Musical Portraits of Contemporary Fathers
Contributing writer Charlie Maybee celebrates Fathers list of contemporary pop songs that commemorate the good and bad of fatherhood.
Father’s Day can be a sentimental or challenging day depending on individual perspective, but there is no doubt that dads have a significant influence over the way that many people move through the world, and how they express themselves through music. This year, I am deciding to move against the grain a bit and discuss some contemporary pop songs about fathers or fatherhood that run the gamut from positive to negative experiences, often landing somewhere in between.
I want to be clear from the get-go that this is not a ranked list of songs nor a definitive guide to portrayals of fatherhood in music. It is more a think-piece that explores a general theme found across a variety of songs and styles.
Without further ado, here are some songs that come up for me, and please feel free to listen along with our official playlist.
Unfamiliar Things Prove “The Strangest Art” is Worth A Second Listen
Recent Articles Unfamiliar Things of L.A. release their full-length self-titled album of hauntingly mixed messages with new single “The Strangest of Art” “Where to begin?” These are the first words spoken in “The Strangest of Art,” the new single and lead track on the eponymously titled full-length album by Unfamiliar Things. Perhaps it would be […]
Post ‘Modern Love’: Iconic Songs About Contemporary Love
Contributing writer Charlie Maybee finds himself singing David Bowie’s famous song “Modern Love” to himself a lot without knowing why it’s in his head. “Perhaps I’m drawn to the hopeful yearning in the pre-chorus line ‘But I try / I try’ or the danceable confusion about love and sexuality that seems to permeate the song’s lyrical core,” he reflects. But that confusion also hinges upon a foundational question: what is modern love? In honor of Valentine’s Day, Maybee looks back at some iconic love songs that have changed and defined romantic values in popular culture during the age of post-modern love. If your favorite song didn’t make the list, be sure to let us know what we missed!
SeepeopleS Capture the Human Experience in New Single “Shame”
More to Watch The animated music video for SeepeopleS’s newest single, “Shame”, is a must-watch. This follow up to their video “New American Dream”, also animated by Pete List (Celebrity Death Match, MTV), portrays a child experiencing the emotions that one can relate to all too well, like feeling like an outsider, entering an imaginable […]
Uncover The Music of Kelaska in “Tightrope”
Recent Articles By The Alchemist Born Kelli Wright, Connecticut singer-songwriter and recording artist Kelaska has just released her second single of 2022, “Tightrope,” about coming to grips with growing up to become a strong, independent woman in the face of so-called ‘acceptable’ social norms. “Tightrope” begins with an understated rhythm and melody while Kelaska begins […]
You’re the Main Character in Nick Horn and Christian Sparacio’s Delightful New Single, “Suburban Movie Song”
Recent Articles By Linc Bradham Nick Horn, a New Jersey-based pub singer sensation by day and songster by night, spins a tale of suburban simplicity in his first-time collaboration with fellow Jersey boy Christian Sparacio in “Suburban Movie Song.” The song is sure to escort you to a core memory you forgot you had. Horn […]
Chaz Monroe On Their Upcoming Record (And More)
by M. L. Lanzillotta I’ve never met local punk rocker Chaz Monroe or seen them play live. Alec Pugliese (Copes’ bass player) recommended their music via Instagram DM. That’s when I decided to listen to their 2017 EP – This Suffering Shall Not Be In Vain – on Bandcamp. Their voice alternates between delicately heavenly […]
