Recognizing Our Everyday Heroes
In honor of Father’s Day, let’s revisit some classic tunes dedicated to Dad. How many of these oldies but goodies can you remember? (Click the song titles to listen.)
“COLOR HIM FATHER” – The Winstons
“I think I’ll color this man father / I think I’ll color him love.”
R & B group The Winstons released “Color Him Father” in 1969, at the height of the Vietnam conflict. The lyrics express a boy’s love for his stepfather, a hardworking and loving man who married the child’s mother after her first husband was killed in the war.
“LEADER OF THE BAND” – Dan Fogelberg
“My life has been a poor attempt to imitate the man /
I’m just a living legacy to the leader of the band.”
Dan Fogelberg wrote “Leader of the Band” as a tribute to his father, a high school and college band director, whom Dan often referred to as a “legitimate musician.”
The song was released in 1981, one year before his father’s passing.
“FATHER AND SON” – Cat Stevens
“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.”
Paternal relationships can be complicated. Cat Stevens’ 1970 classic “Father and Son” depicts a heartbreaking exchange between a father who doesn’t understand his son’s desire to break away and a son who knows it’s time to seek his own destiny.
“DADDY’S HANDS” – Holly Dunn
“Daddy’s hands weren’t always gentle, but I’ve come to understand /
There was always love in daddy’s hands.”
Country singer Holly Dunn penned the Father’s Day classic “Daddy’s Hands” as a gift for her dad in 1986. The tune catapulted her to fame and was nominated for a Grammy Award the following year. It was also later recorded by The Judds.
DANCE WITH MY FATHER” – Luther Vandross
“If I could get another chance / Another walk, another dance with him /
I’d play a song that would never ever end.”
Luther Vandross considered “Dance With My Father” his “career song,” earning him two Grammys in 2004, including Song of the Year. It’s a touching tribute to his father, Luther Vandross Sr., who died from complications of diabetes when Luther Jr. was only eight years old.
“UNFORGETTABLE” – Natalie Cole
“Unforgettable / That’s what you are / Unforgettable / Though near or far.”
This highly memorable “duet” between Natalie Cole and her late dad, crooner Nat King Cole, is a loving tribute to the man who passed away when Natalie was just a teenager.
Enjoy this video clip right to the emotional end…Then, call your father!
Sources:
Featured Image: Adobe, License Granted
Wikipedia
Dan Fogelberg
Song Facts
Country Thang Daily
Smooth Radio
The Independent