So Long Dad: A Playlist for This Father's Day

This will be my first Father's Day since losing my dad.

Thankfully, I have my two beautiful young sons, my beautiful wife and her loving and rather attractive family -- as well as a pending family tennis round robin at the club -- to help keep me busy this particular year.

Still, it is unavoidable and perhaps only fitting that I woke up this morning and sensed a new and, for me, profound void. So here's the playlist I put together in order to help fill that void a little.

You may notice that there is no "Dance With My Father" or "Papa, Can You Hear Me?" That's because as much as I loved -- and love -- the guy, I never actually wanted to dance with him, and I'm pretty sure he heard quite enough of my ramblings in his lifetime. My father Stanley Wild never even knew his own father, and as a dad, he always kept things very real. So I will try and do the same here.

I put this out there for my family and for anybody else fortunate enough to have known the privilege of having had a real dad or even the blessing of being a dad.

"So Long Dad" -- Randy Newman
"Your Daddy Loves You" -- Gil Scott-Heron
"My Father's Gun" -- Elton John
"That Silver-Haired Daddy Of Mine" -- The Everly Brothers
"Papa's Got A Brand New Bag, Part 1" -- James Brown
"Brooklyn Roads" -- Neil Diamond
"Footsteps of Our Fathers" -- Pat Green
"Had A Dad" -- Jane's Addiction
"My Father's Eyes" -- Eric Clapton
"Father And Son" -- Cat Stevens
"Daddy's Come Home" -- Gary U.S. Bonds
"It's For My Dad" -- Nancy Sinatra
"My Heart Belongs To Daddy"-- Eartha Kitt
"Papa Was A Rolling Stone" -- The Temptations
"So Long Dad" - Harry Nilsson

Then late at night, I'll play "My Way" by Frank Sinatra in his honor. A little maudlin? Perhaps. But that really was my father's favorite all-time song. When I managed to mention this personal fact about him in the liner notes that I wrote for Frank Sinatra's "Duets" album, my Dad called me up right away as openly emotional as I ever heard him and said, "Kid, you just paid me back for college."

Yet ultimately, there are some debts in life that you just can't erase.

So Long Dad.

Comments

[SoulM8dSunshine]

David, my condolences to you and your family.

This was my 30th Father's Day without my Dad, and 1st Mother's Day without my mom.

May I add Neil Diamond's "Angel Above Your Head"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j8MoHjqB-VM

[PatrickFlorida]

Such a nice tribute. I lost my Dad too around that same time, David, and it is still very shocking, and I am grateful that you had the same experience (even though it is a Loss), for Life is a shared experience, and each Loss should probably be shared too .
"Life is the Teacher," Eckhart Tolle

[minimalist syntax]

Thank you, Philip. You were fiercely protective as my "adoptive" Dad up until age 95. You treated me as a true daughter. I miss your stubbornness! I love you.

[kwinter]

The song I'll always associate with my father is 'Leader of the Band', by Dan Fogleberg.
Not only because Dad loved the song, but because he was a musician too, and I'll always think of him as the 'Leader of the Band'.

The leader of the band is tired
And his eyes are growing old
But his blood runs through
My instrument
And his song is in my soul --
My life has been a poor attempt
To imitate the man
I'm just a living legacy
To the leader of the band.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qsocZrEcp0Y&feature=related

We lost a good one when we lost Fogelberg too.

[David Wild - Huffpost Blogger]

Quite a human sentiment for DF to have snuck onto radio in the Eighties.
"Part of the Plan" is another one of his that I always liked.

[minimalist syntax]

This is a beautiful tribute to your father.

[learntofly]

My thoughts go out to those whose fathers have passed. Mine has been gone for several years now as well. Probably the greatest gift he left my brothers & me was how (and how not at times) to live a life filled with compassion and courage.

Luther Vandross - Dance With My Father.

[David Wild - Huffpost Blogger]

Thanks learntofly
You remind us that there are Father's Day gifts greater than ties.
Thanks

[jeplanet]

Great list.
Can I add 'Four Strong Winds' by Neil Young, cause that was my Dad's favorite song.
And 'Daughter' by Loudon Wainwright, cause it reminds me of how much my Dad loved me.
I miss my Dad, too.

[David Wild - Huffpost Blogger]

Love "Daughter"
LW writes such great and such real songs about family.

Thanks jeplanet

[David Wild - Huffpost Blogger]

My friend David Handelman reminds me that "Daughter" was actually a cover of a song by another fine singer-songwriter Peter Blegvad.

[jeplanet]

;)

[lorla]

This is my second without my father. We took care of him at home for 13 months before he died. My mother played My Way at least 3 times a week for him.
Cat Steven's Father and Son is my brother's fav, even back when it came out, and he was only born in 1966.
Great List.
I had a great dad. Sounds like you did too.

[David Wild - Huffpost Blogger]

I did. Glad you did too.
Happy Father's Day to them all.

[EdZup]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vIIBFOePISY

The Living Years

[EdZup]

Great list! Also...
Daddy's Home - Shep & The Limelites
and
The Living Years - Mike & The Mechanics

[David Wild - Huffpost Blogger]

Wow, can't believe no one mentioned "Living Years."
But if you want a tear-jerker, for me it's "100 Years" by Five For Fighting
Had me in tears during my older son's elementary graduation.

[Mikeatle]

This is my first father's day with dad. He died last year three days after father's day. I will never forget the last thing my father said to me just about an hour before he passed. He looked at my face and could see the tears streaming down my face. He reached out and touched a tear on my cheek and said, "when are you going to shave?" I had to laugh through my tears, and that's how i will remember dad. He was a great man, a humble man, a good father and husband, and now he lives on in our memory.

I listened to The Living Years today and cried for awhile. It helped.

