The Tale of Two Fathers!!!!!!!!

Top of the weekend my friends! May I be among the first to send Happy Father Day greetings!

It was the best of times and it was the worst of times. Which is the opening line, for the Tale of Two Cities by noted English writer and social critic Charles Dickens.

It could also be the characterization two types of fathers. If you let me, I’ll explain by using a song adaptation. Sing along with me, won’t you?

Back in the late 60’s the American R&B group “The Winstons” wrote a song “Color Him Father”.?

Some of you might remember it? "Color Him Father" is a song about a boy expressing his love for his stepdad.?

The father is portrayed as a hardworking and generous man who married a widowed mother, who had seven kids, and embraced them all as his own. Her first husband was "killed in the Vietnam war”. The composer was Richard Lewis Spencer. He won the best R&B grammy for that song in 1970.?

This “father” is a Daddy’s Girl kinda of guy!! Same for you surrogates, who helped raised some other young-ins get through this thing called life! Your work was not in vain!

And now the rest of the musical story…………..

“It was the third of September, a day I’ll always remember because that was the day, that my daddy died”. The entire 7 minutes of that song went Number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and R&B charts. According to my songwriting buddy here’s why:?

You KNOW you have a great song! When your audience can see the grievance though the eyes of the performer!?

In other words, the subject and character of this song resembles someone they love or hate. Maybe both at the same time! To use the old cliche’ You felt that one.?

It was the best of times and it was the worst of times.

By the way speaking of time, it was actually October 14th 1972 when Norman Whitfield and the Temptations dropped “Papa was a Rolling Stone”. It would be their last number one song on the Billboard Hot 100 Pop Music chart and across the board on the R&B soul music chart listings too.

Temptations founding member Otis Williams admitted,?“To be truthful, we almost didn’t record the song.” They won two Grammy Awards in 1973 for that one.

Now for the elephant in the room. There’s a misconception that the problems of fatherhood is a racial issue. Nothing could be further from the truth. It’s a people issue.?

Case in point, did you know the national “Father’s Day” campaign began June 19, 1910 in Spokane Washington. However it wouldn’t become a national holiday until President Richard Nixon signed it into law, June 19, 1972.?Some 58 years later after the official Mother’s Day proclamation. Why would it take nearly 60 years to become law? I think I know. They became the embodiment of their dads. Tell the truth shame the devil!

Why else would Congress and all of our Presidents during those 58 years. Who are predominately White Men not agree sooner. Most of whom were also fathers themselves. That speaks volumes about the eccentricities of Fatherhood doesn’t it? It was the best of times and it was the worst of times.

Having said that, God always has a ram in the bush! Just like the “Color Me Father” song example. Millions of uncles, grandads, police athletic league and church folk kinda men to name a few, leaped in to fill the gap. They don’t get the press for their efforts. Most prefer making good and bad kids better.?

One of the greatest fathers of our country had a absentee dad. President Barack Obama regardless whether or not you agreed with his politics. He displayed great father like qualities! Proof positive it’s not hereditary!?

I have never been married or fathered a child. Though I have encouraged a quite a few kids. They are great adults today Hallelujah!!! Happy Father Day!?

I close with this quote from Charles Dickens “No one is useless in this world who lightens the burdens of another.” Donut ever forget it!