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Father and Son (song)

"Father and Son"
Father and Son (song).png
German single
Single by Cat Stevens
from the album Tea for the Tillerman
Released 1970
Recorded 1970
Genre Folk rock
Length 3:41
Label Island
A&M Records (USA)
Writer(s) Cat Stevens
Producer(s) Paul Samwell-Smith
Cat Stevens singles chronology
"Lady D'Arbanville"
(1970)
"Father and Son"
(1970)
"Wild World"
(1970)
"Father and Son"
Single by Sandie Shaw
B-side "Pity the Ship is Sinking"
Released 1972
Genre Pop
Label Pye
Writer(s) Cat Stevens
Producer(s) Cat Stevens
Sandie Shaw singles chronology
"Where Did They Go"
(1972)
"Father and Son"
(1972)
"One More Night"
(1977)
"Father and Son"
Boyzone Father and Son.jpeg
Single by Boyzone
from the album Said and Done
Released 13 November 1995
Recorded 1994-95
Genre Pop
Label PolyGram
Writer(s) Cat Stevens
Producer(s) Ray Hedges
Boyzone singles chronology
"So Good"
(1995)
"Father and Son"
(1995)
"Coming Home Now"
(1996)
Music video
"Father and Son" on YouTube
"Father and Son"
Father-and-son-ronan-keating-featuring-yusuf.jpg
Single by Ronan Keating featuring Yusuf Islam
from the album 10 Years of Hits
Released 13 December 2004
Format CD single
Recorded 2004
Genre Pop
Length 3:23
Label Polydor Records
Writer(s) Cat Stevens
Producer(s) Steve Mac
Ronan Keating featuring Yusuf Islam singles chronology
"I Hope You Dance"
(2004)
"Father and Son"
(2004)
"Baby Can I Hold You"
(2005)

"Father and Son" is a popular song written and performed by English singer-songwriter Cat Stevens (now known as Yusuf Islam) on his 1970 album Tea for the Tillerman. The song frames an exchange between a father not understanding a son's desire to break away and shape a new life, and the son who cannot really explain himself but knows that it is time for him to seek his own destiny. Stevens sings in a deeper register for the father's lines, while using a higher one for those of the son. Additionally, there are backing vocals provided by Stevens' guitarist and friend Alun Davies beginning mid-song, singing an unusual chorus of simple words and sentences such as "No" and "Why must you go and make this decision alone?"

Cat Stevens originally wrote "Father and Son" as part of a proposed musical project with actor Nigel Hawthorne called Revolussia, that was set during the Russian Revolution; the song was about a boy who wanted to join the revolution against the wishes of his father. The musical project faded away with the onset of more than a year-long period of recuperation after a sudden bout of tuberculosis and a collapsed lung; the result of too much fast living after first achieving fame. But "Father and Son" remained, now in a broader context that reflected not just the societal conflict of Stevens' time, but also captured the impulses of older and younger generations in general.

"Father and Son" received substantial airplay on progressive rock and album-oriented rock radio formats, and played a key role in establishing Stevens as a new voice worthy of attention. In 1970 it was only put on the B-side of Stevens' single "Moon Shadow" (Island Records).

Interviewed soon after the release of "Father and Son", Stevens was asked if the song was autobiographical. Responding to the interviewer from Disc, he said, "I’ve never really understood my father, but he always let me do whatever I wanted—he let me go. 'Father And Son' is for those people who can’t break loose."


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Wikipedia

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