What’s the best story ever told in a song?

The Living Years
Over the years I think many of us have some regrets for not keeping in contact with those who have passed through our lives.
Whether they were once close friends or family members, we do from time to time reminisce on what could have been.
One day, those people whom we may have wanted to patch up differences with will be no more.
Age catches up with everyone and we all die.
We may never know they have died or we may hear on the grape vine that they are no longer around.

This song by Mike and the Mechanics titled The Living years.
It is a song of regret of a son having not given enough time and recognition to his father before he died.
The Lyrics being

Every generation, Blames the one before, and all of their frustrations, come beating on your door
I know that I'm a prisoner, to all my father held so dear,
I know that I'm a hostage, To all his hopes and fears,
I just wish I could have told him, in the living years
Oh, crumpled bits of paper, Filled with imperfect thought.
Stilted conversations, I'm afraid that's all we've got
You say you just don't see it, He says it's perfect sense, you just can't get agreement,
In this present tense, we all talk a different language, Talking in defence.

Say it loud, say it clear
You can listen as well as you hear
It's too late (it's too late) when we die (oh when we die)
To admit we don't see eye to eye

So we open up a quarrel, Between the present and the past, we only sacrifice the future,
It's the bitterness that lasts
So don't yield to the fortunes, you sometimes see as fate, It may have a new perspective,
On a different date, and if you don't give up, and don't give in, You may just be O.K.
Say it loud, say it clear
You can listen as well as you hear
It's too late (it's too late) when we die (oh when we die)
To admit we don't see eye to eye

I wasn't there that morning, when my father passed away, I didn't get to tell him, All the things I had to say
I think I caught his spirit, later that same year, I'm sure I heard his echo, in my baby's newborn tears, I just wish I could have told, him in the living years

Say it loud, say it clear
You can listen as well as you hear
It's too late when we die
To admit we don't see eye to eye

So, if you have someone you want/need to make amends with then do not leave it too late.
Mike and the Mechanics - The Living Years
 
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Incredibly beautiful and sad song with a positive outcome. About a father who intended to run away from his marriage and their daughter.

"The love between the two of us was dying
And it got so bad I knew I had to leave
But halfway down that highway when I turned, I saw
my little daughter running after me crying"

It broke my heart to tell my little daughter
That her daddy had to run to catch a train
She had no way of knowing
I was leaving home for good
I turned around and there she was again
Crying

His Daughter sensed something was wrong and starts pleading with her Daddy.

"Daddy, don't you walk to fast
Daddy, don't you walk so fast
Daddy, slow down 'cause you're makin' me run
Daddy, don't you walk so fast"

Daddy becomes heartbroken listening to his Daughter's pleas and changes his mind.

"If only for the sake of my sweet daughter
I just had to turn back home right there and then
And try to start a new life with the mother of my child
I couldn't bear to hear those words again..."

"Oh Daddy, don't you walk so fast."

Daniel Boone - Daddy Don't You Walk So Fast 1971
 
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Bretrick said:
The Living Years
Over the years I think many of us have some regrets for not keeping in contact with those who have passed through our lives.
Whether they were once close friends or family members, we do from time to time reminisce on what could have been.
One day, those people whom we may have wanted to patch up differences with will be no more.
Age catches up with everyone and we all die.
We may never know they have died or we may hear on the grape vine that they are no longer around.

This song by Mike and the Mechanics titled The Living years.
It is a song of regret of a son having not given enough time and recognition to his father before he died.
The Lyrics being

Every generation, Blames the one before, and all of their frustrations, come beating on your door
I know that I'm a prisoner, to all my father held so dear,
I know that I'm a hostage, To all his hopes and fears,
I just wish I could have told him, in the living years
Oh, crumpled bits of paper, Filled with imperfect thought.
Stilted conversations, I'm afraid that's all we've got
You say you just don't see it, He says it's perfect sense, you just can't get agreement,
In this present tense, we all talk a different language, Talking in defence.

Say it loud, say it clear
You can listen as well as you hear
It's too late (it's too late) when we die (oh when we die)
To admit we don't see eye to eye

So we open up a quarrel, Between the present and the past, we only sacrifice the future,
It's the bitterness that lasts
So don't yield to the fortunes, you sometimes see as fate, It may have a new perspective,
On a different date, and if you don't give up, and don't give in, You may just be O.K.
Say it loud, say it clear
You can listen as well as you hear
It's too late (it's too late) when we die (oh when we die)
To admit we don't see eye to eye

I wasn't there that morning, when my father passed away, I didn't get to tell him, All the things I had to say
I think I caught his spirit, later that same year, I'm sure I heard his echo, in my baby's newborn tears, I just wish I could have told, him in the living years

Say it loud, say it clear
You can listen as well as you hear
It's too late when we die
To admit we don't see eye to eye

So, if you have someone you want/need to make amends with then do not leave it too late.
Mike and the Mechanics - The Living Years
Click to expand...
I remember that song. Sometimes we remember melodies but don't pick up on all of the words. I never really knew the words to it. Very enlightening song.
 
Almost exactly my story at least.
Cycling and lifting, not running, but the idea is exactly the same. After my second stroke I adopted this as my anthem.
 
I like this thread. So many good songs that bring back so many good memories and some sad ones also....

This one is ms gamboolgal and I to a Tee.

Sad ones....We lost our only son when he died in his sleep at age 34. Turns out he had heart disease that no one knew about. A hard hard thing.
 
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