This song was originally written by a guy called Peter Gutteridge. He was one of the founders of the "Dunedin Sound" a musical scene in the south of New Zealand in the early 80s. From there it was covered by "The Clean" one of the early bands of that scene (he had originally been a member of in it's early days, writing a couple of their best early songs). The Dunedin sound, and the Clean became popular on american college radio in the mid to late 80s. I guess Yo La Tengo heard that version.
Great version of a great song,
Oh Daddy,
You know you make me cry,
How can you love me,
I don't understand why.
Oh Daddy,
If I can make you see,
If there's been a fool around,
It's got to be me.
Oh Daddy,
You soothe me with your smile,
You're letting me know,
You're the best thing in my life.
Oh Daddy,
If I can make you see,
If there's been a fool around,
It's got to be me.
Why are you right when I'm so wrong,
I'm so weak but you're so strong,
Everything you do is just alright,
And I can't walk away from you, baby
If I tried.
You know you make me cry,
How can you love me,
I don't understand why.
Oh Daddy,
If I can make you see,
If there's been a fool around,
It's got to be me.
Oh Daddy,
You soothe me with your smile,
You're letting me know,
You're the best thing in my life.
Oh Daddy,
If I can make you see,
If there's been a fool around,
It's got to be me.
Why are you right when I'm so wrong,
I'm so weak but you're so strong,
Everything you do is just alright,
And I can't walk away from you, baby
If I tried.
Lyrics submitted by oofus
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This song was written in the Rumors era and was inspired by Mick Fleetwood and was written by Christine McVie (I think!) it was dedicated to Mick because he stayed a constant throughout the turmoil they were experiencing AND he was the only member with children at the time
The meaning for Daddy is A man who takes care of you. It does not necessarily have to be your literal father. So I believe she is referring to the MAN she loves, she made a mistake, and wants to let him know that she was wrong and that he is what makes her right.
This song isn't about abuse or an unhealthy relationship with a father, but McVie wrote this song about Mick Fleetwood, the "father" of Fleetwood Mac. The McVie's and Buckingham Nicks were both have relationship troubles and this song was inspired from the drama going on.
@elles94 <br /> <br /> Close. Mick Fleetwood had an affair with Stevie Nicks in 1977 whilst he was married to Jenny Boyd (with kids), whilst this song was being written. <br /> <br /> Its said to be a soliloquy by McVie and Nicks about their relationship with Fleetwood. The song is a huge dig at Fleetwood. Listen to the tone. Its rather condescending:<br /> <br /> Oh daddy...."Why are you right when I'm so wrong, I'm so weak but you're so strong" <br /> <br /> It drips with sarcasm. Imagine when you're fighting with your SO and you said that. There is no way to read that but in a sarcastic tone. <br /> <br /> You have to remember that the Rumours album was filled with a huge amount of hurt and anger, especially after the Fleetwood album where the band members relationships were self-destructing whilst they were having affairs with each other. <br /> <br /> I think the girls were angry at Fleetwood. As the core part of the band, the man who supposedly the most stable (married with kids), the one who appeared so wise, good and honest. <br /> <br /> And yet he abused the people he was meant to be responsible for. Like a father abusing his children. <br /> <br /> Their saying that Fleetwood is a seductive bastard who thinks his always right. <br /> <br /> And this isn't the only song that they talk about Fleetwood. In the 1975 Sugar Dady song he explained the formation of his position as the sugar daddy (and how they didn't want his love) but where he provided drugs, money and alcohol to the women, providing consul like a father figure . Ultimately feeding his own ego was having affairs with these women who looked up at him. He is a particularly flawed person. <br /> Boyd divorced him in 75, he got her back, had an affair with Nicks (and probably McVie) and then after getting (immigrated) the kids & Boyd into the US ended up divorcing again in 78. And that's just a three year period of a torrid history & band who's antics have barely been documented. <br /> <br /> But then again, Nicks and McVie weren't children. They were adult women who were master song writers who were able to write powerfully about their relationships with these men like Fleetwood. They were hardly innocents.
@elles94 Yes, reading the lyrics again you could say that Christine is being loaded with sarcasm, she is British.
Yeah, i read the comments saying is about the drama envolving the band, and etc, but come on, the song is also about Daddy issues.
"How can you love me, i don't understand why" "Why are you right when I'm so wrong, I'm so weak but you're so strong"
Those are thoughts that a child has, but could not express. I see the song as a woman putting all those Daddy issues out with a man she loves.
@sakkanaka She is calling a male figure in her life Daddy. In the fifties women called husband, Daddy. It has noting to do with fathers. She looked up to Mick Fleetwood.
this is like the anthem for co-dependent ppl everywhere.
but its still awesome.
the remake by tallulah is pretty badass as well.
The song origin and meaning can be found on Wikipedia. But like any art, it can have multiple layers and interpretations. I would like to say one that I thought it could have been, and one I preferred not to be accurate (or relatable for anyone).
It could be a song written for a lover.
He may feel and act authoritarian in ways, and constantly makes subtle commentary that lets her know she's somehow wrong, weak, not as good, which makes her cry often enough to immediately mention that in the first verse. She ask him a logical question: how can he love her since she's so inadequate and not good enough for him.
Why I immediately thought it's not an actual father/daughter relationship is because a child doesn't need to prove themselves or deserve love: it's unconditional. A child doesn't wonder how a parent can love them, or beg them for it (though in some cases, particularly with cluster B personality disorders, it is possible).The love of this "daddy" in the song is very conditional. The second reason I didn't think it was a parental relationship is calling him "baby", and her being unable to leave. Children almost by definition grow up, become independent and leave. If these parts of the song were literal, it could suggest an incestuous love with a narcissistic father. Which is another possible interpretation, but I personally feel it's not that one.
And at the same time, she wonders within herself how is it that despite that constant feeling and suggestions of her inadequacy by this Mr. Right and Mr. Generous and Forgiving, even just his smile soothes her so, she feels like he's the best thing in her life, and she can't walk away even when she tries.
She concludes enigmatically, repeatedly that if one of them is a fool, it's she. It may mean that he's not a fool for being with a "lesser" being like herself (he keeps putting her down, but then pretending he's this great, parental figure who's right, and so forgiving to keep staying with her), but she is the fool for staying with someone who constantly makes her feel like that. She conceals it by saying it in a way that to him, a potentially covert narcissistic lover, may seem like she's putting her head down, and begging him for forgiveness, because she's such a fool to resist or doubt such a great guy, ever, even for a moment. It's got to be her. He's just so perfect, it can't possibly be him.
^You fucker, that wasn't even a song interpretation.
what a douchebag...this song is great
I dont think people should call their lovers mommy or daddy that is just creepy
@aimeemeow quiet.
@aimeemeow/ All afro americans call their lover Mama:Prince,Temptations...etc.
@aimeemeow In the fifties you will see men called themselves Daddy when talking about their wife, girlfriend.
This song has an unreliable narrator. I think that the narrator of the piece has a abusive father, rather mentally or physically, to the point where his father has made him feel incompetent, unworthy, and guilty for illogical reasons. "You soothe me with your smile. You're letting me know, you're the best thing in my life." This shows the great intimidation the child feels from his father; it's as if the son needs the cue of the father's smile in order to know "he's the best thing in his life." "Why are you right when I'm so wrong." We all know that everyone is wrong once in awhile. This line shows the authoritarian dominance of the father, making his child feel as if, "it's my way or the highway" regardless of if the father is actually correct. I love this song, but it can be easily misinterpreted.
@SCayce I've had this same interpretation at times too.