Cat Stevens: Father and Son Meaning

Song Released: 1970

Father and Son Lyrics

Father
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.

I was once like...

1. 1TOP RATED

   #1 top rated interpretation:
   anonymous

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   Apr 27th 2013 !⃝

   When you hear the part where hes singing in a lower voice that is the dad talking to the son. When you hear the higher voice singing thats the son talking to the dad. Its almost like them going back in forth in a conversation. I interpert it as the dad is dying and wants him(the son) to know its okay to move on and that its okay for him to die.
   The dad is trying to give the son the message to live life. "For you still may be here tomorrow but your dreams may not." Just because he is dying doesn't mean the son has to stop life, he needs to continue on and pursing his dreams, and go on. The dad wants him to live a good life and not to dwell on his death. The son is arguing with the dad and doesnt want to let go and doesnt want the dad to go and hes trying to tell him that but he isnt listening. No matter how badly the son doesnt want to let go, he knows he has to go.

2. 2TOP RATED

   #2 top rated interpretation:
   anonymous

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   Feb 24th 2013 !⃝

   this song tells us a story betwenn a son and his father.the son wants to go but his father doesn't let him. in addition, it expresses the relationships between the father and his son. the relationships aren't good because the father always ignores his son, doesn't listen to him, and obliged him for listening.
3. anonymous

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   Feb 6th 2021 !⃝

   A great song that uses an interesting technique. Stevens uses different voices for the "Father" and the "son" part. Where you are in your life may affect your interpretation of this song. More on https://thegreatestsongs.com/22-father-son-cat-stevens/
4. wotdoiknow

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   May 27th 2019 !⃝

   I never had a dad so what do I know. I've got sons now myself, they're pretty young. I suppose it's about letting them make their own mistakes while you just protect them from any serious consequences. It's their life and the impetuousness of youth and the excitement of everything that is so new makes kids blind to danger and irreversible mistakes. The father is saying take your time, weigh up your options, but the immediacy of youth compels kids to try to imitate that which they are most impressed by. It's an eternal conundrum of the experience of time and the necessity to gain experience. Without a father I had to figure out so much on my own, I realise though where a father would've benefited me. This song highlights a few of those issues for me.
5. wotdoiknow

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   May 27th 2019 !⃝

   I never had a dad so what do I know. I've got sons now myself, they're pretty young. I suppose it's about letting them make their own mistakes while you just protect them from any serious consequences. It's their life and the impetuousness of youth and the excitement of everything that is so new makes kids blind to danger and irreversible mistakes. The father is saying take your time, weigh up your options, but the immediacy of youth compels kids to try to imitate that which they are most impressed by. It's an eternal conundrum of the experience of time and the necessity to gain experience. Without a father I had to figure out so much on my own, I realise though where a father would've benefited me. This song highlights a few of those issues for me.
6. anonymous

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   May 26th 2019 !⃝

   this song ahs a deeper meaning than it seems to suggest. the father's message is that life is unplannable and that things just happen when they happen. we can not speed this up or slow it down so we must move at its pace.
7. anonymous

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   May 5th 2019 !⃝

   This song touches your heart. The father loves his son and wants to give him the wisdom he gathered throughout life. The son feels misunderstood...he is trying to tell his father something but his father won't listen.
   Maybe the son wants to join a cult, or is gay and for the father, this is difficult because it doesn't fit in his vision of how life should be. The son sounds broken.
8. anonymous

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   Aug 28th 2018 !⃝

   I think this is a wonderful poem which talks about an universal theme. Parents love their children and they do not like to see th
9. anonymous

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   Aug 28th 2018 !⃝

   I think this is a wonderful poem which talks about an universal theme. Parents love their children and they do not like to see th
10. anonymous

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    Mar 9th 2018 !⃝

    This is all about how's the father cares about his son. He loves his son that's the way of expressing his love.
11. anonymous

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    Nov 18th 2017 !⃝

    In my opinion I thin the father just fears for his son's protection as all father do.because he cared for him or so long and to know that your child who was you life can break away and maybe never return is unbearable.in a way the father I also trying to protect himself from this certain heartbreak.in the view of youngsters it is probably selfish.but if u look at it from the father perspective it is a totally normal and understandable reaction brought about due to the limitless and unconditional love he has for his son.
12. anonymous

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    Oct 21st 2016 !⃝

    This is a relationship between a father and son,but it seems to be a strained relationship according to their conversation.it's as if the father wants the son to stay with him and live a life like he did without understanding the fact that his son needs to learn from his own experiences and come to terms with life in his own way.The father's mistake of misunderstanding later on forces his son to go,which is the exact opposite of what the father wanted
13. lee.clark.908

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    Jul 3rd 2014 !⃝

    It's the basic relationship between a father and son. It's a little melancholy, but not about death.
    
    The father is explaining about all the things he knows through experience, but the son won't listen - as he's young.
    
    The son thinks his father won't listen to him as he's simply told to listen.
    
    This happens constantly throughout the known world.
    
    I have a son now, and, although I do tell him what to do (he's only 6), I explain everything and talk everything through.
    
    I have and hopefully always will have an amazing relationship with my son.

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