My Old Man
Good Charlotte Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Too much of my old man.
I know he walked right out the door
And we never saw him again.
Last I heard he was at the bar doing himself in. I know I got that same disease,
I guess I got that from him.
This is the story of my old man,
Just like his father before him.
So you don't end up just like them, like them. Monday he woke up and hated life,
Drank until Wednesday and left his wife. Thursday through Saturday lost everything,
Woke up on Sunday miserable again.
I remember baseball games
And working on the car.
He told me that he loved me
And that I would go far.
Showed me how to work hard
And stick up for my-self,
I wish he wasn't too hard to listen to himself.
This is the story of my old man,
Just like his father before him.
I'm telling you do anything you can,
So you don't end up just like them, like them. Monday he woke up and hated life, drank until Wednesday and left his wife.
Thursday through Saturday lost everything,
Woke up on Sunday miserable again...again...again.
Someday he'll wish that he made things right(made things right),
Long for his family and miss his wife(miss his wife),
Remember the days he had everything(everything),
Now he's alone and miserable again.
The song "The Story of My Old Man" by Good Charlotte is a powerful and poignant reflection on the impact that a broken father-son relationship can have on a person's life. The song is narrated by someone who is reflecting back on their childhood and their relationship with their father, who abandoned them and never returned. The lyrics express a deep feeling of sadness and longing for the father who was absent, as well as a fear of repeating the same mistakes that he made.
The song's narrator reveals that they don't know much about their father, aside from the fact that he left them and was last seen drinking himself to death at a bar. The singer also admits to struggling with an addiction themselves, speculating that they may have inherited the same disease from their father. The second verse becomes even more tragic, revealing that the father's destructive behavior caused him to lose everything, including his family, and ultimately end up miserable and alone.
Despite the pain and heartache caused by their absent father, the singer still has fond memories of him, including playing baseball and working on cars together. They remember their father telling them that he loved them and that they would go far in life, but lament that he was too hard to listen to his own advice. The song ultimately serves as a warning to others to avoid falling into the same destructive patterns as their fathers, and to do whatever they can to break the cycle of generational pain and dysfunction.
Line by Line Meaning
I don't know too much,
I don't have much knowledge about my old man.
Too much of my old man.
I don't know much about my old man.
I know he walked right out the door
I'm aware he left the family abruptly.
And we never saw him again.
He disappeared and never returned home.
Last I heard he was at the bar doing himself in.
The last news I received, he was drowning his sorrows at the bar.
I know I got that same disease,
I inherited his unhealthy addiction.
I guess I got that from him.
Perhaps that's where I got it from.
This is the story of my old man,
This is a narrative about my father.
Just like his father before him.
Similar to his dad who behaved similarly.
I'm telling you do anything you can,
I want to urge you to take action.
So you don't end up just like them, like them.
So as not to follow in their footsteps.
Monday he woke up and hated life,
Monday mornings triggered negative emotions in him.
Drank until Wednesday and left his wife.
He drowned himself in alcohol till Wednesday and left his spouse.
Thursday through Saturday lost everything,
He lost everything between Thursday to Saturday.
Woke up on Sunday miserable again.
He restarted his week feeling sad on a Sunday.
I remember baseball games
My memories of us involve playing baseball.
And working on the car.
We also used to fix our car together.
He told me that he loved me
He expressed his love.
And that I would go far.
He believed I would succeed.
Showed me how to work hard
He presented me with a good work ethic.
And stick up for my-self,
He taught me the importance of being self-reliant.
I wish he wasn't too hard to listen to himself.
I wish he applied what he preached to himself.
Someday he'll wish that he made things right(made things right),
One day he'll regret wrongs he committed.
Long for his family and miss his wife(miss his wife),
He would long for his family and the presence of his spouse.
Remember the days he had everything(everything),
He would reminisce about times of abundance.
Now he's alone and miserable again.
Currently, he's unhappy and isolated again.
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: BENJI MADDEN, JOEL MADDEN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind