My dad was born today, September 14th, 1924. I was wondering if any of you had any songs for me? He died 5 years ago, I miss him so much, everyday.

Jackson Browne's song, "For A Dancer". Eloquent and melancholy but also celebrates life.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IU1rZa8Ur_Q

Today (September 14) is also my son's birthday...he turned 30!

MG...
BlunderHugs!

I miss mine too! He was about the same age.

There is a song that I can't get through though. It's called "Dance With My Father" I have heard it done by both male & female. (Luther Vandross & also Celine)The first time I heard it I stood right where I was and sobbed horribly.

The song said it all though!
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Dance with my Father

Back when I was a child
Before life removed all the innocence
My father would lift me high
And dance with my mother and me and then

Spin me around till I fell asleep
Then up the stairs he would carry me
And I knew for sure
I was loved

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

Ooh, ooh

When I and my mother would disagree
To get my way I would run from her to him
He'd make me laugh just to comfort me, yeah, yeah
Then finally make me do just what my mama said

Later that night when I was asleep
He left a dollar under my sheet
Never dreamed that he
Would be gone from me

If I could steal one final glance
One final step, one final dance with him
I'd play a song that would never, ever end
'Cause I'd love, love, love to dance with my father
again

Sometimes I'd listen outside her door
And I'd hear her, mama cryin' for him
I pray for her even more than me
I pray for her even more than me

I know I'm prayin' for much too much
But could You send back the only man she loved
I know You don't do it usually
But Lord, she's dyin' to dance with my father again
Every night I fall asleep
And this is all I ever dream

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It's hard on me because the last time my Father tried to dance with me, I was at an age where I was totally embarrased to be seen with the folks. We all go through that phase I suppose, but had I known then that it would be my last chance..my last dance....I would have handled it differently.

You get really huge hugs from me because I know just how you feel.....I miss him soooo much. He's been gone since 1980.

Pardon me, but I'm going to share a little chuckle with you because posting these lyrics was hard on me and I'm sitting here in a big puddle.

When I was a tot, my Dad had a tape recorder he use to let me play with. I had one cassette that was my own. I have preserved my parents yelling at me to "TURN THAT DOWN!" When I was listening to The Jackson 5 ! LoL
My Dad's voice is only on the tape twice and I'm truly Thankful for that!

He left me with a little ...I don't know what you would call it...a limirick or a poem maybe...not sure. I can't post it here because of the content. It wasn't bad words or nasty or anything like that, but it would be controversial.

It had to do with a watermelon growing on a vine and about the person who watched it all the time. Some of you may know what I'm talking about. Now, my Dad was not known for that sort of thing...not a prejudice bone in his body....but THAT is what he leaves me with?

Don't lose the memories MG! I don't think they are as far away as we believe they are.

So sorry to hear about your dad. Prayers & vibes. You post makes me realize how lucky I am to have my dad & mom still here...

I pray your memories of your father bring you comfort and joy today. Last night I played and sang for some great friends who had a barefoot beach wedding. My oldest daughter was asked to perform the ceremony since she is a notory public and also a good friend. I t was a beautiful ceremony, and afterward, with the full moon shimmering upon the Gulf of Mexico, it was time for the bride to dance with her father. I played the Beatles song "I WILL" for that dance, with the waves playing back-up for me, and the moon and stars providing the light show, along with a gazillion tiki torches. It was very moving, and was a few moments of indescribable beauty and feeling.....
"And when at last I find you
your song will fill the air
Sing it loud so I can hear you
Make it easy to be near you
For the things you do endear you to me
Oh, you know I will..."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lVdTQ3OPtGY

when my father passed I printed the lyrics of this song on the little hand out thingy. I had some friends who were stunned I put it there then they read the lyrics and realized why? I don't know why? This song always comforts me! It seems to connect the dots between this and that generation and why and what we do with our lives.

Hi, MG. My father's birthday is September 29th, 1927. He died a little over 3 years ago. My life seems to have paralleled Reba McIntyre's song/movie "Is There Life Out There?" The song I think of in the context of my dad is "The Greatest Man I Never Knew." Same album, same movie, exactly the same context. My father died around noon, the day before I graduated from college, after an on-again, off-again relationship with various degree programs.

Then there are all the train songs... he loved trains! And The Beatles, the song Proud Mary (recorded over and over so he didn't have to rewind)... but the one song that really makes me think of him and nothing else is...

Three Little Fishies

Down in the meadow in an itty bitty pool
Swam three little fishies and a mama fishie too
"Swim" said the mama fishie,
"Swim if you can"
And they swam, swam, swam right over the dam.

Boop boop dit-tem dat-tem what-tem shu!
Boop boop dit-tem dat-tem what-tem shu!
Boop boop dit-tem dat-tem what-tem shu!
And they swam and they swam right over the dam.

"Stop" cried the mama fishie, you'll get lost.
But the three little fishies didn't wanna be bossed,
So the three little fishies went off on a spree
And they swam, swam, swam right out to the sea.

Boop boop dit-tem dat-tem what-tem shu!
Boop boop dit-tem dat-tem what-tem shu!
Boop boop dit-tem dat-tem what-tem shu!
And they swam and they swam right out to the sea.

"Whee!'' yelled the fishies here's a lot of fun
We'll swim in the sea till the day is done
So they swam and they swam, and it was a lark
'Til all of a sudden they saw a shark!

Boop boop dit-tem dat-tem what-tem shu!
Boop boop dit-tem dat-tem what-tem shu!
Boop boop dit-tem dat-tem what-temshu!
Till all of a sudden they saw a shark!

"Help!''cried the little fishies
Gee look at the whales!
And quick as they could,they turned on their tails
Back to the pool in the meadow they swam
And they swam and they swam back over the dam.

Boop boop dit-tem dat-tem what-tem shu!
Boop boop dit-tem dat-tem what-tem shu!
Boop boop dit-tem dat-tem what-tem shu!
And they swam and they swam back over the dam.

I love you guys!! Your posts have inspired me and comforted me more than you know. I did lose it a few times, though, but it helped! I am resolved to hold on to the memories more than just passively.Thank you,all.

don't have any extra-inspiring songs for you, MG.... but the memories are so helpful for me... I heard Nancy Reagan say that as time passes you don't really miss someone less, you miss them more because it's been a long time..... you just get more used to it....
and that seems really true for me...
so taking out my inner memory box and leafing through always brings someone's presence so strongly.... the wound can heal a bit again....

"Memories" from Cats is my song for my Dad, which inspires cathartic tears...

My Dad was born October 22, 1920, and passed away last Halloween. It's been rough without him, but he died from Alzheimer's, and as anyone who's lost a loved one to Alzheimer's knows, you start losing those people years before they die. One of the songs I associate with my Dad is "Strangers On the Shore", the instrumental by Aker Bilk. I was in Panera's on Father's Day, grabbing some lunch, when that song came on in their Muzak. Yeah, that was hard. But the one song I think of from way back is "My Little Playmate, come out and play with me, and bring your dollies three, climb up my apple tree. Look down my rain barrel, slide down my cellar door, and we'll be jolly friends forevermore." I was just a tiny thing when Daddy taught me that song, and the only cellar door I was familiar with was a regular swinging door, at the top of the basement stairs. I used to wonder how you could slide down it.....

My Old Man by Steve Goodman. First heard it about the same time my Dad passed away. It almost seems Steve knew my Dad and our family.

My dad's favorite song was "You Are My Sunshine"...sometimes, it's a little hard to listen to...and in the folkie world, it pops up from time to time.

The Leader of the Band by Dan Fogelberg.

May the Circle Be Unbroken.