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Father and Son (song)

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"Father and Son" is a popular song written and performed by English singer-songwriter Cat Stevens (now known as Yusuf/Cat Stevens) on his 1970 album Tea for the Tillerman. The song frames a heartbreaking exchange between a father not understanding a son's desire to break away and shape a new life, and the son who cannot really explain himself but knows that it is time for him to seek his own destiny.

"Father and Son"
Cover of the German single edition
Single by Cat Stevens
from the album Tea for the Tillerman
B-side"Moonshadow"
ReleasedAugust 1970
RecordedJuly 1970
GenreFolk rock
Length3:41
Label
Songwriter(s)Cat Stevens
Producer(s)Paul Samwell-Smith
Cat Stevens singles chronology
"Lady D'Arbanville"
(1970) 		"Father and Son"
(1970) 		"Wild World"
(1970)
Official video
"Father and Son" on YouTube

Stevens sings in a deeper register for the father's lines, while using a higher one for those of the son. Additionally, there are backing vocals provided by Stevens' guitarist and friend Alun Davies beginning mid-song, singing an unusual chorus of simple refrains. In 2021, it was listed at No. 408 on Rolling Stone's "Top 500 Best Songs of All Time".[1]

Origins

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Cat Stevens originally wrote "Father and Son" as part of a proposed musical project starring Nigel Hawthorne, called Revolussia, that was set during the Russian Revolution, and could also have become a film; the song was about a boy who wanted to join the revolution against the wishes of his conservative farmer father. The musical project faded away when Stevens contracted tuberculosis in 1969. He was close to death at the time of his admittance to the King Edward VII Hospital in Midhurst, West Sussex.[2] After a year-long period of convalescence in the hospital and a collapsed lung, the project was shelved, but "Father and Son" remained, now in a broader context that reflected not just the societal conflict of Stevens' time, but also captured the impulses of older and younger generations in general.

"Father and Son" received substantial airplay on progressive rock and album-oriented rock radio formats, and played a key role in establishing Stevens as a new voice worthy of attention. In 1970, it was only put on the B-side of Stevens' single "Moon Shadow" (Island Records).

Interviewed soon after the release of "Father and Son", Stevens was asked if the song was autobiographical. Responding to the interviewer from Disc, he said, "I've never really understood my father, but he always let me do whatever I wanted—he let me go. 'Father And Son' is for those people who can't break loose."[2]

Speaking to Rolling Stone, Stevens has said he is aware that "Father and Son" and several other songs mean a great deal to a large number of fans.

"Some people think that I was taking the son's side," its composer explained. "But how could I have sung the father's side if I couldn't have understood it, too? I was listening to that song recently and I heard one line and realized that that was my father's father's father's father's father's father's father's father speaking."[3]

By 2007, Stevens (then known as Yusuf Islam) recorded the song again in "Yusuf's Cafe Sessions" of 2007 on DVD again with Alun Davies, and a small band playing acoustic instruments. The performance was presented in a video with two close camera shots of his wife and daughter, holding his infant grandchild.

In 2020, Stevens released a re-recorded version of "Father and Son". This version, which appears on Tea for the Tillerman 2, features the original recording of Stevens' vocals (at the age of 22) alongside the present-day voice of Stevens (age 72). The animated music video of "Father and Son" also pays homage to the original release by featuring video clips from the 1970 music video released 50 years earlier.[4][5]

Charts

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"Father and Son" (1970)
Sample of "Father and Son", performed by Cat Stevens. Appears on Tea for the Tillerman.
Problems playing this file? See media help.
1971 chart performance
Chart (1971) Peak
position
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[6] 23
2014 chart performance
Chart (2014) Peak
position
Italy (FIMI)[7] 12

Certifications

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Certifications for "Father and Son"
Region Certification Certified units/sales
Germany (BVMI)[8] Gold 250,000‡
Italy (FIMI)[9] Platinum 50,000‡
Spain (PROMUSICAE)[10] Platinum 60,000‡
United Kingdom (BPI)[11] Silver 200,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Flaming Lips lawsuit

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The American rock band the Flaming Lips released a song titled "Fight Test" on their 2002 album Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots. "Fight Test" was thought to be so musically similar to "Father and Son" that it resulted in a lawsuit. Sony/ATV Music Publishing, representing Yusuf Islam, and EMI Music Publishing, representing the Flaming Lips, agreed to divide the royalties for "Fight Test" equally between the two parties following a relatively uncontentious settlement.[12] Flaming Lips frontman Wayne Coyne claims that he was unaware of the songs' similarities until producer Dave Fridmann pointed them out.

