The Rock-N-Roll Show Podcast
The Rock-N-Roll Show Podcast celebrates the magic of live music through sharing personal stories. Each week, our guests will share their stories of different shows that were memorable and meaningful to them. We’ll also have concert reviews and conversations with musicians and crew members who put on those live shows. By sharing their stories, we hope to engage you - our audience - to relive your live music memories also. So please join us every week as we explore the transformative power of live music that makes attending concerts not just entertaining, but essential. This is The Rock-N-Roll Show Podcast, where every concert tells a story.
The Rock-N-Roll Show Podcast
Episode 055 - Father's Day Playlist
Join me this week for a special Father's Day episode featuring my seven favorite songs about fathers. While rock music is abundant with songs about mothers, tracks about dads are less common, and often less flattering. I'll share the range of songs about fathers, exploring stories of regret, resilience, and the complexities of fatherhood through songs by legends like Bruce Springsteen, The Temptations, Paul Simon, and more. Tune in for a heartfelt tribute to the men that shape our lives, for better and sometimes for worse. All this week on The Rock-N-Roll Show Podcast!
00:00 Introduction to the Rock-N-Roll Show Podcast
01:38 Themes in Songs About Fathers
03:08 Song #7: Cat's in the Cradle by Harry Chapin
05:38 Song #6: The Living Years by Mike and the Mechanics
09:19 Song #5: Father and Daughter by Paul Simon
12:00 Song #4: Papa Was a Rolling Stone by The Temptations
15:32 Song #3: Independence Day by Bruce Springsteen
19:40 Song #2: I'll Be Your Man by Zac Brown Band
22:48 Song #1: Isn't She Lovely by Stevie Wonder
25:05 Conclusion and Podcast Details
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Welcome to the Rock-N-Roll Show Podcast. I'm your host, Alex Gadd, and this week I've got another top 10 list for you, except it's really a top seven list with Father's Day. Coming up, I've got a list of my favorite songs about fathers. Rock and Roll is full of songs about mothers, but songs about dads are harder to find and I've put together a list of seven songs that I think you'll like. So stick around for my favorite rock songs about fathers for Father's Day coming up right now. Finding a set of songs about fathers is difficult in rock and roll since a lot of rockers seem to have gotten into music because they didn't feel seen or heard at home, and needed an outlet to get their voice out into the world. That's certainly the case for Springsteen, for Bono, for Axel Rose, for Kurt Cobain, for Clapton, for Lenin, for Brian, Carl and Dennis Wilson and many, many more Springsteen especially. Wrote about his troubled relationship with his father a lot. From Factory and Adam Raised a Cane to Independence Day. My Father's House Used Cars. Walk Like a Man
and
Alex Gadd:more. His success ultimately allowed him to establish a new and different relationship with his father later in life. Douglas Springsteen was even quoted as saying that his favorite of his son's songs were the ones about me, but it took a difficult 30 years before Bruce could reestablish that relationship on healthier terms. What is clear is that most songs about fathers are less than flattering. Papa was either a rolling stone, moving from woman to woman and job to job, or he wasn't gonna take no mess. Commanding respect through fear of punishment. Fathers were generally either absent, like in Everclear's"Father of Mine,", or distant, like in"Cat's In The Cradle" by Harry Chapin. There are a bunch of songs about loving relationships between a father and his child usually. Told from the father's point of view and almost always about a daughter, Paul Simon, Tim McGraw, Zach Brown, Billy Joel, Stevie Wonder, are among the many artists who mine this vein and came up with beautiful songs. John Lennon and Kat Stevens did write songs about sons to be fair, but those really are the exceptions. Then there are songs about regrets, about not being able to reconcile with your father while he was alive and having to work through that afterwards. Eric Clapton, Mike and the Mechanics, and again, Springsteen tackled this angle. There are songs with the word daddy or papa in the titles that really aren't about fathers at all. More about men in relationships. Songs like Papa's Got a Brand new Bag. Bob Seeger's cover of Van People's Come to Papa Big Bad Voodoo Daddy's GoDaddy. Oh and Didly Daddy by Bo Didley. All come to mind here. All that's to say that while there are not as many songs to choose from, as I would've liked, I chose based on the songs that I liked best and tried to mix it up between upbeat and sadder songs, giving you a taste of both. So let's get into it. Again, we don't have a full top 10, so we're starting off at number seven as Cat's in The Cradle by Harry Chapin, which is a story song that serves as a cautionary tale for all new fathers as to what not to do. It's a brutally honest look at how easy it is to lose sight of what matters most and how quickly time slips away. The song tells a story of a father who's always too busy, too busy to play, too busy to listen, too busy to just be there, and as his son grows up, you hear these little moments of misconnections piling up. Then comes the kicker. The son grows up to be just like him. The phone call in the final verse where the rolls have flipped and now it's the son who doesn't have time for the father, is where the impact of the song really lies. It's simple poetic storytelling with an emotional punch that hasn't dulled in the decades since it came out. What makes this song so powerful on Father's Day is that it doesn't sugarcoat anything. It's about regret, but not in a hopeless way. It's a reminder to all of us, whether we're dads, kids, or both, that showing up matters. That being present is more important than being perfect, that the time we think we'll always have can disappear before we realize it. Musically, it's understated. There's an acoustic guitar, a little percussion in Harry's voice telling the story without drama or exaggeration. Cat's in the Cradle isn't a celebration, but it is a call to action. And on Father's Day, when we're thinking about what kind of fathers we want to be or how we wanna remember our own fathers, that message is more important than ever. Harry Chapin's Cats and the Cradle.
