Music review: Everclear - Father of Mine
Artist: Everclear Members: Art Alexakis (vocals, guitar), Greg Eklund (drums), Craig Montoya (bass, vocals) Album: So Much for the Afterglow Release date: 10/7/97 Video link: Via YouTube
Lyrics: Father of mine Tell me where have you been You know I just closed my eyes My whole world disappeared Father of mine Take me Back to the day When I was still your golden boy Back before you went away
I remember blue skies Walking the block I loved it when you held me high I loved to hear you talk You would take me to the movie You would take me to the beach You would take me to a place inside That is so hard to reach
Father of mine Tell me where did you go You had the world inside your hand But you did not seem to know Father of mine Tell me what do you see When you look Back at your wasted life And you don't see me
I was ten years old Doing all that I could It wasn't easy for me To be a scared white boy In a black neighborhood Sometimes you would send me a birthday card With a five dollar bill I never understood you then And I guess I never will
Daddy gave me a name My dad he gave me a name Then he walked away Daddy gave me a name Then he walked away My daddy gave me a name
Daddy gave me a name Daddy gave me a name Then he walked away Daddy gave me a name Then he walked away My daddy gave me a name
Father of mine Tell me where have you been I just closed my eyes And the world disappeared Father of mine Tell me how do you sleep With the children you abandoned And the wife I saw you beat
I will never be safe I will never be sane I will always be weird inside I will always be lame Now I'm a grown man With a child of my own And I swear I'm not going to let her know All the pain I have known
Daddy gave me a name Then he walked away My dad gave me a name Then he walked away My daddy gave me a name Then he walked away My daddy gave me a name Then he walked away Then he walked away Then he walked away About the song: I always cry when this song plays. It's an autobiographical song about Art's father abandoning the family when Art was a boy. While I know that deadbeat dads aren't uncommon, I think the part that always tugs at my heartstrings is the "Now I'm a grown man/With a child of my own/And I swear I'm not going to let her know/All the pain I have known" verse. It's wonderful to hear someone breaking the vicious circle that usually happens when someone who has a crappy childhood becomes a parent. Even though this is a sad and depressing song, that last verse does give you hope for the future.