Father’s Day fatalism with this 1982 song, lamenting that “my old man is a fatass, but you know he owns this house.” Respect must be paid! (Somehow.)
Harry Chapin, “Cat’s in the Cradle”
“>
If there is a central message in Harry Chapins classic from 1974, the 1992 by
Affiliate link blocked. Please accept cookies to view.
is that you don’t want to regret not spending enough time with your father and that time passes quickly. So this Father’s Day, get your old man away from work and go for a walk together or something!
Eric Clapton, “My Father’s Eyes”
“>
Your father is probably a fan of Eric Clapton’s fiery, guitar-heavy Creamphase and his solo work from the ’70s, but Slowhand’s later albums have their own relaxed, melodic appeal, as this gentle song about the connection between generations shows.
Drive-By Truckers, “Outfit”
“>
Country songs about fathers are a genre of their own, and Drive-By Truckers make a nice modern contribution to this special canon with their stately “outfit”. Sung by Jason Isbell, the lyrics deliver a range of home-cooked and astute practical advice: “Have fun, but stay away from the needle/Call home when it’s your sister’s birthday.”
Ian Dury, “My Old Man”
“>
Ian Dury stood out from the crowd of his English punk and new wave peers for many reasons – for one thing, he didn’t actually play punk – but his gift for astute lyrical observation really set him apart from almost all songwriters of the late ’70s and early ’80s. In “My Old Man,” he expresses both his affection and compassion for the song’s determined working-class father figure.
Bob Dylan, “Forever Young”
“>
Bob Dylan casts a huge shadow as an artistic rebel and iconoclast, but he also wrote some of the most tender songs in music history. “Forever Young,” a series of hopeful wishes from parents to their children, is one of his most beautiful and heartfelt works.
Everclear, “Father of Mine”
“>
Everclear frontman Art Alexakis has often drawn from his family for his lyrics, and 1997’s “Father of Mine” is perhaps his best work in this area. The California singer’s gravelly voice conveys genuine remorse and anger, and the pounding guitars make a nice, gritty complement. “I never understood you then/And I guess I never will” is a stunning and universal line.
