Song of the Moment: My Father's Son

[harmless]

Now Father you're dead and gone and I'm finally free to be me.
Thanks for all your fucked up gifts, for which I've got no sympathy.
I'm living in a war torn place in the bounds of fifth syphmony.
Thanks for this and thanks for that I gotta let go your legacy

I still really like the song, though.

Jorge help me out, you're good at elusive artistic references. What's that 5th symphony thing about?

[Jorge]

When does Ed sound like STONE?

"No Way", kinda

[harmless]

When does Ed sound like STONE?

"No Way", kinda

In this song though? Several of the listening party reviews said he didn't sound like Ed at the beginning.

[Jorge]

Now Father you're dead and gone and I'm finally free to be me.
Thanks for all your fucked up gifts, for which I've got no sympathy.
I'm living in a war torn place in the bounds of fifth syphmony.
Thanks for this and thanks for that I gotta let go your legacy

I still really like the song, though.

Jorge help me out, you're good at elusive artistic references. What's that 5th symphony thing about?

Hm. There's the famous thing about Beethoven composing the fifth symphony during a bout of horrible depression and suicidal thoughts (he was losing his hearing at the time), and how the opening motif meant to represent death "knocking" at his door. Maybe that has something to do with it? I don't know. It's a weird line.

[doug rr]

Now Father you're dead and gone and I'm finally free to be me.
Thanks for all your fucked up gifts, for which I've got no sympathy.
I'm living in a war torn place in the bounds of fifth syphmony.
Thanks for this and thanks for that I gotta let go your legacy

I still really like the song, though.

Jorge help me out, you're good at elusive artistic references. What's that 5th symphony thing about?

Hm. There's the famous thing about Beethoven composing the fifth symphony during a bout of horrible depression and suicidal thoughts (he was losing his hearing at the time), and how the opening motif meant to represent death "knocking" at his door. Maybe that has something to do with it? I don't know. It's a weird line.

written during Napoleonic wars...Napoleon was short and so is Ed

[stip]

i think they both surfed, too

[Vindicator]

This song BEGS for a scorching solo coming out of the bridge. Maybe an outro solo too. Would have elevated this song to top shelf Pearl Jam rock status. Instead it stays a cool weird song like Push Me Pull Me. Could have been MORE.

[harmless]

Now Father you're dead and gone and I'm finally free to be me.
Thanks for all your fucked up gifts, for which I've got no sympathy.
I'm living in a war torn place in the bounds of fifth syphmony.
Thanks for this and thanks for that I gotta let go your legacy

I still really like the song, though.

Jorge help me out, you're good at elusive artistic references. What's that 5th symphony thing about?

Hm. There's the famous thing about Beethoven composing the fifth symphony during a bout of horrible depression and suicidal thoughts (he was losing his hearing at the time), and how the opening motif meant to represent death "knocking" at his door. Maybe that has something to do with it? I don't know. It's a weird line.

Yeah I looked at Beethoven's 5th on Wikipedia and drew other things from it, so this seems like the most plausible thing. The sense could also be wanting to move on from 5th through the other "movements", so again talking metaphorically about moving on in life.

[IlluminEddie]

This is cool lyrical song. I was wondering if this was a religious reference when I first heard. The Father being God. Still not sure.

If it's direct about Ed and his Dad, it makes more sense. If this is what it's about, it's obviously about his Dad's depression/mental illness and how Ed has it also or has had it in the past. In my opinion, this song is about regrets with lyrics he wrote in the past (State of Love and Trust, for example, or any song related to his poor mental health) and blaming them on his Father not being there or being an f'd up person. I think Ed's at a weird stage of life where he realizes his children will soon look at his past (songs like State of Love and Trust where he talks of taking himself out) with a slight embarrassment towards his mental state. This is Ed's way to say it's not his fault.... which seems just about normal for him. I do think the anger is legit here and not staged. I just think it's narcissistic in it's nature. Just about the norm for Ed.

[harmless]

Ed said it isn't autobiographical.

[harmless]

To me, the "happy" bridge actually sounds more like the happy transition in "Green Disease" than anything on Backspacer.

[Norah]

i think they both surfed, too

This was a good post.

[harmless]

It was.

[Monkey_Driven]

Stip did a great job describing the guitar part in this song. It sounds like it is chasing Ed's vocals.

[Vindicator]

This is a 4 star song that should have been a 5.

[Birds in Hell]

Lyrics, schmyrics!

Song rules.

I feel this way about most songs.

You and me both, pal.

The good ones, anyway.

[stip]

god damn it you guys

[Vindicator]

This song is fucking great and keeps growing on me with repeated listens. I wish the bridge went a little longer, I love the melody in the background. And the song really could have used a solo. Would have been a top PJ song for me.

It's the only song that truly sounds like it could be something off of Binaural to me (my favorite album)

[dimejinky99]

Not sure what to make of this one.

Agreed though. A huge solo would have elevated it

[Chris_H_2]

Not sure what to make of this one.

Agreed though. A huge solo would have elevated it

I think it's a refreshing change when not every PJ is paint-by-numbers.