Sins of our fathers. In Adams
fall, we sinned, all. This song has been misinterpreted as a complaint. Oh, no.
It’s a statement of fact.
When my son Forest Arturo
Dunn (middle name for Toscanini) recorded with me, I think for him it was a way
to make up to me. He had little to make up, but the last time I left him, his
mom, and his sisters he was in high school. He challenged me, “old man,” to
fight him. It was one of the several times in my life I let my ego go. I just
stood and looked at him. I thought, “This is really the end. He hates me. His
mother hates me.” I made no threatening moves and we did not fight, thank God.
Oh, those sins of our
fathers. I remember once when I was small and had a new bike, my Dad took me to
Sam Houston Park in Amarillo, Texas. I took off riding. Dad was sitting on a bench. The park had
many sidewalk paths and I went around and around. Very soon I realized I didn’t
know where my father was. Unknown to him, I was not riding ‘round and ‘round
enjoying my new bike. I was looking for my Daddy. He told me later that I rode past him several times and he
thought I was having fun. He should have said something as I rode past, no? My
father was a depressed man. I was an depressed man. Damn it, this
nature/nurture thing ain’t easy, huh?
The mother of my children and
I had one hell of a rocky marriage. I was always leaving and coming back. I
never, ever failed to send money. No child support needed to be demanded from
me. Those times I left Frances after we had children, I sent money home. I used
to be angry when I heard men talk about not sending money to their children. In
my mind, I was a superior father because I paid. Dads, let me tell you if you
don’t know. Sending money has no emotional impact on your children. It doesn’t
count. What counts to them is that Mommy is ALWAYS there. The money won’t count
when it comes to winning their love. To win their love you’ve got to BE THERE.
On this song, as usual, I
play guitar and sing. Forest plays a 12 string guitar for lead, organ, bass,
percussion, and sings harmony. This song has not been sweetened in a studio,
but it comes through. I wrote this around 1973 when Forest was a baby.
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