When people think of classic rock songs, they think of hard riffs, good times, and machismo. However, Cat Stevens gave us a classic rock song that is too sad for words. The track has stood the test of time in a way that a lot of the easy-listening tunes from the 1970s have not.
You don’t need to understand 1 Cat Stevens song to experience some of its beauty
Stevens produced several likable hit singles during the singer-songwriter boom of the 1970s, including “Peace Train,” “Wild World,” and “Morning Has Broken.” The best of Steven’s run of hits that straddled the line between soft rock and folk was “Father and Son” from the seminal album Tea for the Tillerman.
“Father and Son” is one of those rare pop songs that’s perfect in every way. Firstly, it has a gorgeous melody. Even if you don’t listen to the lyrics, you can hear the chords poignantly yearn for something they can’t reach. Folk music is generally about ideas and lyrics rather than instrumentation, but Stevens knocked it out of the park with this one.
Why the song is so sad
Beyond that, the story in “Father and Son” is devastating. In the track, a father tells his son to stop being so ambitious. The father exhorts his progeny to care about more practical concerns, like settling down. Shockingly, the dad directly says that his son might want to give up on his dreams because they might die out anyway.
The son responds by saying he has to go out and try to fulfill his dreams. The narrative ends there. So, does the son make something of himself? Or was he foolishly ignoring his father’s sage advice? The song doesn’t give us any answers. There are no answers. “Father and Son” is so sad because it highlights the conflict between idealism and practical concerns that each of us may fail to navigate.
Why Cat Stevens feels ‘Father and Son’ is politically relevant
During a 2020 interview with GQ, Stevens discussed his feelings about “Father and Son.” “It’s a powerful song, whatever way you approach it,” he said. “You can take many different positions on it. Some people relate it to their own parents, and their own family, but also against the backdrop right now. That’s the great thing about youth — it has a fresh take on life. It comes in, brand new, and says, ‘Well, OK, what’s going on? Why are you doing this? Isn’t there a better way?’ The child is daring with all kinds of questions, being able to challenge the status quo, which is what we’re facing when we’re born into a system.”
Stevens related “Father and Son” to current events. “For instance, on the racist issue [and the global Black Lives Matter protests],” he said. “People are saying, ‘Why are we continuing to go down this route? It’s not leading towards anything positive, so why can’t we all look at our ideals and revisit them?’ And that’s great. I mean, that’s the message of the song. Let’s look at our ideals. And let’s see if we’re in the right place now; if we’re not, let’s move.”
“Father and Son” is one of the best ballads of the 1970s — and it sounds as timeless now as it did 50 years ago.
