Fathers & Sons
Ghost Quartet Lyrics
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Don′t bother me
Y'all can go away
And just the bottle can stay
La da da da da
Da da da da
Da da da da da da da da
And i'm never really sad
But i'm a pretty bad lover
And i′m probably a deadbeat dad
My son my son
Get away from me
Strike out on your own
Pack your bags up and flee
And never look back
At your rotten pop
Drinking in the bathroom
Of an ice cream shop
My dad my dad
I′m outta here
I'll finish my drink
And then i′ll disappear
I'm gonna play cello
In a rock′n'roll band
Make money on the side
From my heroin stand
And if anyone pushes me
I′m gonna push them back
And if anyone pushes me
I'm gonna push them back
La da da da da
Da da da da
Da da da da da da da da
La da da da da
Da da da da
Da da da da da da da da
There's a man on the platform
Screaming about the apocalypse
Screaming about the day of revelation
The day of revelation is at hand
Reveal it to me
Reveal me everything
Reveal it to me please right now
I′m never really happy
And i′m never really sad
But i'm a pretty bad lover
And i′m probably a deadbeat dad
The lyrics of Ghost Quartet's Fathers & Sons are a melancholy portrayal of two generations of fathers and sons struggling with their familial relationships. The singer sings about his desire to drink alone and not be bothered by anyone while making it clear that he is not happy nor sad. He laments his shortcomings as a lover and a father, recognizing that he has not been present for his son and advises him to leave and not look back at his "rotten pop." The son, in turn, plans to pursue his passion for music and drugs, pushing back against anyone who tries to stop him. The song ends with a random man on the platform of a subway station, screaming about the "day of revelation."
The lyrics of Fathers & Sons are an introspective exploration of the complicated and messy relationships between fathers and sons, with the song expressing the idea that it is often challenging to maintain those bonds. As the singer, his son, and the random man on the platform, all struggle with their relationships with their fathers or sons, they all seek to pursue their own paths, regardless of the impact it may have on their loved ones.
Line by Line Meaning
Let me drink tonight
I don't need anyone's company tonight; I just want to drink alone.
Don't bother me
Please do not interrupt or disturb me while I'm drinking.
Y'all can go away
Everyone around me can leave and I won't care.
And just the bottle can stay
The only thing I need tonight is my bottle of alcohol.
My son, my son
The artist is addressing their son.
Get away from me
The singer is telling their son to leave them alone.
Strike out on your own
The singer wants their son to become more independent.
Pack your bags up and flee
The artist wants their son to leave home and start a new life somewhere else.
And never look back
The artist doesn't want their son to have any regrets about leaving.
At your rotten pop
The artist is referring to themselves as a bad father.
Drinking in the bathroom
The singer is drinking alcohol in a public bathroom.
Of an ice cream shop
The bathroom the artist is drinking in is located in an unlikely place, an ice cream shop.
My dad, my dad
The singer is addressing their own father.
I'm outta here
The singer is leaving.
I'll finish my drink
Before leaving, the singer wants to finish their drink.
And then I'll disappear
The artist will leave and not come back.
I'm gonna play cello
The artist has a new dream of playing cello.
In a rock 'n' roll band
The singer wants to join a rock 'n' roll band.
Make money on the side
The singer wants to earn extra money by also selling heroin.
From my heroin stand
The artist plans to sell heroin as a source of income.
And if anyone pushes me
If anyone tries to start a fight with the artist,
I'm gonna push them back
the artist will fight back.
There's a man on the platform
The singer is observing a man on a train platform.
Screaming about the apocalypse
The man is yelling about the end of the world.
Screaming about the day of revelation
The man is predicting a day of reckoning.
The day of revelation is at hand
The man believes the end of the world is near.
Reveal it to me
The man is asking for more information about the apocalypse.
Reveal me everything
The man wants to know every detail of the impending apocalypse.
Reveal it to me please right now
The man is demanding an immediate explanation of the apocalypse.
I'm never really happy
The singer acknowledges that they are never truly happy.
And I'm never really sad
The singer also acknowledges that they are never truly sad.
But I'm a pretty bad lover
The artist admits that they are not a good partner in romantic relationships.
And I'm probably a deadbeat dad
The artist feels like they have been a poor father to their children.
Writer(s): Dave Malloy
Contributed by Caden M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.