Father & Son
cat stevens (live) Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It's not time to make a change
Just relax, take it easy
You're still young, that's your fault
There's so much you have to know
Find a girl, settle down
If you want you can marry
Look at me, I am old, but I'm happy
And I know that it's not easy
To be calm when you've found something going on
But take your time, think a lot
Why, think of everything you've got
For you will still be here tomorrow, but your dreams may not
Son
How can I try to explain, when I do he turns away again
It's always been the same, same old story
From the moment I could talk I was ordered to listen
Now there's a way and I know that I have to go away
I know I have to go
Father
It's not time to make a change
Just sit down, take it slowly
You're still young, that's your fault
There's so much you have to go through
Find a girl, settle down
If you want you can marry
Look at me, I am old, but I'm happy
Son
All the times that I cried
Keeping all the things I knew inside
It's hard, but it's harder to ignore it
If they were right, I'd agree
But it's them you know not me
Now there's a way and I know that I have to go away
I know I have to go
"Father and Son" is a poignant and timeless song that tells the story of a tense and emotional conversation between a father and his son on the subject of growing up and becoming an adult. The song showcases two perspectives: one from the father's point of view, and the other from his son's point of view. The father attempts to give his son some advice, urging him to slow down and enjoy his youth, while the son is eager to strike out on his own and make his own way in the world. The song reflects on the challenges that can arise between different generations when it comes to life's milestones.
The interactions between the two characters in the song reveal a clash between two ideologies about what it means to grow up and be a man. The father is more conservative and pragmatic, whereas the son is impatient and wants to experience everything life has to offer right now. The father's advice is well-intentioned but ultimately ineffective because his son is determined to go his own way. The son, in turn, feels misunderstood and stifled by his father's expectations, yet he respects him and knows that he can only move forward by breaking away from his guidance.
Line by Line Meaning
Father
Don't rush to make a decision just yet. Take it easy and slow it down. You're still young and you have a lot to learn.
Father
It's normal to make mistakes, but it's important to think things through before making a decision. There's still plenty of time to figure out what you want to do with your life.
Father
You may want to settle down and start a family, but that's a personal choice. Don't let anyone pressure you into anything you don't want to do.
Father
I was once where you are now, and I know it's not easy to make sense of everything going on around you. Take your time and think things through before making a decision.
Father
It's important to appreciate what you have in life and not take anything for granted. You don't know what the future holds, so make the most of every day.
Son
I don't know how to communicate with my Father. Whenever I try to talk to him, he just shuts me out and ignores me.
Son
This situation has been going on for a long time, and it's becoming exhausting. I feel like my opinions and thoughts are being ignored.
Son
I've always been told what to do and how to live my life. It's frustrating and I need to find a way to break free from it.
Son
I have to go away to find my own path in life. I can't keep living this way, and I need to find my own way in the world.
Son
I've kept my true feelings and thoughts bottled up inside for too long. It's time to face them head-on, even if it's difficult.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: Yusuf Islam
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@mirladanganan6739
O99l99ol9o9oo😅😅 1:56 m 1:56 moo
O
9m999😅kki
LLll
L😅9😊😅 2:15 k9lol9loo9lo😅O
O
9o9l9ll
99l99O9
ll
9
9l99o9lmo99o 2:21 o99ok😅k99o999kk99o9😅loolo99i9ooio9😅loo9
l
O999o99Oo9ooooo9999iooo9o9o9999999oo9ooo99io999o9oh
Oo
99oO
9
9h999lo9o99o99oo999o9oOo9m9oo999o999io
o9oo99 2:32 99999o😅ooo9oookk9ll9😅9o9oo😅o😅9999😅9😅oo9oio99😅99o9ilio😅o😅9ok99ooo9😅99oooo99o99999😅999ohlo😅😅o😅9o😅😅9o9h9😅999lio😅9o9hkoo9o99⁹9olooo99oooo9😅9oooooooooo9o9o999o99oo9o9999oooooll99lo99o9😊9oo9😅😊oolol😊9oooo9oo90pp9mm 3:41 kl
k9
@YusufCatStevens
Subscribe to the Yusuf / Cat Stevens newsletter here: https://catstevens.com/email-signup/
@dougthePogingguitarist
love this song
@bryanquichocho1280
This song is one of many favorites from Cat! Thx dude🤙🏾.
@ozziegreen4850
Stay blessed ; stay sane in this insanity❣️
@christianschneider4926
:)
@abdelkaderbenaricha5312
I can't write or speak English properly, but I know that passionate people like me can understand me and feel me through these little big sentences." I am a very sensitive and passionate person until I have tears in my eyes.. And when I listen to this song I think of my father, a great man who died of cancer when I was very young. Then I grew up and I think of him, when he said, my son, I am really sick buying myself a piece of cake. Life without him and his compassion is cruel. I feel very alone. .
I live with great sadness in my heart to be praised by my relatives and friends.
@jaeveena
I'm leaving this comment here so after a month or a year when someone likes it, I get reminded of this song <3
@ahmadismail6626
Reminder🙂
@AlisonJacobson77Ching
❤
@AlisonJacobson77Ching
Beautiful insight, & human being...this speaks to my Soul. 'Then' to ' Now'. From the child, to the parent, parent love for child, 'seeing' own parents,...Lifetime relevance, this Loop of Life~ moving past ' self'.. to foresight, reflection & understanding. 50 years of viewpoints for me...such an ever evolving song, in this ever evolving journey. Thank you, each & every time. 🎶❤