David Yazbek (born 1960) is an American musician, composer, and lyricist. H… Read Full Bio ↴David Yazbek (born 1960) is an American musician, composer, and lyricist. He was born to a Jewish mother and an Arab father in New York City. Musical from birth, he began cello lessons in elementary school and took up the piano as a teenager.

After attending Brown University, he wound up getting a job writing for David Letterman's late night television show. He wound up winning an Emmy as part of Letterman's writing team in 1986, but quit to pursue his love of music. From 1987 to 1989 he was the co-owner of Manhattan Recording Company and wrote many commercial jingles.

An accomplished musician, Yazbek has released three rock albums to date which highlight his unique perspective and wry sense of humor. He has also written many songs and background music for children's television shows, especially those produced for Disney's cable television channel. He also wrote the theme song to the children's television game show "Where In The World Is Carmen Sandiego." This hit show featured the musical group Rockapella, of which Yazbek's college friend Sean Altman was a member.

Yazbek has produced tracks for the band XTC, and its lead singer Andy Partridge has collaborated on Yazbek's solo albums. He also has written for or produced recordings by Spacehog, Tito Puente, The Persuasions, Queen, and Sarah Saturday. XTC also contributed a track to the "Carmen Sandiego" soundtrack album, which Yazbek produced.

In 2000, Yazbek was approached by Broadway producer Jack O'Brien to write the music and lyrics for a musical based on the hit movie The Full Monty. The show was a success, although it was overshadowed that year by Mel Brooks' musical The Producers. The Full Monty ran for two years before closing, and for his work Yazbek was nominated for the Tony Award for Best Original Score and the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Lyrics, and won the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Music. In 2002 he was a contributing lyricist for the musical Bombay Dreams.

Yazbek also wrote the music and lyrics to the musical adaptation of Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, which opened on Broadway in 2005, featuring John Lithgow and Norbert Leo Butz. Yazbek was again nominated for the 2005 Tony Award for Best Original Score, and Drama Desk Awards for Outstanding Music and Outstanding Lyrics.

Son of a Gun
Yazbek Lyrics

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I wandered for a while
I didn't have that far to go
Waiting for a letter,
Only to discover that I'm not the same
I know it to be true
You're only gonna to go again
Standing at the harbour
There is only water to be talking to

I sold it to the trees
I didn't know which way to go
Underneath the harbour, waiting for the sun to settle down
I own it to your dreams,
They always seem to bring me round
Waiting at the harbour
There is only water to be talking to

Hold on now, all I wanna do is see you,
But everybody is here just sitting round staring at the ceiling
What you gonna find in your mixed up minds when you're dreaming?
Could be we're not like you at all

Hold on now, all I wanna do is see you,
But everybody is here just sitting round staring at the ceiling

Funny what you find in your mixed up mind when you're dreaming
Maybe we're not like you at all

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Yazbek's song "Son of a Gun" describe the feeling of being lost and directionless, both physically and emotionally. The singer is wandering aimlessly, waiting for a letter that never arrives, and selling their possessions to survive. The only constant presence is the harbour, symbolizing the ebb and flow of life. The lyrics also touch upon the idea of loneliness and the difficulty of connecting with others. The singer longs to see someone they care about, but is surrounded by people who are indifferent or uninterested. The chorus suggests that the singer feels like an outsider, different from those around them and unable to relate to their perspectives.

The use of water imagery throughout the song adds to the sense of fluidity and transience. Water can represent emotions, spirituality, or simply the passage of time. By emphasizing the harbour as a point of contact, the lyrics suggest that the singer is waiting for something or someone to anchor them in place. The verses are filled with uncertainty and confusion, while the chorus provides a stark contrast with its repeated plea for connection. The conflicting emotions throughout the song create a complex portrait of a person struggling to find their place in the world.

Line by Line Meaning

I wandered for a while
I aimlessly roamed around

I didn't have that far to go
I didn't have a specific destination

Waiting for a letter,
Anticipating a message,

Only to discover that I'm not the same
To learn that I've changed

I know it to be true
I am certain of it

You're only gonna go again
You will leave again

Standing at the harbour
At the shore waiting

There is only water to be talking to
The only thing present is the sea to communicate with

I sold it to the trees
I confided in nature

I didn't know which way to go
I was confused about the correct direction

Underneath the harbour, waiting for the sun to settle down
Beneath the pier awaited the sunset