Bad, Bad Parents: The Playlist

Reading Time: 13 min read

Bad, Bad Parents: The Playlist features songs courtesy of DMX, Eminem, Kelly Clarkson, The Temptations & YUNGBLUD.

First and foremost, we are not going anti-parent on The Musical Hype. We are, however, examining songs where the parent-child relationships were sketchy. Our 46^th compendium of 2022, 🎧 Bad, Bad Parents: The Playlist, features songs depicting difficult relationships with one parent or perhaps both parents. Fair or not, most of the parents that the children have a bone to pick with happen to be dads…

🎧 Bad, Bad Parents: The Playlist isn’t a new concept. It’s actually a follow-up of sorts to a miniature list published in 2018: 🎧 5 Songs That Depict Difficult Parent-Child Relationships. All five songs from that list are reprised on this expanded compendium which features 13 songs. The musical selections come from the likes of 🎙 DMX, 🎙 Eminem, 🎙 Kelly Clarkson, 🎙 The Temptations, and 🎙 YUNGBLUD among others. Again, this list is by no means anti-parent – it just explores songs where the relationships are difficult.

1. DMX, “Letter to My Son (Call Your Father).”

💿 Exodus • 🏷 Def Jam • 📅 2021

In 2021, the world, sadly, lost a musical icon. Earl Simmons, best known as gruff-voiced, East Coast rapper 🎙 DMX, passed away at the age of 50 on April 9, 2021. Yes, Simmons was ‘rough around the edges,’ but the sheer talent and influence he brought to the game, as well as his tremendous faith, is undeniable. In May 2021, X’s posthumous album, 💿 Exodus, was released. The final, full-length song on the album is the emotional 🎵 “Letter to My Son (Call Your Father).”

Exodus is named after DMX’s youngest song. “Letter to My Son (Call Your Father),” however, is addressed to his eldest son. DMX reflects on his mistakes, apologizes for them, and desires a relationship.

“What I’m saying is stop thinkin’ like a child

‘Cause what if it’s when I’m gone (Damn)

That you gotta realize you’re wrong? (Damn)

And we could’ve been best of friends all along

But it would kinda defeat the purpose of the song.”

DMX enlists 🎙 Usher (“But I can learn from my mistakes / Not too late, it ain’t too late /Call your father”) and violinist 🎙 Brian King for the assist, with both doing a superb job. This is the song on Exodus that truly makes you want to shed tears considering the state of the relationship between X and Xavier.

Appears in 🔻:

17 Fabulous, Attention-Grabbing, Call Songs

2. The Temptations, “Papa Was a Rollin’ Stone”

💿 All Directions • 🏷 Motown • 📅 1972

“It was the third of September / That day I’ll always remember, yes I will / ‘Cause that was the day, that my daddy died.” Woo, those are iconic lyrics from 🎙 The Temptations on one of their best songs, 🎵 “Papa Was a Rollin’ Stone.” Notably, 🎙 Dennis Edwards sings lead. Edwards ever sings those lyrics, “Papa Was a Rollin’ Stone” takes its time setting up, thanks to an incredibly classy, extended music intro (more on that later). As far as songwriting is concerned on this lengthy classic from 1972’s 💿 All Directions (🎼✍ Barrett Strong and 🎼✍ Norman Whitfield), it’s authentic, honest, and utterly sublime.

The best moment is the chorus, which I’d argue, is one of the greatest choruses on one of the greatest songs of all time:

“Papa was a rolling stone

Wherever he laid his hat was his home

(And when he died) all he left us was alone.”

According to Cake, when describing “Papa Was a Rollin’ Stone,” they state, ‘You’ll hear of the antics of a man found being selfish and philandering more interesting than taking care of his family.’ True dat! The lyrics convey a story of a ‘no-good-dad’ through and through. The unique voices of each member of The Temptations come together incredibly harmoniously, while the instrument is EPIC. Man, oh man, does “Papa Was a Rollin’ Stone” have one of the best productions/arrangements (Whitfield) of all time! The drum groove! That bass line! The rhythmic guitar! The strings, that accentuate the dark vibes of that B-flat minor key! The trumpet solo! “Papa Was a Rollin’ Stone,” a no. 1 Hot 100 hit, is a masterpiece, bad father and all!

