There are other artists with the same name:
2. Tonic is a house music producer.
3. A pop band from Belgium active in the 1980s.
My Old Man
Tonic Lyrics
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Don't see eye to eye
We take our walks outside
Underneath the birch trees
He said I think it's gonna freeze this year
I said I gotta get away from here
Me and my old man
Me and my old man
That you'd let us all down
Could have been enough to try
Without making a sound
It's all part of the plan my dear
It's all part of the plan my dear
So we walked along the mending walls
Laid beneath the tortured talls
And we sang a song of newfound cheer
Laughed at the passing years
Yeah we talked about things to come
Talked about the battles won
He said I think it's gonna freeze this year
I said I gotta get away from here
Should have been enough to know
That you'd let us all down
Could have been enough to try
Could have been enough to try
Oh I've been such a fool
Spent my life waiting for you
Through these trees I see
With my father's eyes I realize the weight
Should have been enough to know
That you'd let us all down
Could have been enough to try
Without making a sound
It's all part of the plan my dear
It's all part of the plan my dear
It's all part of the plan my dear
Between me and my old man
Gotta get away from here
Gotta get away from here
The song "My Old Man" by Tonic is a touching ballad about the complicated relationship between a father and his son. The opening lines of the song reveal a sense of discord and tension between the two. They "don't see eye to eye" and have to go for walks outside to try to bridge the gap between them. The father predicts that it is going to freeze, perhaps referring to the emotional distance between them that is growing colder with every passing year.
As the song progresses, the two talk about their past and present, reflected in the imagery of the "mending walls" and the "tortured talls" they walk alongside. They share moments of laughter and even sing a song of newfound cheer, which suggests they see glimpses of hope and positivity in their relationship. However, at the same time, the son also recognizes the weight of his father's shortcomings and how they have been a burden on him and their family over the years.
The final lines of the song reiterate the need to get away from the situation, symbolically represented by the birch trees they walk under. Despite moments of bonding and closeness, the tension and underlying issues are still present, and the son realizes that it is time to move on.
Line by Line Meaning
Me and my old man
The singer and his father are together, but not getting along.
Don't see eye to eye
The two individuals have different perspectives and opinions.
We take our walks outside
The two go on walks together, presumably to try to improve their relationship.
Underneath the birch trees
The setting of their walks involves birch trees.
He said I think it's gonna freeze this year
The father makes a weather-related observation.
I said I gotta get away from here
The singer wants to leave the current situation behind.
Should have been enough to know
Something that was previously said or knew could have been enough to understand the current situation.
That you'd let us all down
The father has caused disappointment or failed someone.
Could have been enough to try
The effort put in could have been enough to potentially change the outcome.
Without making a sound
This change could have happened quietly or behind the scenes.
It's all part of the plan my dear
The father believes that everything that has happened is part of a plan.
So we walked along the mending walls
The two walk along walls that have been repaired.
Laid beneath the tortured talls
They rest among distressed (or tortured) trees.
And we sang a song of newfound cheer
They share a moment of happiness together, through singing.
Laughed at the passing years
They are amused by the years that have gone by.
Yeah we talked about things to come
They discuss what could happen in the future.
Talked about the battles won
They recall battles that have been won in the past.
Oh I've been such a fool
The singer admits to being foolish.
Spent my life waiting for you
The singer has been waiting for his father.
Through these trees I see
By looking at the trees, he can gain an understanding of something.
With my father's eyes I realize the weight
Seeing things as his father does, he can understand the gravity of the situation.
Between me and my old man
The situation is between the singer and his father.
Gotta get away from here
The singer still wants to leave his current situation behind.
Gotta get away from here
This feeling is intensified and repeated.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: EMERSON HART
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind