The O’Jays famously sang, “We’ve got a message in our music.” And, yes, we do. Music is so much a part of who we are as a people. It expresses so much when mere words are not enough to do the job. This became so clear to me as I scoured the Internet looking for articles, stories, speeches, memes, or just cute messages to say Happy Father’s Day to those wonderful men who have done so much and meant so much to us. And although there were a few articles and stories, some cute memes and messages, the strongest, most meaningful Father’s Day messages came out in song.
Bruce Henry’s cover of Horace Silver’s “Song for My Father,” is a moving, inspirational tribute to fatherhood:
“If there was ever a man,
Generous, gracious, and good
That was my Dad.
My Dad the man.
A human being so pure
He made life a dream.
Because he knew
All the real treasure in life
He was devoted too.
And always stood by me
So, I’d be unafraid and free.
Horace Silver’s original lyrics, paid tribute to fathers also
“This little song for my father,
Does things that no other can do?
As I sing it to you
It has rhythm and rhyme.
That will foster his memory – in time.
As his beauty shines through
For through my mind & soul
My heart will always hold.
A special place for him – it’s true.
We bow our heads & we pray.
Every day is Father’s Day
Let’s review.
All that he means to you.
Our mother’s love is really nice.
But old Dad sacrificed.
For us, too
Let’s give him his due.
We’re very proud to be.
in his biography.
We sing this song to you and him.
Fathers, these messages are for you because you’re always there for us, teaching your sons to be men. Clarence Carter tells the story about how, growing up in Alabama, he was so ragged that folks used to call him Patches. But he wasn’t ashamed because his hero, his father, called him Patches too. He lived by his father’s words:
Patches, I’m depending on you, Son.
I tried to do my best.
It’s up to you to do the rest.
Through ups and downs, he said it was his father’s voice
that got him through the years, saying
Patches, I’m depending on you Son.
To pull the family through
My Son, it’s all left up to you.
Sons aren’t the only ones who get lessons from their fathers. Where do you think the term “Daddy’s girl” came from? One famous Daddy’s girl, Beyonce tells us what lessons her daddy taught her, and she even named her song “Daddy Lessons.”
Came into this world
Daddy’s little girl
And daddy made a soldier out of me (ooh-ooh)
Daddy made me dance
And daddy held my hand (ooh-ooh)
And daddy liked his whiskey with his tea.
And in another song, simply called “Daddy” Beyonce
pays tribute to her daddy once again.
“Because you loved me, I overcome, yeah.
And I’m so proud of what you’ve become, yeah.
You’ve given me such security.
No matter what mistakes I make you’re there for me.
You cure my disappointments, and you heal my pain.
You understood my biz and you protected me.
I treasure every irreplaceable memory.”
Beyonce sings another message that we all can relate to – because no matter how old we are, no matter how independent we are, no matter how on our own we are, we’ll always feel that somehow our fathers are invincible:
‘Because I’ve got a man in my life that can’t be replaced.
Father’s love is unconditional, and it won’t go away.
And I know I’m lucky.
Know it ain’t easy.
Men who take care of their responsibilities
Love is overwhelming.
Every great father is not a biological father. So, the Winston’s sing a very special Father’s Day tribute to the kind of man that does so much, gives so much, who may not be your birth daddy, still there’s only one way to color him – “Color him Father.”
“There’s a man at my house, he’s all big and strong.
He goes to work each day and stays all day long.
He comes home each night looking tired and beat.
He sits down at the dinner table and has a bite to eat.
Never a frown, always a smile
When he says to me, how’s my child?
I think I’ll color this man father.
I think I’ll color him love.”
“Our real old man, he got killed in the war.
And she knows she and the seven kids couldn’t have gotten
very far.
She said she thought that she could never love again.
And then there he stood with that big wide grin.
I’ve got to color this man father.
I’ve got to color him love.”
Our love and appreciation for our fathers never stops, whether they’re here with us on earth, or looking down on us from heaven. In his musical message, Luther Vandross’ expresses an emotion that many of us feel when we’re missing our fathers.
“If I could get another chance,
Another walk, another dance with him
I’d play a song that would never ever end.
How I’d love, love, love to dance with my father again.
This Father’s Day, fathers are sharing their special day with Juneteenth, with Men’s Health Month, and with Black Music Week. Let’s celebrate with the que on the grill, and a song in our hearts, or on our lips, or in our memories. And whether we sing it off-key or out of tune, there is a special message that comes with our music and it says to fathers everywhere, “Happy Father’s Day!”
Music is so much a part of who we are as a people. It expresses so much when mere words are not enough to do the job… And although there were a few articles and stories, some cute memes and messages, the strongest, most meaningful Father’s Day messages.
