I love this song too. It expresses pride, not in the sense of a feeling of superiority, but in terms of self-respect. I think this song also recognizes that we owe a debt to our ancestors, and that it expresses gratitude for the opportunities that they didn't have. ("I've got a name, I've got a name/And I carry it with me like my daddy did/But I'm livin' the dream that he kept hid") I think that this lyric also has an interesting ambiguity. "I'm livin the dream that he kept hid" suggests not only Croce's gratitude for the chance to live his dream, but also a challenge to himself - to not be inhibited and lower expectations for himself as his father did.
There is also an interesting progression from name to song to dream. It symbolizes identity, expression and fulfillment. At the same time it seems to mark a life progression from childhood, to maturity, and completion with a soulmate.
Like nearly all of Croce's work, this song is thought-provoking, written artfully, yet clearly and undertstandably, and prompts an emotional response. A great song.
I love this song too. It expresses pride, not in the sense of a feeling of superiority, but in terms of self-respect. I think this song also recognizes that we owe a debt to our ancestors, and that it expresses gratitude for the opportunities that they didn't have. ("I've got a name, I've got a name/And I carry it with me like my daddy did/But I'm livin' the dream that he kept hid") I think that this lyric also has an interesting ambiguity. "I'm livin the dream that he kept hid" suggests not only Croce's gratitude for the chance to live his dream, but also a challenge to himself - to not be inhibited and lower expectations for himself as his father did.
There is also an interesting progression from name to song to dream. It symbolizes identity, expression and fulfillment. At the same time it seems to mark a life progression from childhood, to maturity, and completion with a soulmate.
Like nearly all of Croce's work, this song is thought-provoking, written artfully, yet clearly and undertstandably, and prompts an emotional response. A great song.
This is exactly how I feel about this song. Well said.
This is exactly how I feel about this song. Well said.