Father To Son Lyrics
I seem to remember Brian saying somewhere that he tried not to make his songs too personal... Of course, they were pretty personal in the early 90's, especially on his solo albums. But I don't know how directly personal his early songs were. There probably is a personal element in this song, but I don't think it's a description of Brian's entire relationship with his father.
I this this song is about a king who is about to go off to battle and is giving his son some last advice through a letter. His son doesn't understand the advice yet because he is still young, so he either cannot or will not grasp the meaning. When the father dies and the son becomes king, he will have many struggles, but he will look back at his father's letter and start to understand it, and that will help him. He will eventually pass that advice onto his own son.
It's basically about children not taking their parents' advice until they are older, more mature, and have gone through some of the things their parents went through. It may be hard to understand advice until the children learn it themselves from experience; then when they grow up, they will have the same problem of trying to give their children the advice when they aren't ready to take it yet.
@TheYipskee Brian said kept his songs broad to appeal to more people but he said his personal life almost always bled into the songs he wrote whether he originally planned it (way more than Freddie). All Dead was originally supposed to be about growing up and people dying in their lives and it ended up being about his childhood cat dying and how that affected him in the end. Now I'm Here and It's Late were both about Peaches (first is the excitement of touring America, New Orleans, and meeting Peaches while the second is about realities of hiding an...
@TheYipskee Brian said kept his songs broad to appeal to more people but he said his personal life almost always bled into the songs he wrote whether he originally planned it (way more than Freddie). All Dead was originally supposed to be about growing up and people dying in their lives and it ended up being about his childhood cat dying and how that affected him in the end. Now I'm Here and It's Late were both about Peaches (first is the excitement of touring America, New Orleans, and meeting Peaches while the second is about realities of hiding an affair). The White Queen was supposedly about a girl he was obsessed with in college.
yes the song has a personal level; it is about brian's dad and his desire for brian's life and career to be more traditional. instead of finishing school and pursuing a more "conservative" field of work, brian left off school and became a rock musician! (although later in life, brian did finish his PhD and took a "real job" at university)
on another, more abstract level, the choice of words used in the lyrics evoke definite strains of british nationalism and history. Of course, Queen is THE quintessential "Hail Britannica" band; but you can really hear that symbolism in this song, One might see this song not only as a literal father to son relationship, but perhaps also the spirit of the British nation entreating its young generation.
"I fought with you, fought on your side, long before you were born" has to be one of the most penetrating lyrics in this song. Its the never ending cycle between fathers and sons.
If you've lost your father, this song resonates even more.
the cycle of each of us living and figuring life out and everything in it. Our fathers lived through the same thing and could likely give us a lot of wisdom and advice about life but we need to learn it ourselves and enjoy it (the sound)
A very obvious Brian composition, as he can be very personal with his own songs. And this song is no exception to that. A song inspired by his own relationship with his father. It was a very bumpy ride for him i think, because there is so much anger in this song, but in the end there's bliss and serenity. The legacy left behind by a father to his son.
Possibly; I know his father helped him build his first guitar -- the built it together. I always thought he had a good relationship with his father, but maybe I'm wrong? If you listen to "Good Company," he talks about his father giving him the advice to always keep your family close (and his sorrow at not heeding his dad).
@Sir_Larrikin Around this time he had a strained relationship with his dad. His dad was not happy he abandoned a "proper" career in astrophysics for music (felt that he threw his education away). Also he was upset because Brian moved in with Chrissie and they were not married (yet). It sounded like for 1-2 years he barely spoke to his dad.
@Sir_Larrikin Around this time he had a strained relationship with his dad. His dad was not happy he abandoned a "proper" career in astrophysics for music (felt that he threw his education away). Also he was upset because Brian moved in with Chrissie and they were not married (yet). It sounded like for 1-2 years he barely spoke to his dad.
This song is the best on Queen II, the bridge is honestly the heaviest thing I've ever heard in a song. Thats what makes it so good, a nice original heavy metal ballad this one is.
I couldn't believe that more people hadn't reviewed this song. This is a powerful song with some of the best heavy metal guitar ever played, even by the guitar god himself. Brian May is the best guitarist in history and with the possible exception of Freddie Mercury, the greatest songwriter. If you have not heard this album you should. It is absolutely amazing beginning to end.
I totally agree about this album being absolutely amazing... everyone should listen to it.
Well I don´t know but this song rocks!