Well long since retired. My son's moved away. I called him up just the other day. I said, I'd like to see you if you don't mind. He said, I'd love to dad if I can find the time. You see my new job's a hassle at the kids of the food, but it's. And as he hung up the phone, it occurred to me he'd grown up just like me. My boy was just like me and the cats in the cradle and the silver little and the man in the boat. Or when you're coming home from the.
Alex Gadd:Song six is The Living Years by Mike and the Mechanics. The song isn't just about fatherhood. It's really more about the things that are left unsaid between generations and the weight of those silences. The song tells a story of a man reflecting on the strained relationship he had with his father, who's since passed away. It's full of regret, longing in a deep, aching desire for understanding. That's what makes it so perfect for Father's Day, not because it's joyful, but because it's real. The chorus of the song is like a punch in the chest. It hits anyone who's ever wanted. Just one more conversation, one more chance to say the things that really mattered. The lyrics are beautifully crafted and the arrangement builds slowly pulling you in with each verse until it explodes into something both sorrowful and cathartic. It's a song about generational disconnect, as I mentioned about fathers and sons not speaking the same emotional language and how that disconnect can stretch across the decades. It's also about the power of breaking that cycle. It's about learning from what went wrong and making sure the next generation doesn't carry that same burden. the track's a little more polished. It's a very eighties Synthes song. It has a bit more range, and it builds from an initial synthesizer bed and a staccato guitar track to a full band, and then a chorus performing a call and response with Paul Carrick's lead Vocal. The song was written by BA Robertson and Mike Rutherford, who is the Mike of Mike and the mechanics. After they realized that both of their fathers had passed away at about the same time and they had never really. Gotten to talk with their fathers due to the fast generational gap between adults who lived through World War II and the children who grew up in the sixties, the song won the Ivo Novello Award for best song musically and lyrically in 1989, which is a very prestigious award in the uk. And it went on to number one in the us, number two in the uk. So a major piece of work. It's not a song you dance to, it's a song you think about. On Father's Day, it's easy to focus only on the happy things. But songs like the Living Years reminds us that fatherhood isn't always simple. Relationships are tough. Words get lost and time runs out. But if we can learn from those moments, if we can do better while we're still here, then maybe we don't have to carry so much regret. That's a message worth hearing and sharing on a day like today, micromechanics, The Living Years.
I that morning when my father passed away, didn't get to him. All the things I had to. I wish I could. It too late. Late. When we die, we don't.
Alex Gadd:Coming in at number five is Paul Simon's father and daughter. There's a gentleness in this song that makes it stand out on this list. It's not dramatic or heart wrenching. It's steady, calm and reassuring. Which is good because it was originally released on the soundtrack for an animated children's movie, the Wild Thorn Berrys movie. However, after its release, the song took on a life of its own becoming a quiet anthem for dads everywhere who want nothing more than to protect their kids and help them grow strong. Simon's voice is soft, but full of heart as he promises. There could never be a father who loved his daughter more than I love you. It's a bold statement, but it doesn't feel like a boast. It feels like a personal declaration from someone who knows that love is more about showing up than saying the right thing. The melody is simple, the arrangement is understated, and yet the emotional weight of the song sneaks up on you. It's comforting, it's warm. It feels like a dad hugging his daughter. To me, what really gets me is the way the song mixes protection with encouragement. It's not about keeping your child in a bubble. It's about watching her walk into the world with confidence and letting her know you'll always be there just in case. That's such a key part of being a parent, isn't it? Cheering from the sidelines, knowing that they have to make their own choices, but always being there as a safe place to land. Father and daughter isn't flashy. It doesn't go for the big emotional punch, but sometimes the song that sits quietly with you is the one that hits the hardest in the long run. On Father's Day, when we're thinking about ways we've tried to support and guide the people we love the most, this song feels like the perfect soundtrack, direct, gentle, full of love. Paul Simon's father and daughter.
