“Father of Mine”
by Everclear
from the album So Much for the Afterglow
1997
Buy the album on Amazon

Finally making a jump back to the 90’s this week. Admittedly, I’ve never actually done this song, but it’s on my list to try next time. I was just a casual fan of Everclear when they were getting big (except my still unwavering love for Summerland and Santa Monica, which should pop up here on Lance’s list one of these days), and have a couple of their albums, but this song never really caught my ear.

I’m pretty sure it was an offhand comment our friend @sethmad made once a few years ago about this being the only Everclear song he liked (though that might be a completely false memory) that made me start to notice it. Once I did, I realized what a catchy, deeply personal song it us. Even so, it’s only been the past year or two that it’s come to the forefront as a karaoke contender. I’m actually surprised none of us have ever done it before (or maybe Lance or someone has and I’ve forgotten, but it’s definitely not a regular). Popular alternative song from the 90s? That’s pretty much our entire karaoke playlist. But if it’s still up for grabs, I’m going to try for it next time (and Lance would do pretty great backups).

Father of mine
Tell me where have you been
You know I just closed my eyes
My whole world disappeared
Father of mine
Take me back to the day
When I was still your golden boy
Back before you went away
I remember the blue skies, walking the block
I loved it when you held me high
I loved to hear you talk
You would take me to the movie
You would tke me to the beach
Take me to a place inside that is so hard to reach
Father of mine
Tell me where did you go
You had the world inside your hand
But you did not seem to know
Father of mine
Tell me what do you see
When you look back at your wasted life and you don’t see me
I was ten years old
Doing all that i could
It wasn’t easy for me to be a scared white boy in a black neighborhood
Sometimes you would send me a birthday card
With a five dollar bill
I never understood you then and I guess I never will
Daddy gave me a name
My dad he gave me a name
Then he walked away
Daddy gave me a name
Then he walked away
My dad gave me a name
Father of mine
Tell me where have you been
I just closed my eyes
And the world disappeared
Father of mine
Tell me how do you sleep
With the children you abandoned
And the wife I saw you beat
I will never be safe
I will never be sane
I will always be weird inside
I will always be lame
Now I am a grown man
With a child of my own
And I swear I’m not going to let her know
All the pain I have known
Then he walked away
Daddy gave me a name
Then he walked away
My dad gave me a name
Then he walked away