Oh Daddy

[Meowi]

This is one of my favorite songs on Rumours, but I have been wondering who it was about.
I heard somewhere that it was written as a song for Mick, as he was seen as the bands 'guardian' and father figure.
What do you think?

[Fiver]

I think I read somewhere that it was written somewhat from Mick's wife at the time, Jenny's, point of view. I can't remember where though, so I've got no proof. Sorry.

I love this song, too. I kind of look at it as Christine's GDW. It's got that mysterious and heavy atmosphere throughout, which isn't the norm for Christine. Also...DAT BASS. Other than Brown Eyes, has she done anything else similar to this? I gotta admit, I haven't delved into FM's stuff post-Tango in the Night, other than SYW.

In live versions, I love the guitar work on the intro, but the lack of harmonies on the chorus are disappointing.

[ButterCookie]

On the Making of Rumours thing on Radio2 Christine said that it was about Mick.

I prefer the version off Rumours Disc 2 because it's much more echo-y and haunting, especially with the bass turned right up.

[Fiver]

Originally Posted by ButterCookie

On the Making of Rumours thing on Radio2 Christine said that it was about Mick.

I prefer the version off Rumours Disc 2 because it's much more echo-y and haunting, especially with the bass turned right up.

Yeah, I dig that outtake, but then I miss that little bit of noodling around on the organ at the end of the original version, say the last 40 or so seconds.

[David]

I don't think these questions of whom a song is "about" are ever conclusively answerable. They are more or less speculative, even when the songwriter says otherwise.

I put about in quotes, above, to imply that it's a problematic idea; what does "about" mean? In that 1976 People magazine article on Christine that somebody just posted, Chris says that she usually writes songs about other people & not about herself directly because she finds songwriting about her own predicament too uncomfortable. So let's say she used to call Mick "daddy" -- or Mick used to call himself "daddy" -- & decided to borrow that nickname & idea behind it (of someone who takes care of his family, his band, his duties) & apply it to another relationship she was seeing at the time. Now what is the song "about"? Is it about Mick? Is it about the other couple? Is it about Christine herself still?

The search for "about" in all these songs always struck me as too quixotic, & the conclusions drawn too facile, too pat. There is a theory of reader response that centers on how the lyrics make me feel -- the connotative atmosphere they create rather than the denotative or strictly semantic ciphering they lead to. I think a track like "Sara," with its reflective lyrics about movement (flying, swimming, returning home, wind blowing) & its orchestration like majestic clouds in the morning sky, is well suited to such response theory. I think the atmosphere is the message.

[jbrownsjr]

wow great post David..

[jellyman10]

Originally Posted by David

The search for "about" in all these songs always struck me as too quixotic, & the conclusions drawn too facile, too pat. There is a theory of reader response that centers on how the lyrics make me feel -- the connotative atmosphere they create rather than the denotative or strictly semantic ciphering they lead to. I think a track like "Sara," with its reflective lyrics about movement (flying, swimming, returning home, wind blowing) & its orchestration like majestic clouds in the morning sky, is well suited to such response theory. I think the atmosphere is the message.

I appreciate very much your ability to articulate my thoughts for me. The Ledge has some very good writers.