I believe the light that shines on you will shine on you forever, and I can't guarantee there's nothing scary. I a. I never leave till I leave you with a sweet train in your head. I'm going to watch you shine, going to watch you grow, going to change sign, so you'll always know as long as one. There.
Alex Gadd:Father's Day Song number four is The Temptations. Papa was a Rolling Stone, and let's be straight with one another. This isn't a feelgood track, but then Father's Day isn't just for celebrating the dads who showed up. Sometimes it's about trying to make sense of the ones who didn't. That's why Papa was a Rolling Stone is on my list. Aside from the fact that it's just a great song, one of the classic soul songs, while it might not be warm or sentimental, it's honest. And sometimes honesty hits harder than any Hallmark card could. Now I should note that this song's actually a cover. The original song was recorded and released by another Motown act, The Undisputed Truth in May of 1972, right before the Temptations recorded a second longer funkier version in September of 72, and that version went to number one on the Hot 100 singles chart. The song also marked a major turning point for the Temptations Gone were the clean cut matching suits and romantic harmonies of the early Motown days in the sixties in their place with a darker, hipper, socially conscious sound driven by producer and songwriter Norman Whitfield. This song stretched over 12 minutes on the album version. It was a slow burn funk epic, anchored by that ominous bassline and psychedelic Wawa guitar. It takes its time and it should, because it's unpacking a whole legacy of absence. The story told from the perspective of a child who's asking their mother about a father that never really knew and the answers aren't exactly glowing. After all, Papa was a rolling stone. Wherever he laid his hat was his home, and when he died, all he left us was alone. Oof. That's a gut punch, but it's also one of the most powerful lines in soul music history. It's a whole life. A whole failure of responsibility boiled down into one hook. But what makes this song stands out isn't just the story, it's the way it confront the ache of that story. Without turning away. It doesn't sugarcoat anything. There's confusion, bitterness, curiosity, and maybe even a little forgiveness buried deep in there. I don't know. It gives a voice to the kids who grew up without answers. It forces a listener to sit without absence and maybe even find some meaning in it. So no papa was a rolling stone. Won't make anyone tear up with gratitude over a father who taught them how to ride a bike or played catch with'em every evening after school. But it will resonate with people who are still trying to figure out who their dad was. Or who've had to grow up without ever really knowing. And on a day like Father's Day, that kind of reflection matters just as much as celebration. Maybe more. So here's the Temptations with Papa was a rolling Stone.
I. I never got a chance to see him. Never heard nothing but bad things about him. Mama, I'm depending on you. Tell me the truth. Mama just hung head and said, son, Papa. He, his, he.
Alex Gadd:In the Three Spot Independence Day by Bruce Springsteen, as I mentioned at the start, Bruce has written a lot of songs about his troubled relationship with his father over the years, if you've ever had a complicated relationship with your dad or wished you could go back and fix something you never quite got right then Independence Day is gonna land hard. It's not a warm and fuzzy Father's Day song either. It's another song that's decidedly not about tossing the ball in the yard or getting your dad a new tie. This is Springsteen at his most introspective and raw, recognizing that sometimes the bond between father and child is built as much on distance and difference as it is on shared experience. This song isn't a celebration, it's about resignation. It's about that moment when a son realizes he's never gonna be the person his father wanted him to be. And that's not just, okay, it's inevitable. Springsteen always a storyteller, captures this with haunting clarity. When he sings, they ain't gonna do to me what I watch them do to you. I like to think that he's not just talking about work or family roles, he's actually talking about that generational cycle of silence, frustration, emotional repression that he certainly experienced with his father and the decision to walk away from that, not in rebellion, but in a quiet kind of painful understanding is what makes that song feel so honest. Independence Day was written around 1977 and recorded initially during the Darkness On the Edge of Town sessions, but it didn't see a studio release until the next album, Bruce's 1980, record The River. He was 28 when he wrote the song. It's pretty impressive just how mature and deeply insightful a song it really is. The song's about acknowledging that the subject of the song will never be what his father wanted him to be, not with anger, but with a deep melancholy compassion. You can feel the weight of the unspoken words, the years of miscommunication, and that last attempt at peace before an adult son abandons the struggle to be accepted by his father for being anyone but himself and is ready to move on. Now there are other Springsteen songs about his relationship with his father, as noted before, Bruce covered a lot of emotional territory in attempting to reconcile his relationship with his father through his songwriting, Independence Day is the most hopeful of those Springsteen songs about his father because it's the one that gives the subject of the song and us as the audience some sense of release and relief. A parent-child relationship doesn't have to be a constant fight once the child stops needing their parents' acceptance and starts to live their life on their own terms. So while Independence Day doesn't fit the usual Father's Day mold again, no hugs, no Hallmark card moments, it's the perfect song for those who know fatherhood isn't always clean and easy. It's about the hard truths, the emotional stalemate, and the quiet dignity of letting go that makes it not just one of Springsteen's best, but one of the most emotionally honest songs you could possibly play This Father's Day
Now it's getting late. Nothing we can say is gonna change. Now, I believe in the morning from Saint Mary's change. As the darkness of this house has got the best of us, there's a darkness in this town that's got us too. They can't touch me now and you can't touch me. Say.