In an interview with The Guardian, frontman Wayne Coyne stated:[13]

I want to go on record for the first time and say that I really apologise for the whole thing. I really love Cat Stevens. I truly respect him as a great singer-songwriter. And now he wants his money. There was a time during the recording when we said, this has a similarity to 'Father and Son'. Then we purposefully changed those bits. But I do regret not contacting his record company and asking their opinion. Maybe we could have gone 50–50. As it is, Cat Stevens is now getting 75 percent of royalties from 'Fight Test'. We could easily have changed the melody but we didn't. I am really sorry that Cat Stevens thinks I'm purposefully plagiarising his work. I am ashamed. There is obviously a fine line between being inspired and stealing. But if anyone wanted to borrow part of a Flaming Lips song, I don't think I'd bother pursuing it. I've got better things to do. Anyway, Cat Stevens is never going to make much money out of us.

Covers

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The song has been covered by many artists over the decades.

Notable covers

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In the 1970s, Black folk singer, Richie Havens recorded an extended cover and pluralized the song title, as "Fathers & Sons" on his 1971 album The Great Blind Degree. Johnny Cash also recorded a country duet version with his stepdaughter, Rosie Nix Adams.

The mid-1990s and early 2000s saw a revitalization of the song with Boyzone's and Ronan Keating's disparate pop version introducing Cat Stevens to a new generation of listeners. The latter version would feature Stevens cameoing in a duet.

After four years of recording and releasing four albums centered around Great American pop standards, Rod Stewart directed his focus to covering contemporary pop rock songs, including this Cat Stevens song, for his 2006 Still the Same... Great Rock Classics of Our Time album.

In 2024, James Arthur Garfunkel recorded and released a duet version featuring his father Art Garfunkel under the moniker, Garfunkel & Garfunkel. Similar to Cash and Adams version, the two singers musically explore the song as a generational endearing conversation between the two of them. Their orchestrally lush recording closed out their duets album that was aptly titled, Father & Son.

Johnny Cash versions

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Johnny Cash recorded the song twice in his career. The first time he covered the song in 1974 for his 48th album The Junkie and the Juicehead Minus Me. This cover, titled Father and Daughter (Father and Son), was a duet with stepdaughter Rosie Nix Adams (with lyrics adjusted to adhere to the different subject matter).[14][15] This version presented the song as a back and forth conversation between a father and a daughter imploring each other how to approach one's life while the former asks his daughter to stay while she yearns to leave.

A new recording of the Father and Son cover appeared on Cash's posthumous compilation release Unearthed (2003), which featured outtakes from his American Recordings sessions over the years. This duet featured Fiona Apple, and retained the lyrics of Stevens' original song.[16][17]

Boyzone version

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"Father and Son"
 
Single by Boyzone
from the album Said and Done
B-side"Should Be Missing You Now"
Released13 November 1995 (1995-11-13)
Length2:50
LabelPolydor
Songwriter(s)Cat Stevens
Producer(s)Ray Hedges
Boyzone singles chronology
"So Good"
(1995) 		"Father and Son"
(1995) 		"Coming Home Now"
(1996)
Music video
"Father and Son" on YouTube

Irish boy band Boyzone released a cover of "Father and Son" in November 1995, reaching number two on the UK Singles Chart and number one on the Irish Singles Chart. The cover received a platinum sales status certification from the British Phonographic Industry. The cover was the 13th-best-selling single of 1995 in the UK. In Ireland, it became their fourth consecutive number-one single, and it found international success, peaking at number two in Australia, number 11 in France, and number 15 in Germany.

British magazine Music Week rated "Father and Son" five out of five, picking it as Single of the Week. They added, "The song that got the audience choking back tears during the recent tour is Boyzone's Christmas single. It's an emotional rendition of the Cat Stevens song – and will be massive."[18]

Track listings

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UK CD1[19]

  1. "Father and Son" (radio edit) – 2:46
  2. "Should Be Missing You Now" – 3:20
  3. "Father and Son" (live)

UK CD2[20]

  1. "Father and Son" (radio edit) – 2:46
  2. "Should Be Missing You Now" – 3:20
  3. "Should Be Missing You Now" (The Other Mix) – 4:40
  4. "Father and Son" (the album version) – 2:50

UK cassette single[21]

  1. "Father and Son" (radio edit) – 2:46
  2. "Should Be Missing You Now" – 3:20

Charts

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Certifications

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Region Certification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[41] Gold 35,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[49] Platinum 600,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Release history

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Region Date Format(s) Label(s) Ref.
United Kingdom 13 November 1995
  • CD
  • cassette
 Polydor [50]
Japan 21 December 1995 CD [51]

Ronan Keating version

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"Father and Son"
 
Single by Ronan Keating featuring Yusuf Islam
from the album 10 Years of Hits
Released13 December 2004 (2004-12-13)[52]
Length3:23
LabelPolydor
Songwriter(s)Cat Stevens
Producer(s)Steve Mac
Ronan Keating singles chronology
"I Hope You Dance"
(2004) 		"Father and Son"
(2004) 		"Baby Can I Hold You"
(2005)
Yusuf Islam singles chronology
"Peace Train" / "Angel of War"
(2003) 		"Father and Son"
(2004) 		"Indian Ocean"
(2005)

