Father to Son Lyrics
It seems so far, but it never is
You wont need to stay, but you might lose your strength
On the way
Cos all the things you thought were safe, now theyre gone
But you wont be alone, Ill be here to carry you along
Watching you til all your work is done
Cos when she comes along, she could be breaking it
No theres nothing wrong, youre learning to be strong
Dont look back
She may soon be gone, no dont look back
Shes not the only one, remember that
If you dont know what to say, well, thats all right
You dont know what to do?
Remember she is just as scared as you
Remember, youre gonna get hurt someday, anyway
Then you must lift your head, keep it there
Remember what I said
Ill always be with you dont forget
Just look over your shoulder Ill be there.
I personally think this is one of Phil Collins best songs, but most overlooked. It really has a touching meaning to it and should be valued more for what it means then being skiped over for being a boring song.
The meaning of Father to Son by Phil Collins.
For those who grew up without their father, you can agree with me that , listening to this song, you can hear your father talking to you in the Lyrics. Apart from that , the sombre and solemn instrumental in the background compliments the Lyrics by adding a tone of Seriousness to the entire message. This contributes to the weight of the message; it also evokes emotions which bring feelings of Self pity to the listener.
Now on the Lyrics themselves.
This is a message from a father to his beloved son. It is more like words that your father would leave you with before he takes his last breathe on the sick bed. The first verse begins with the phrase, "Somewhere down the road, you gonna find a place." The whole verse is about going somewhere and being somewhere . This is a father telling his son what to expect and how to respond to disappointments in life.
The second verse is an encouragement and assurance , that his son should not be lonely in these challenges of life, for he will be there with him until the work is done.
The third verse is my favourite, i say this because i have lost two uncles to Depression caused by break marriage break ups. In this verse, the father tells his son to be careful when it comes to relationships. This is shown in the first line "when you find your heart, you better run with it." This is true in that every young man out there struggles with the thought of waiting for the right time at the sight of a beautiful girl. The father assures his son that by running with his heart, he is not being selfish. This is shown in the line "No there is nothing wrong , you are learning to be strong." To calm him down , the father says "she is not the only one, remember that." In my own opinion, this safes many young men whole are struggling to balance between growing up and Dating.
The last two verses are about trusting your gut and having courage. Here , the father tells the son when to trust his girl , and also not to be shy. It may hurt to say certain things , but nevertheless, you will still be hurt one day . So learn to live with your challenges , die a little, and you will be okay. Thats life.
The last part of the song is a hypnotic repetition of the words "..if you look behind you, i will be there!" , These words echo as the song dies down, and they leave a lasting effect on the listener.
This for me is his best song ever!...so touching and calm...
I agree with CrackersZeke
I am 14 right now, about to be 15. When I first listened to this song, I didn't really pay attention to the lyrics so I really didn't feel much. The second time I listened to this, I read the lyrics, and I cried. The outro especially got me. Made me think of my dad, and my Grandpa who passed away from Covid in late 2020. I can't help but tear up at the line "I'll always be with you, don't forget. Just look over your shoulder, I'll be there."