Alex Gadd:Song two is I'll Be Your Man Song for a Daughter by the Zach Brown Band. I. It's an emotionally heartfelt and beautifully written song. It's not just a love letter to his daughter. It's a roadmap of what it means to be a father. But what really makes a song soar is Brown's voice. You can hear the vulnerability in every line. The deep hope that his daughter's life will be easier than his, and that he's making a promise that he'll be there to protect her until she finds someone else who can be a great partner. For her, the most potent aspect of the song is how he sings, not just about the joys of fatherhood, but the responsibilities as well. It's not about control, it's about guidance. It's about preparing your child to one day walk into the world on their own terms, knowing you've given them the love and tools to thrive. That's what Father's Day should celebrate, not just the memories but that mission. It also captures something else we don't hear in these kinds of songs a lot. Fear. The fear of not being good enough, of not always being able to protect your child, and most of all, the fear of letting go. That really adds a level of emotion to the song that resonates with me. I have to admit that feeling was more powerful for me when my daughters were younger. Now that they're adults, I worry less about them because I see the women that they're becoming, and I know they've learned how to take care of themselves. Doesn't mean I don't love getting a call asking for advice or help with something because I do love that, but the powerful need to protect them at every turn has been replaced by the knowledge that they can take care of themselves, and I'm here if and when they need me anyway. This song nails the complicated mix of pride, fear, and unconditional love that comes with being a dad. It's not trying to be cool or clever. It's trying to be real, and that's why it has such great impact. Give it a listen. I'll be your man by the Zach Brown Band.
Woo. This one's hard to get through right here. This was called I'll Be Your Man. I.
Alex Gadd:And now the number one Father's Day song on my list is Stevie Wonders. Isn't She Lovely? From the 1976 number one album, Songs in the Key of Life, this might be the Happiest Father's Day song ever recorded, and for good reason. Stevie wrote, isn't she lovely to celebrate the birth of his daughter Aisha? And the joy in his voice is. Absolutely contagious. From the moment the music kicks in after the sounds of the baby crying, you know, you're in for something special. This isn't just a happy song, it's a full on explosion of gratitude, pride, love from a new father who can't believe his luck. It sounds like what makes a song so memorable beyond the insanely catchy melody in the top tier musicianship? Is, how unfiltered the joy feels. Wonder isn't trying to be poetic or profound. He's just overflowing with love and putting it all into his music. If the lyrics themselves are simple, but they say everything, isn't she lovely? Isn't she wonderful? Isn't she precious? That's all you need. Every parent has had that moment of awe when they look at their kid and think, how did I get this lucky and wonder captures that perfectly. No cynicism, no filter. Just pure joy. And while the song is more focused on fatherhood than Father's Day specifically, it's still works brilliantly for this holiday. It's a celebration, not of the role itself, but of what the role brings into your life. And in this case, it brought Stevie Wonder, something truly lovely. If you want a song that'll put a smile on your face this one's it. Stevie Wonder, isn't she lovely?
Isn't it?
Alex Gadd:Well, that's it for this week's episode. Thank you for joining us. We'll be back next Tuesday, and if you like what you heard today, we'd appreciate it if you would both like and then either subscribe or follow to make sure you get notified about each new episode. And please tell your friends. Also a reminder that we release a playlist for every episode. So look for the Rock-N-Roll Show Podcast playlist on Spotify every week this week, featuring the songs from the bands I mentioned here today. So check that out. Additionally, we want to know what you think. Please leave us a comment and we'll try to respond to every one of them. The Rock-N-Roll Show Podcast is a world highway media production. I'm your host, Alex Gadd, and until next time, remember that life is short, so get those concert tickets.