"Father and Son" was covered by Boyzone frontman Ronan Keating and released as the second of three singles from his greatest hits compilation album 10 Years of Hits (2004). The song features guest vocals from Yusuf Islam (Cat Stevens) in the form of a virtual duet. The song peaked at number two on the UK Singles Chart, becoming Keating's 11th top-10 single. Keating donated the profits from the single to the Band Aid Trust.[53]

Track listings

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UK CD1[54]

  1. "Father and Son" – 3:21
  2. "When You Say Nothing at All" (Spanish duet with Paulina Rubio) – 4:20

UK CD2[55]

  1. "Father and Son" – 3:21
  2. "Father and Son" (Metrophonic Mix) – 3:57
  3. "I Hope You Dance" (video CD-ROM)
  4. "Father and Son" (video CD-ROM)

Charts

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Certifications

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Region Certification Certified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI)[69] Gold 400,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

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Stevens' original recording is featured in the final scene of the 2017 film Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2,[70] where Peter Quill listens to the song during the funeral of his adoptive father Yondu. On television, the song has been prominent on Welcome to Wrexham (season 1, episode 17), This Is Us (season 6, episode 3), Not Going Out (series 5, episode 2), and the series finale of Ted Lasso (season 3, episode 12). The song was also used at the beginning episode of "Beg, Bribe, Bully" for the TV series, Billions (season 5, episode 3).

