Daddy's Song
Harry Nilsson Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

Years ago, I knew a man,
He was my mother's biggest fan
We used to walk beside the sea
And he told me how life would be
When I grew up to be a man

And years ago, we used to play
He used to laugh when I ran away
And if I fell and hurt my knee
He would run to comfort me
And the pain would go away

Years ago, I knew a boy
He was his daddy's pride and joy, pride and joy
But when the daddy went away
It was such a rainy day
That he brought out all his toys

And how the mother did explain
Trying to take away the pain
But, he just couldn't understand
That his father was not a man
And it all was just a game

The years have passed and so have I
Making it hard for me to cry
And if and when I have a son




Let it all be said and done
Let the sadness pass him by

Overall Meaning

The song "Daddy's Song" is a heartfelt tribute to father-son relationships and the impact they can have on a person's life. It begins with the memories of a man who knew somebody years ago, presumably his mother's greatest admirer. This man used to walk with young Harry by the sea and share his thoughts on life, advising the boy on what he could expect as he grew into a man. The nostalgia continues as Harry recollects how he and this man used to play together, and how he would comfort Harry whenever he would fall and scrape a knee. This demonstrates how the man took his role as a father figure seriously, comforting the boy in his time of need, and teaching him how to become a strong, resilient man.


The next section of the song is where we hear about a boy who was his father's pride and joy. However, his father left, leaving the boy and his mother struggling to deal with the pain this caused. The boy is left to play with his toys while his mother tries her best to make sense of the situation and ease her child's pain. The boy, however, cannot comprehend why his father left, and the pain he feels only seems like a cruel game to him, added to the sadness and confusion that he feels.


The final verse of the song, sung with a mellow and wistful tone, reveals Harry's own experiences with fatherhood. He talks about how the years have passed for him, making it hard for him to cry. He realizes that when he has a son of his own, he wants the sadness and pain that he felt in his childhood to pass his son by. The lyrics are a touching ode to the complex relationships between father and son, and how those memories and experiences shape the person they become.


Line by Line Meaning

Years ago, I knew a man,
A long time ago, I met a man who was really interested in my mother.


He was my mother's biggest fan
He admired my mother very much.


We used to walk beside the sea
We used to walk by the ocean together.


And he told me how life would be
He used to tell me how he thought life was going to be.


When I grew up to be a man
When I became an adult and a man.


And years ago, we used to play
We also used to play games together a long time ago.


He used to laugh when I ran away
He would laugh when I ran away during our games.


And if I fell and hurt my knee
In case I fell and hurt my knee.


He would run to comfort me
He would run over to me to console me.


And the pain would go away
He would make me feel better and the pain would disappear.


Years ago, I knew a boy
In the past, I knew a boy.


He was his daddy's pride and joy, pride and joy
He was his father's precious treasure.


But when the daddy went away
However, when his father left.


It was such a rainy day
The day his father left was gloomy.


That he brought out all his toys
He started playing with all of his toys.


And how the mother did explain
His mother tried to explain to him.


Trying to take away the pain
She tried to take away the pain he was feeling.


But, he just couldn't understand
However, he could not comprehend.


That his father was not a man
That his father was not being a responsible adult.


And it all was just a game
And it was all just a joke or a trick.


The years have passed and so have I
Many years have gone by and so have I.


Making it hard for me to cry
It has become tough for me to cry.


And if and when I have a son
If or when I have a son.


Let it all be said and done
I hope that everything is settled and done with.


Let the sadness pass him by
I hope my son will not have to deal with sadness or grief.




Lyrics Β© Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: HARRY NILSSON

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

@leebuckman2785

If you listen @ 0:20 right after the tap dancing it moves into the opening trombone slides of his later Best Friend. I dare you not to start singing; "People let me tell you 'bout my best friend..."

@willow_wolfe3949

This song is so sad.

@Eidann63

Amen. πŸ‘πŸ₯ΊπŸ˜Ÿ

@rommix0

Also recorded by the Monkees for their album Head.

@dionmcgee5610

Does anyone remember Bill Bixby and the Courtship of Eddie's Father? It's right there at the beginning of my memories. Feels like I can almost remember a few episodes-yet I can't bring them up to my consciousness. All I can remember is this song at the opening credits and an image of Bill sitting with the kid.

@carladiciaccio8955

β€œBest Friend” is a different song from this song and was the theme song for that TV show written by and sang by Harry Nilsson.

@dionmcgee5610

@Carla DiCiaccio yes. I figured that out shortly after I wrote that. Hadn't fully considered how many bad fathering songs he'd written. 1941 is definitely my favorite.

@jamescastelli

I at first thought this was the same song, but there is another similar-sounding song called Girlfriend, which I can't tell if it is from this album or an outtake, but this is what he changed the lyrics to become Best Friend. And include the brass. Or maybe all three are the same song... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=40nKkWPQG6A

@TheKitchenerLeslie

As a kid in the late 70s and early 80s, that was one of my favorite shows, which was in syndication already, along with another favorite, My Favorite Martian. So this was around the time my other favorite show was on -- The Incredible Hulk. I had been watching them for probably a year or two before I realized Bill Bixby was the star of all 3 -- and Eddie's father was the same guy who was David Banner on The Hulk, and Tim on My Favorite Martian. I must have thought tv was all documentaries at such a young age or didn't understand the concept of acting. It was a mind-blowing revelation.

@ameralbadry6825

Unique style

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