Appears in 🔻:

3 & 4. Demi Lovato, “Daddy Issues” & “For the Love of a Daughter”

💿 Tell Me You Love Me • 🏷 Hollywood / Island • 📅 2017
💿 Unbroken • 🏷 Hollywood / Island • 📅 2011

🎵 “Daddy Issues” is arguably the most ‘eyebrow-raising’ song from 🎙 Demi Lovato’s sixth studio album, 💿 Tell Me You Love Me. In the context of the album, Lovato is unapologetic to the n^th degree. Interestingly, an early f-bomb is censored, regardless of amended or explicit editions. The chorus specifically is where the eyebrows are raised as she sings, “Lucky for you, I got all these daddy issues / What can I do? / I’m going crazy when I’m with you / Forget all the therapy that I’ve been through.” Does Lovato oversexualize daddy issues? Arguably, but beyond the modern production and sexual tilt, there’s a personal aspect. Lovato legitimately had a rocky relationship with her late father, Patrick Lovato, something she addresses in an earlier song, 🎵 “For the Love of a Daughter.”

“For the Love of a Daughter” predates “Daddy Issues” by six years, appearing on her 2011 album, 💿 Unbroken. “Your selfish hands always expecting more,” Lovato sings in the first verse, continuing, “Am I your child, or just a charity ward?” Heavy! It gets heavier in the second verse where she admits she hasn’t spoken to him in five years, and adds, “Oh, well, I can be manipulated only so many times / Before even ‘I love you’ starts to sound like a lie.” Of course, the centerpiece is the chorus:

“Oh, father

Please, father

I’d love to leave you alone, but I can’t let you go

Oh, father

Please, father

Put the bottle down for the love of a daughter.”

Worth noting, Patrick Lovato passed away in 2013.

Appears in 🔻:

5. YUNGBLUD, “Parents”

💿 weird! • 🏷 Locomotion Recordings Limited / Interscope • 📅 2020

“‘Cause my high hopes are getting low / Because these people are so old / The way they think about it all / If I tried, I would never know… / ‘Cause parents ain’t always right.” 🎙 YUNGBLUD (Dominic Harrison) keeps it edgy on 🎵 “Parents”, a single from his 2020 album, 💿 weird! that insists the ‘parents’ are just too old to understand the kids. Harrison denounces the narrow-minded thoughts that adults have regarding youth. Early in the first verse, he continues the sentiment of his debut album, 💿 21^st Century Liability, as he depicts the ‘tortured’ nature of his generation.

In the first verse, the portions that pique the most interest appear at the end:

“My daddy put a gun to my head

Said, ‘If you kiss a boy, I’m gonna shoot you dead’

So, I tied him up with gaffa tape and I locked him in a shed

Then I went out to the garden and fucked my best friend.”

Holy shiitake mushrooms, YUNGBLUD! It’s outlandish, but it supports Harrison’s overall message. The ‘tortured’ sentiment continues in the second verse with Harrison going over the top on numerous occasions. “Put a toaster in my bath, watch my mum and dad laugh / See a thousand volts go through the son they wish they never had.” Wow. It gets even wackier, as he adds, “But it’s hard to get an erection when you’re so used to rejection / Yeah, the teacher fucked the preacher / But then he had to leave her / Had to wash away the sins of a male cheerleader.” Harrison does a fantastic job of selling things, perfectly summing everything up in the chorus. He excels, delivering ample attitude throughout. It doesn’t hurt that he has rad production (🎛 Zakk Cervini and 🎛 Chris Greatti) behind him.

6. Coldplay, “Daddy”

💿 Everyday Life • 🏷 Parlophone • 📅 2019

“I know / You’re hurting too / But I need you, I do…” 🎵 “Daddy” is one of the most beautiful and thoughtful records on 💿 Everyday Life, the eighth studio album by 🏆 Grammy-winning alternative collective, 🎙 Coldplay. “Daddy, are you out there? / Daddy, won’t you come and play,” 🎙 Chris Martin sings in the first verse, from the perspective of a son who longs for his father.

Even though daddy is clearly flawed and absent, the son has plenty of love for him, desiring his presence consistently in his life. “Daddy, are you out there? / Daddy, why’d you run away?” In the chilling chorus, Martin sings, “You’re so far away / … That’s okay, it’s okay / I’m okay.” Worth noting, that throughout this ballad, Martin sings in a calm, quiet, and subtle manner.

7. MNEK, “Crazy World”

💿 Language • 🏷 Virgin • 📅 2018

🎵 “Crazy World” features unique, quirky, and somewhat gimmicky production. The record sounds different from the norm, keeping things both fresh and interesting. “Crazy World” features a busy groove, colorful synths, and epic backing vocals. 🎙 MNEK delivers a fantastic vocal performance, sounding distinct, pure, soulful, and beautiful on this highlight from 💿 Language.

