The greatest song about accepting your struggles as key to making you who you are, while also refusing to pass that generational trauma on to your own children, is Johnny Cash / Shel Silverstein’s “A Boy Named Sue”
*Bonus points for implicitly understanding the trauma of being misgendered.
Only I some versions. In some the singer decided to name their child sue as well, perpetuating the trauma
This is known as “ruining the song.”
Wait, why? The reason the first father named him sue was because he abandoned him, so is the other version saying that they’re also going to abandon them?
You should listen to the second song, then. Might change your perspective.
Full disclosure: both were written by Shel Silversein, but Cash refused to perform the latter. This is pre-Where The Sidewalk Ends, mind you. This is The Great Smoke-Off era Silverstein.
edit: Here’s Shel Silverstein performing “Father of A Boy Named Sue”
Holy fuck
… It doesn’t even make sense. If Sue ends up choosing to live life as a flamboyant, gay drag queen then why is Sue pissed off at the dad in the first place? 🤔
The father-son/daughter incest was also an interesting choice.
Hmm that part really was the only thing that resonated with me.
Maybe that’s yet another secret one finds where the sidewalk ends? 🤷🏼♂️
You should check out the song “Patches” If that’s what you’re interested in.
Patches, I’m depending on ya son…
That song hits hard in a town that was farm heavy
Patches by Dickie Lee or Patches by Clarence Carter?
… Or Patches the Clown by Deadbolt?
(All great songs.)
Just reading the name Patches brings a hit of emotions. Great song
