Last week, we threw back to emotional songs dedicated to mothers. Today on Throwback Thursday, it’s all about dads. It is not Father’s day but we understand that dads are very special and must be celebrated every day.
Over the years, there have been lots of songs written about dads and their relationship with their children, let us take a look at 5 of them:
1. Luther Vandross’s Dance with my father
Luther Vandross wrote ‘Dance with My Father’ with Richard Marx, based on his own personal experience. It is a tribute to his father, Luther Vandross, Sr, who died due to complications of diabetes, when Luther was seven. Luther’s most poignant memory of his dad was him dancing in the house with his kids, which is where the concept of the song came from.
2. Phil Collins’ Father to son
From his huge album …But Seriously, this song sees Phil explore his connection with his own son, Simon. The inspirational tune shows Phil hoping to guide his son through some of the trials of life and love, reassuring him that, “if you look behind you, I will be there”.
3. Nat King Cole and Natalie Cole’s Unforgettable
Not necessarily a song about dads, but a beautiful moment between a real-life father and daughter. 40 years after first recording it, Nat King Cole’s daughter Natalie recorded an album of songs made famous by her late father, having previously declined to do so. The album included this ‘duet’, in which her vocals were placed on top of her father’s famous recording. She later did the same ‘When I Fall in Love’ on her album Stardust.
4. Cat Stevens’ Father and son
This song follows a conversation between a father not understanding his son’s desire to break away and the son who knows that it is time for him to seek his own path. Stevens wrote it as part of a proposed musical project starring Nigel Hawthorne, set during the Russian Revolution, but it fell through. Boyzone later scored a hit with it in 1995.
5. Henry Chapin’s Cats in the cradle
This song tells of a father and son who can’t schedule a time to be with each other, and it serves as a warning against putting one’s career before family. Its lyrics began as a poem written by Harry’s wife, Sandra Gaston. It was inspired by the awkward relationship between her first husband, James Cashmore, and his father, a politician. Harry also said the song was about his own relationship with his son, Josh, admitting, “Frankly, this song scares me to death.”