Fate dealt me a daunting task when my Dad passed . That task was to pick the perfect song to play at his funeral. Everyone in the family weighed in because dad was an accomplished musician. Naturally everyone had their opinions, but there was one song that I simply couldn’t get out of my head. Up to that point I had never shared my feeling with anyone about this song . The song’s lyrics were so close to my dad’s life that it may just as well have been written about my dad. I kept it a big secret up until my dad’s funeral and played it. After playing the song at my dad’s funeral his wife was so moved that she had the title engraved on his headstone.
The song: The Leader of the Band.
Two years ago I sat the kids down to make sure they knew what to do in case of my early demise. Legal matters are not their concern, what is their concern is fairly simple. The coffin is to be simple and plain (preferably unfinished pine) but what is even more important than that is two songs to be played. First one is of course Simple Man by Lynard Skynard. The second song was to be “Someday never comes” by Credence Clear Water Revival. However I am having second thoughts on the last song.
Creedence Clearwater Revival Someday Never Comes Lyrics
First thing I remember was askin’ papa, “Why?”, for there were many things I didn’t know
And daddy always smiled; took me by the hand, sayin’, “Someday you’ll understand”
Well, I’m here to tell you now each and ev’ry mother’s son
You better learn it fast; you better learn it young, ’cause someday never comes
Well, time and tears went by and I collected dust, for there were many things I didn’t know
When daddy went away, he said, “Try to be a man and someday you’ll understand”
Well, I’m here to tell you now each and ev’ry mother’s son
You better learn it fast; you better learn it young, ’cause someday never comes
And then, one day in April, I wasn’t even there, for there were many things I didn’t know
A son was born to me; mama held his hand, sayin’, “Someday you’ll understand”
Well, I’m here to tell you now each and ev’ry mother’s son
You better learn it fast; you better learn it young ’cause someday never comes, someday never comes
Think it was September, the year I went away, for there were many things I didn’t know
And I still see him standing, try’n’ to be a man, I said, “Someday you’ll understand”
Well, I’m here to tell you now each and ev’ry mother’s son
You better learn it fast; you better learn it young ’cause someday never comes, someday never comes
My appeal to this song goes back nearly as far as my appeal to the song Simple Man. Both songs are very powerful both in performance and lyrically. I simply could not pull out a single verse from either song or point to it and say” That is my favorite” because each lyric fits to the point and impression that I wish to leave. However as I’ve grown older I must admit that the second song by CCR may no longer fit. Now that I have had a couple of years to reflect I believe that someday may very well have come after all.
