Pater's Plays
Look To The Rainbow
Petula Clark and Fred Astaire · Finian's Rainbow (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
Living bequest of Irish-oid wisdom from Dad to Daughter, celebrated by both in sentimental duet. More sentimental if you, like Pater, are a fan of Fred Astaire, pushing 70 when this was recorded. Message in the song for us dads: Your good words can be a lifelong treasure for your kid(s), better than gold, which the titular Finian (Astaire) loses.
Coal Miner’s Daughter
Loretta Lynn · Coal Miner's Daughter
Comfort here for Dads laid off or otherwise hurtin'. It's the love, not the dollars, that kids will thank you for. Lynn tells how true this is in 1970 Country super-hit. Ten years later came the singer's smash biopic, same name as song. A miner's girl Loretta was, and she didn't forget it or let fans forget. Be nice to think we're all earning such gratitude and family pride.
Father and Son
Cat Stevens · Tea For The Tillerman
Title males fail to communicate in mini-drama sung, both parts, by Stevens circa 1970, in musical prime and not yet renamed Son of Allah. Get into driving acoustic, vocal range, emotion, and forgive spoiled youth whining at father, “I have to go.” Go already. Of course, Dad will have to pay for the trip.
Father, Dear Father
Dixie Reelers · The Early Years
Roots Country (late 1930s) in Bad Dad vein. POV of child at bar begging father to come home where the fam freezes in dark. Download to hear Little Billy’s last words. Play on portable before you stop for drinks after work.
O mio babbino caro (from Puccini’s Gianni Schicchi)
Renée Fleming · Renée Fleming
Pops of love-struck teenagers will relate. A daughter works “dear little daddy” so he’ll let her marry a guy she’s crazy for. She gets cute, begs, threatens to throw herself in river, howls how it hurts. But very, very beautifully, no?
Papa Was a Rollilng Stone
The Temptations · Motown Classics Gold
Bad Dad classic with funk, rhythm, and unique in this vein, fun. The brothers don't cry, they party, diggin' no-good Papa's misdeeds, told solo and in tight Temptation harmony. There's an off-song mama they keep asking if Papa was as bad as all that. He was.
Oh My Papa
Eddie Fischer · Oh My Papa
International anthem for funny fathers, way over-sung, in number-one hit of 1954. Translated from original German, this is from a Swiss musical where dead dad was a circus clown. Sung by Krusty to father in “Like Father, Like Clown” episode of The Simpsons.
Song For My Father
Horace Silver · Song for My Father
Try, just try, not to feel good. No music in the world is more fine and mellow than Silver’s big jazz smile for his progenitor. Minus words, we don’t know why thinking of Dad made the son so happy, but the mood catches.
That Silver Haired Daddy of Mine
Gene Autry · Coming In On A Wing And A Prayer
Millions of fighting men missed their daddies listening to this World War II standard. Got to love the singing cowboy’s ache to wipe away years, make amends. Thousands who loved this song didn’t live to try. Scratchy, thin audio for authenticity.
Father And Daughter
Paul Simon · The Essential Paul Simon
Simon dead-on nails fathering a little girl. Chasing away bad dreams, standing guard as she goes back to sleep, loving everything that’s coming — “I’m gonna watch you shine/Gonna watch you grow.” Could be schlurpy, but just right.
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