While the original line up for the band included Billy Ray Cyrus, John Waite, Jeffrey Steele and Phil Vassar, the artists' schedules became too busy for the band to meet up and record material for their debut album. However, in 2009, Cyrus was filming Christmas in Canaan and he came across Morris Joseph Tancredi.[1] The two began to talk about music and Tancredi played Cyrus a song he had written, called "Lately." Cyrus immediately took a liking to the song and asked Tancredi if he had any more material. Soon after, Cyrus met with Samantha Maloney, Jamie Miller, Dan Knight and Dave Henning. The five of them soon became the new line up for Brother Clyde.
Son of a Gun
Brother Clyde Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
With a heart beatin' fast, tremblin' hands and desperate eyes
He had a little boy, still he made that choice
The boy grew up in the shadow cast by his old man
His future stained from the blood on his daddy's hands
Though he shared his name, he was not the same
(No)
"You can't make me go down that road"
"Heaven knows"
(Knows)
"I won't let you bury my soul"
"I'm gonna fight till I die, there's nowhere to run"
"From what the world expects you to become"
"When you're the son of a gun"
"Son of a gun"
It's hard to live in a dirty town and keep your hands clean
Those boys down the street took him for a ride when he was 15
He was in the dark in a stolen car
Well, it was too late turn around when the sirens wailed
They hit the gas, screamin' fast, headed straight for hell
When the blue lights flashed, so did the years pass
He said, "No"
(No)
"You can't make me go down that road"
"Heaven knows"
(Knows)
"I won't let you bury my soul"
"I'm gonna fight till I die, there's nowhere to run"
"From what the world expects you to become"
"When you're the son of a gun"
He saw the driver reach down
From under the seat, a pistol came out
The policeman spoke about the boy at his graveside
How he took the hit of a 38 and saved his life
And he swore he heard these last words
"No"
(No)
"You can't make me go down that road"
"Heaven knows"
(Knows)
"I won't let you bury my soul"
"I'm gonna fight till I die, there's nowhere to run"
"From what the world expects you to become"
"From what the world expects you to become"
"When you're the son of a gun"
"Son of a gun"
Oh, son of a gun, son of a gun
Oh, son of a gun, yeah, son of a gun
Son of a gun, son of a gun
The song "Son of a Gun" by Brother Clyde portrays the story of a young boy who tries to break free from the dark shadow that his father casts. It all starts with his father's decision to walk into a liquor store on Friday night, which ultimately sets the stage for this boy's future. The boy grows up knowing that his father's hands are stained with blood, and he refuses to follow in his footsteps and take the same path. He knows that there is a choice to be made and that he must stick to his guns, no matter how high the stakes are.
Despite his best efforts, the boy's environment isn't conducive to maintaining a clean slate. He learns this lesson the hard way, when he's taken for a ride in a stolen car with the neighborhood boys. When they see the flashing lights of the police, they refuse to stop, and the years pass by in a blur for him. As he grows older, things become even more complicated, especially when he finds himself staring down the barrel of a pistol.
The boy ultimately becomes a man who refuses to let the world determine his fate. He takes control of his life and fights until his last breath to ensure that he doesn't become what the world expects him to be. The song is a powerful message that serves as a reminder that a person's past does not have to dictate their future, and that everybody has the power to break free from the shadow of their past.
Line by Line Meaning
His daddy walked into a liquor store on Friday night
The father of the singer went to a liquor store with a nervous and desperate demeanor.
With a heart beatin' fast, tremblin' hands and desperate eyes
The father was visibly struggling and very nervous.
He had a little boy, still he made that choice
Despite his son being young, the father still made the decision to go to the liquor store.
The boy grew up in the shadow cast by his old man
The artist has lived in the shadow of his father.
His future stained from the blood on his daddy's hands
The artist's future prospects are harmed by his father's actions.
Though he shared his name, he was not the same
Despite being related to his father, the singer is not like him.
He said, "No"
The singer refused to follow in his father's footsteps.
"You can't make me go down that road"
The artist is determined not to turn into his father.
"Heaven knows"
The artist believes that it's important to do the right thing.
"I won't let you bury my soul"
The artist won't let his father's negative influence impact his life permanently.
"I'm gonna fight till I die, there's nowhere to run"
The singer is determined to overcome obstacles and face his problems head-on.
"From what the world expects you to become"
The artist feels that it's hard to avoid being influenced by others' expectations.
"When you're the son of a gun"
Being related to someone who does bad things can impact your life significantly.
It's hard to live in a dirty town and keep your hands clean
It's difficult to avoid being negatively impacted by your surroundings.
Those boys down the street took him for a ride when he was 15
The singer was taken for a ride by some boys from his neighborhood when he was a teenager.
He was in the dark in a stolen car
The artist was in a car that was stolen, and didn't know where they were going.
Well, it was too late turn around when the sirens wailed
The artist realized too late that something was wrong when they heard police sirens.
They hit the gas, screamin' fast, headed straight for hell
The driver of the car tried to escape the police in a reckless way.
When the blue lights flashed, so did the years pass
The singer felt like his life was flashing before his eyes when the police showed up.
He saw the driver reach down
The artist observed the driver reaching for something.
From under the seat, a pistol came out
The driver took a gun out from under his seat.
The policeman spoke about the boy at his graveside
A police officer talked about the artist during his funeral.
How he took the hit of a 38 and saved his life
The singer was shot but managed to save the police officer's life.
And he swore he heard these last words
The police officer heard what the artist said before he died.
"I'm gonna fight till I die, there's nowhere to run"
The singer remained steadfast in his determination even in the face of danger.
"From what the world expects you to become"
The singer felt like there were forces outside of himself that were trying to shape his future.
"Son of a gun"
The singer's identity is tied to his father's actions, for better or for worse.
Contributed by Aaliyah T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.