References

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  1. ^ "The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time". Rolling Stone. 15 September 2021. Retrieved 5 July 2022.
  2. ^ a b "Disc 1972 Tea for the Tillerman". Majicat.com. Retrieved 6 October 2016.
  3. ^ Gambaccini, Paul (13 September 1973). "A Happier Cat Stevens Explains 'Foreigner' and Other Mysteries". Rolling Stone. No. 143. Retrieved 9 January 2009.
  4. ^ "Father & Son: A Duet 50 Years in the Making". Yusuf / Cat Stevens. Retrieved 19 April 2021.
  5. ^ Martoccio, Angie (10 September 2020). "Yusuf/Cat Stevens Duets with His Younger Self in 'Father and Son' Video". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 19 April 2021.
  6. ^ "Cat Stevens – Father and Son" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 27 February 2014.
  7. ^ "Top Digital Download - Classifica settimanale WK 8 (dal 17-02-2014 al 23-02-2014" (in Italian). Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana. Archived from the original on 21 June 2008. Retrieved 27 February 2014.
  8. ^ "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (Cat Stevens; 'Father and Son')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie. Retrieved 4 May 2023.
  9. ^ "Italian single certifications – Cat Stevens – Father and Son" (in Italian). Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana. Retrieved 5 February 2021.
  10. ^ "Spanish single certifications – Cat Stevens – Father and Son". El portal de Música. Productores de Música de España. Retrieved 19 November 2024.
  11. ^ "British single certifications – Cat Stevens – Father & Son". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 22 March 2024.
  12. ^ "YUSUF Islam". YUSUF Islam. Archived from the original on 10 May 2012. Retrieved 6 October 2016.
  13. ^ Coyne, Wayne (29 June 2003). "Straight from the Lip". The Guardian (Interview). Interviewed by Amy Raphael. Archived from the original on 9 January 2014. Retrieved 26 August 2024.
  14. ^ "Cover versions of Father and Daughter (Father and Son) by Johnny Cash with Rosie Nix | SecondHandSongs". Secondhand Songs. Retrieved 5 February 2023.
  15. ^ The Junkie and the Juicehead Minus Me (Media notes). United States of America: Columbia Records. 1974. KC 33086.
  16. ^ "Cover versions of Father and Son by Johnny Cash with Fiona Apple | SecondHandSongs". Secondhand Songs. Retrieved 5 February 2023.
  17. ^ Unearthed (Media notes). United States of America: American Recordings. 2003. 986 133-5.
  18. ^ "Reviews: Singles – Single of the Week" (PDF). Music Week. 4 November 1995. p. 32. Retrieved 15 May 2021.
  19. ^ Father and Son (UK CD1 liner notes). Boyzone. Polydor Records. 1995. 577576-2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  20. ^ Father and Son (UK CD2 liner notes). Boyzone. Polydor Records. 1995. 577574-2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  21. ^ Father and Son (UK cassette single sleeve). Boyzone. Polydor Records. 1995. 577574-4.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  22. ^ "Boyzone – Father and Son". ARIA Top 50 Singles.
  23. ^ "Boyzone – Father and Son" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40.
  24. ^ "Boyzone – Father and Son" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50.
  25. ^ "Boyzone – Father and Son" (in French). Ultratop 50.
  26. ^ "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 13, no. 2. 13 January 1996. p. 11. Retrieved 5 February 2021.
  27. ^ "Boyzone – Father and Son" (in French). Les classement single.
  28. ^ "Boyzone – Father and Son" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 3 March 2020.
  29. ^ "Top National Sellers" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 13, no. 10. 9 March 1996. p. 29. Retrieved 21 January 2023.
  30. ^ "Íslenski Listinn Topp 40 (27.1. – 2.2. '96)". Dagblaðið Vísir (in Icelandic). 27 January 1996. p. 38. Retrieved 5 February 2021.
  31. ^ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Father and Son". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 5 February 2021.
  32. ^ "Nederlandse Top 40 – Boyzone" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40.
  33. ^ "Boyzone – Father and Son" (in Dutch). Single Top 100.
  34. ^ "Boyzone – Father and Son". Top 40 Singles.
  35. ^ "Boyzone – Father and Son". VG-lista.
  36. ^ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
  37. ^ "Boyzone – Father and Son". Singles Top 100.
  38. ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 5 February 2021.
  39. ^ * Zimbabwe. Kimberley, C. Zimbabwe: singles chart book. Harare: C. Kimberley, 2000
  40. ^ "Top 100 Singles 1995". Music Week. 13 January 1996. p. 9.
  41. ^ a b "ARIA Top 100 Singles for 1996". ARIA. Retrieved 5 February 2021.
  42. ^ "Year End Sales Charts – Eurochart Hot 100 Singles 1996" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 13, no. 51/52. 21 December 1996. p. 12. Retrieved 5 February 2021.
  43. ^ "Tops de L'année | Top Singles 1996" (in French). SNEP. Retrieved 5 February 2021.
  44. ^ "Top 100 Single–Jahrescharts 1996" (in German). GfK Entertainment. Retrieved 7 August 2015.
  45. ^ "Árslistinn 1996". Dagblaðið Vísir (in Icelandic). 2 January 1997. p. 16. Retrieved 5 February 2021.
  46. ^ "Top 100–Jaaroverzicht van 1996". Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 28 February 2020.
  47. ^ "Jaaroverzichten – Single 1996" (in Dutch). MegaCharts. Retrieved 28 February 2020.
  48. ^ "Top 100 Singles 1996". Music Week. 18 January 1997. p. 25.
  49. ^ "British single certifications – Boyzone – Father and Son". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 5 February 2021.
  50. ^ "New Releases: Singles". Music Week. 11 November 1995. p. 31.
  51. ^ "父と子 | ボーイゾーン" [Father and Son | Boyzone] (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved 12 March 2024.
  52. ^ "Key Releases: Singles". Music Week. 11 December 2004. p. 19.
  53. ^ Lake, Howard (6 January 2005). "Band Aid 20 loses No 1 spot after four weeks". UK Fundraising. Retrieved 26 November 2024.
  54. ^ Father and Son (UK CD1 liner notes). Ronan Keating. Polydor Records. 2004. 9869667.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  55. ^ Father and Son (UK CD2 liner notes). Ronan Keating. Polydor Records. 2004. 9869406.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  56. ^ "Ronan Keating feat. Yusuf – Father and Son" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40.
  57. ^ "Ronan Keating feat. Yusuf – Father and Son" (in Dutch). Ultratip. Retrieved 19 May 2020.
  58. ^ "Hits of the World – Eurocharts" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 117, no. 2. 8 January 2005. p. 43. Retrieved 19 May 2020. See last week column.
  59. ^ "Ronan Keating feat. Yusuf – Father and Son" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 3 March 2020.
  60. ^ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Father and Son". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 19 May 2020.
  61. ^ "Ronan Keating feat. Yusuf – Father and Son" (in Dutch). Single Top 100.
  62. ^ "Ronan Keating feat. Yusuf – Father and Son". VG-lista. Retrieved 19 May 2020.
  63. ^ "Arhiva romanian top 100 – Editia 4, saptamina 31.01 – 6.02, 2005" (in Romanian). Romanian Top 100. Archived from the original on 23 February 2005. Retrieved 19 May 2020.
  64. ^ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 19 May 2020.
  65. ^ "Ronan Keating feat. Yusuf – Father and Son". Singles Top 100.
  66. ^ "Ronan Keating feat. Yusuf – Father and Son". Swiss Singles Chart.
  67. ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 19 May 2020.
  68. ^ "The Official UK Singles Chart 2004" (PDF). UKChartsPlus. Retrieved 19 May 2020.
  69. ^ "British single certifications – Ronan Keating ft Yusuf – Father and Son". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 5 February 2021.
  70. ^ Shepard, Jack (19 April 2017). "Tracklist for Guardians of the Galaxy's Awesome Mixtape Vol. 2 revealed". The Independent. Retrieved 27 August 2017.
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