Dear Father (Complete Unknown) by Sum 41

Album: Underclass Hero (2007)

License This Song

artistfacts

Songfacts®:

Sum 41 lead singer Deryck Whibley wrote this song about his father's absence throughout his life. Writing the song helped Whibley to deal with the scary issue of growing up without a father. He told Metro: "I wrote out about 20 pages of what I found confusing and frustrating in my life. There were really deeply held personal things that scared me. The first thing I did was a song called 'Dear Father.' I've never met my father - he split before I was born. I grew up with a single teenage mother and writing a song about it had always scared the s--t out of me. I realized that when anything scares you, that's the best thing you can possibly do. It's an album about my view of existence."
Deryck Whibley has described this as the most meaningful song he's ever written, and says it's the hardest topic he's ever had to sing about.

Comments: 1

Mike from Denver, Coive been here. now my fathers gone for good (alcohol is the drink of death i tell you) and only when i was 18 too. i remember coming to the hospital only to watch him die after a car wreck. i cant really feel what it is like to never know your father, but in my case, i didnt want to know him. but u never know how much u might miss a person until they are gone. sure he had his moments where he was the best father in the world, but sometimes, he loved his drink too much. it just got worse and worse till i had reached the point of being scared for me and my family, and the night he died, i drove my whole family (except my intoxicated father away from the house.) i remember him screaming through the windows, telling us to go away forever. now im getting married in a few months without my father watching. i had tried alcohol to see what the big deal was. i was only 15 and i had finally managed to stop at 17 (at my girlfriends request) and it made me a monster just like dad. i wish he was here, to realize what had happened, i always wish he was here.

Rest In Peace pops, i hope your in a better place.

see more comments

More Songfacts:

Cruel To Be KindNick Lowe

Part of the "Cruel to Be Kind" video was shot during Nick Lowe and Carlene Carter's wedding.

I Just Called To Say I Love YouStevie Wonder

"I Just Called To Say I Love You" is Stevie Wonder's best-selling single worldwide. It topped the Hot 100, AC, R&B and UK charts all in the same week.

Chelsea DaggerThe Fratellis

The Fratellis song "Chelsea Dagger" was named for their lead singer's wife - it was her burlesque name.

Just Be Good To MeThe S.O.S. Band

"Just Be Good To Me" by The S.O.S. Band was the first hit written and produced by Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, who worked on Janet Jackson's Control album a few years later. They were members of The Time, a group created by Prince.

I Will Always Love YouWhitney Houston

Dolly Parton is just fine with Whitney Houston's cover of "I Will Always Love You." Said Parton: "She can have the credit. I just want my cash."

Love BitesDef Leppard

At the end of "Love Bites" by Def Leppard, there are some vocals that are hard to understand. It was rumored that they were: "Jesus of Nazareth, Go to Hell." It is actually producer Mutt Lange saying "Yes it does, Bloody Hell," with a thick British accent.