Dear Hivers,
This is just my second week taking part in the open mic and so I was really pleased to have a lovely theme like this.
For me, there is no more emotionally charged song about the love of a family member than this one, 'Dance With My Father' by Luther Vandross and Richard Marx. I really hope you think I've done it justice.
It's based on Luther's own experience of losing his Father when he was only 7 years old. His co-writer Richard Marx had also recently lost his own Father, so it is truly written from the heart.
The song tells how the singer misses his Father after he has passed away. He remembers dancing together with both his Mother and Father when he was a child and wishes for one last time to be able to do this, with a song that never comes to an end. He recounts how he prayed and asked God to send back his Father because his Mother was so torn apart by her loss.
Below is the link to listen to Luther Vandross singing this beautiful song. Get those tissues ready because if you haven't heard it before, it'll make you cry.
Lyrics
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
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 momma 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 how my mother cried for him
I pray for her even more than me
I pray for her even more than me
I know I'm praying for much too much
But could you send back the only man she loved?
I know you don't do it usually
But dear Lord she's dying to dance with my father again
Every night I fall asleep and this is all I ever dream
Lyrics from Google/Musixmatch