One of his best moments arrives on the third verse, where he not only delivers those sensational and expressive runs, but also speaks on the homophobia of a father towards his gay son:

“A father is disappointed by his son…

He’s told him that he’s in love with someone

Less her and more him

He’s coming out, he can’t keep it in.”

Appears in 🔻:

8. Eminem, “Stepdad”

💿 Music to Be Murdered By • 🏷 Interscope • 📅 2020

“Don’t you fuckin’ lie, you little fucker…” YIKES! The profane 🎵 “Stepdad (Intro)”, the 11^th track from the 2020 🎙 Eminem album, 💿 Music to Be Murdered By, prepares listeners for ‘the main attraction.’ That main attraction, of course, is 🎵 “Stepdad.” Quoting Marshall Mathers himself: “I, I hate / My, my stepdad.” Word.

The premise of “Stepdad” is simple. Eminem paints a picture of an abusive, horrible man. “…I was six and I saw my stepfather hittin’ my Ma,” he asserts early in the first verse, later adding, “Shit that I’ve already witnessed, it’s probably twisted my thoughts.” How could it not? Showing just how insensitive the stepfather is, Eminem adds, “Our dog pissed on the carpet, he stomped it so hard / Doctors had to put it down / He killed my chihuahua, this motherfucker!” Cruel, cruel, cruel! Of course, Eminem has a plan of his own – kill him!

“God, I wish I could just jaw him

If I could get my weight up

But I’m just a second grader

This prick is bigger than I am

But I’ve been readin’ at school about this shit called liquid cyanide

I’m fantasizin’ at night when he’s sleepin’ at just the right time

Sneak up with a lethal injection

And put him down like they did to my dog.”

Wow… that’s some twisted sugar honey iced tea! Of course, in the third verse, as his stepfather continues to be evil AF, young Eminem retaliates:

“Beat him with my bare hands, the big bad wolf ain’t so bad

‘Ding-dong,’ the pussy is dead, the bully finally gets his

Stomped him until he pissed enough to fill a two-liter with

Then buried him next to my dog

And if I go to juvie for this, I’ma tell ’em

I, I hate

My, my stepdad.”

You only hear this in an Eminem song, folks.

9. Nicholas Tomillon, “To My Father”

🎵 “To My Father” • 🏷 Millennial • 🗓 2018

“You would rip off the sheets / Right as you came in my room / Then you would throw me around / Like I meant nothing to you.” Damn. Before any lyrics are sung on 🎵 “To My Father”, it’s clear that this alternative record from rising teen singer/songwriter 🎙 Nicholas Tomillon is an incredibly authentic, yet moody and troubling listen. Tomillon depicts a truly tough relationship with his father, expressing feelings of a lack of safety, support, and love.

Chocked-full of ‘affecting’ lyrics, among the most affecting appears near the end of the record:

“And now the sound of your screams still rattle in my brain

You’re like a medieval demon rushing through my veins

Ain’t got a moment to weep cause you’re the one to blame

You make me feel insane.”

Despite the adversity, there is a silver lining for Tomillon, per his interview with The Musical Hype:

“Not only has this song helped me, but people message me every day, whether it be to tell me how much they love the song, or how much they can relate to it, and how it has given them a sense of hope and understanding of the fact that they are not alone.”

Appears in 🔻:

10. Badflower, “Daddy”

💿 OK, I’M SICK • 🏷 Big Machine • 🗓 2019

“And Daddy gives it all ‘cause he loves you the most / He’s stretching your clothes, you’re clenching your toes…” Wow… 🎙 Badflower delivers an unsettling, chilling number with 🎵“Daddy,” which appears on the band’s full-length, debut album, 💿 OK, I’M SICK (2019). 🎙 Josh Katz imparts a tale of a girl being sexually abused by the man who should be her role model and protector, her father. Disturbing, give Badflower credit for tackling such difficult, yet authentic subject matter.

Perhaps the bridge is a bit far-fetched:

“And Daddy lay sick on the hospital bed

She creeps in the room with a bag in her hand

And smothers the face of a terrible man.”

At the same time, it captures the emotions felt by a totally wronged little girl who didn’t deserve such treatment.