[David Wild - Huffpost Blogger]

My dad died just a few months ago, and you reminded me of his last words to me -- which I'll keep private, but thank you, Mikeatle.

[Mikepdx]

This is a video of Yusuf Islam (Cat Stevens) doing Father and Son now as an older man. Very touching.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D7YLRMXmdPQ

[David Wild - Huffpost Blogger]

Thanks.
Yusuf also did the song this year on a show I produce called "The Chris Isaak Hour." It repeats sometime next weekend. By the way, his son is making music now too.

[colonelklink]

Nice article, David.

I am very fortunate to still have my dad. A miracle, in many ways.

The songs I can barely stand to listen to, knowing that someday I won't be able to type that first sentence, include:

Bruce Springsteen, "Walk Like a Man"
Steve Goodman, "My Old Man"
John Gorka, "Semper Fi"

I heard the Springsteen song in an NPR piece on Max and Jay Weinberg tonight. I'm not too proud to say I choked up.

[David Wild - Huffpost Blogger]

Thanks colonel,

LOVE "Walk Like A Man."
Just mentioned "My Old Man" below -- what a song
Like Gorka, and will find that song

Thanks,
DW

[colonelklink]

The Gorka song is a beauty. It is from my favorite album of his:

My father met Eleanor Roosevelt
In 1945
The war at last was over then
And they were still alive

Her husband was the President
Till he ran out of time
Her Franklin D. was history
And they'd put him on the dime

My father joined the leathernecks
To stay out of the mines
The new marine was just fifteen
In 1939
There were medals and malaria
The south pacific war
Through jungles that were paradise
And were paradise no more

Soldiers fight and soilders die
Soldiers live to wonder why
Semper fi fe fo fum
Look out peacetime here we come
http://www.free-lyrics.org

Some of the men who did survive
Were not the lucky ones
War is only good for those
Who make and sell the guns

My father lay recovering
The hurt was all inside
Sometimes the wounds that never heal
Are easiest to hide

When Eleanor came bearing gifts
To San Francisco Bay
She gave my dad a blanket
In the hospital that day

That blanket meant alot to him
My mother has it still
Some forget the kindnesses
That others never will

Soldiers fight and soldiers die
Soldiers live to wonder why
Semper fi fe fo fum
Look out peacetime here we come

[colonelklink]

One more John Gorka. From "Mercy of the Wheels"

I'd like to catch a train
That could go back in time
That could make alot of stops
Along the way
I would go to see me Father
With the eyes he left behind
I would go for all the words
I'd like to say
And I'd take along a sandwich
And a picture of my girl
And show them all
That I made out ok

[PhilTListener]

"Daddy what was I supposed to do?
I don't know why it was so hard to talk to you,
I guess my anger pulled me through...

But daddy I want to let you know somehow,
The things you said are so much clearer now,
And i would turn the pages back, but time will not allow
The way these days just slip along, too fast to last, too vast, too strong."


Daddy's Tune.
One I've always loved from what I would consider to be one of Jackson Browne's best albums,
The Pretender.

[David Wild - Huffpost Blogger]

Wow, a song I once loved and will now go back to
Thanks

[AMERIKA]

This week is the 8th anniversary of my dads passing. We celebrated his life again this week, and I thin only one song is worth playing as I remember him- the version of Stairway to Heaven by Rodrego y Gabriella. As a parent of four kids, being hugged by them this morning was all I needed to be reminded that they know that I am present in their lives.

[David Wild - Huffpost Blogger]

Well said Amerika

[TJCole]

You left out John Hiatt's great:

"Just like my dad did..."

[David Wild - Huffpost Blogger]

Forgot all about that song, and I love it.
Thanks

[David Wild - Huffpost Blogger]

Also forgot one by another favorite singer-songwriter -- "My Old Man" by the late great Steve Goodman.

[TJCole]

I knew Steve great guy gifted Songwriter singer and super guitar player...!

Another is the song John Sebastian wrote Younger Generation...

"An can I put a drop of this new stuff on my tongue..?"

Also a nice tune for today is Dylan's "God protect my Child..."

On the bootleg series can't imagine why this didn't make it on Infidel's or another album...

Thanks for the reply..TJ

[colonelklink]

My dad was probably less than 55 (my age now) when Steve put it on "Say It in Private."
He (my dad) was so young and the thought of losing him like Steve lost his old man ("his heart only made it to 58") scared me then. As it does now.
"He could look you in the eye, and sell you a car."
Thanks again David.

[Bedingham]

For Dad
By John Bedingham

He wasn’t the first to say it,
But he said it most every day,
“Old soldiers never die,
They just fade away.”

He hit the beaches on D-Day,
The sixth wave he said,
Utah Beach is what they say,
He waded in through he dead.

He fought through the hedge rows
To the town of St. Lo,
Where the German enemy,
Delivered the decisive blow.

They were digging in,
Preparing for battle nigh,
When the enemy shells burst,
They laid this soldier out to die,

Though the enemy had tried,
A miracle they say,
But there would be
Two long years of hospital stays.

The wounds would heal,
But some would say;
He wasn’t the same
As when he went away.

The damage was done,
The scars would attest,
And show there forever,
This old soldier had done his best.

He stopped not here this man of iron
To teach these lessons was his desire,
So off he goes to teach the young,
To make them strong and full of fire.

He raised a family and cared for all,
Answering yet another call,
The days of rest belonged to him,
He traveled wide to take them in.

In later years he lost his sight,
Around the age of eighty-four,
Those places and faces,
He would see never more.

So sound he sleeps on this last day,
Lasting proof as he once would say;
“Old soldiers never die,
they just fade away.”

[David Wild - Huffpost Blogger]

Thanks for that Bedingham.
My dad was an old Navy man, and I'll take that to heart

David