Appears in 🔻:

11. Sufjan Stevens, “All of Me Wants All of You”

💿 Carrie & Lowell • 🏷 Asthmatic Kitty • 📅 2015

🎵 “All of Me Wants All of You” maintains the consistency of 🎙 Sufjan Stevens’ emotional 2015 album, 💿 Carrie & Lowell. He’s emotional because he’s reflecting on his relationship with his estranged mother, Carrie, as well as her death. Throughout most of his career, Stevens hasn’t ‘rocked the boat’ with much with profanity or sexual matters. It was shocking when he sang, “I’m not fucking around” on the 🎵 “I Want to Be Well” from his 💿 Age of Adz (2010) album.

Once again, Sufjan raises eyebrows, but sans four-letter words: “You checked your texts while I masturbated.” While on the surface, it’s sexual, in the bigger scheme of things, it’s another emotional reaction from Stevens regarding the relationship and lack thereof he experienced with his mother. That relationship was dysfunctional and lacked closeness – it lacked the intimacy it should’ve possessed. If you want to beyond what Stevens had in mind, the same could be said in death, given the fact that a living person can’t form a personal relationship with a deceased person, so they must ‘stimulate’ what memories they do have.

Appears in 🔻:

12. Arcade Fire, “We Exist”

💿 Reflektor • 🏷 Merge • 📅 2013

“But we exist / Daddy it’s true / I’m different from you / But tell me why they treat me like this?” 🎵 “We Exist,” a standout from 💿 Reflektor, the fourth studio album by 🎙 Arcade Fire, features a transcendent message. Per the band, “We Exist” “is a reaction to [Jamaica’s] notoriously antigay culture”. It’s taken from the perspective a boy who realizes he’s different (gay). He struggles with acceptance from the world and fears the reaction of his father, as excerpted above and continuing as follows: “If you turned away / What would I say? / Not the first betrayed by a kiss.”

His father’s reaction seems supportive, giving his son sound advice: “When you walk in the room / Tell ‘em it’s fine / Stare if you like.” The protagonist goes on to depict discrimination. Homophobia exists throughout the world; it’s a cruel, unfair reality within the LGBTQ community, something “We Exist” accurately highlights.

Appears in 🔻:

13. Kelly Clarkson, “Because of You”

💿 Breakaway • 🏷 19 Recordings Ltd. • 📅 2004

“Because of you / I never stray too far from the sidewalk / Because of you / I learned to play on the safe side, so I don’t get hurt.” When you really analyze those lyrics from 🎵 “Because of You,” among the best songs from the 🎙 Kelly Clarkson catalog, they hit immensely hard. Without any additional context, Clarkson has experienced something that has affected her throughout her entire life. “Because of You” marks a sadder moment from her multiplatinum, 🏆 Grammy-winning sophomore album, 💿 Breakaway.

“I will not make the same mistakes that you did / I will not let myself cause my heart such misery.” Oh, boy, what is Clarkson getting at? A difficult childhood thanks to the d-word, DIVORCE. Clarkson’s parents divorced when she was six, and she wrote “Because of You” when she was 16 reflecting on the experience. Essentially, Clarkson doesn’t want to repeat the mistakes made by her parents. Also, how she’s been affected as a child has made her extremely careful as an adult about pursuing love. She’s seen the misery firsthand, and apparently, she felt forced to suppress her own emotions:

“I lose my way

And it’s not too long before you point it out

I cannot cry

Because I know that’s weakness in your eyes

I’m forced to fake a smile, a laugh, every day of my life

My heart can’t possibly break

When it wasn’t even whole to start with.”

Heavy but powerful. While no one doubted Clarkson’s ability to sing after winning American Idol, they didn’t have faith in her was a songwriter. Clarkson had to fight to get “Because of You” on an album. It didn’t make the cut on her debut, Thankful, but remaining persistent, she secured the cut, which she refined with 🎼✍ 🎛 Ben Moody and 🎼✍ 🎛 David Hodges on Breakaway. It was top 10 hit and a worldwide success. Furthermore, her idol, 🎙 Reba McEntire, cut a duet version with Clarkson for her 2007 album, 💿 Reba Duets.

Bad, Bad Parents: The Playlist [📷: 19 Recordings Ltd., Asthmatic Kitty, Big Machine, Brent Faulkner, Def Jam, Hollywood, Interscope, Kindel Media via Pexels, Locomotion Recordings Limited, Merge, Millennial, Motown, Parlophone, The Musical Hype, Virgin]

Bad, Bad Parents: The Playlist | Playlist 🎧

Published by the musical hype on May 20, 2022May 20, 2022