Child Is Father of the Man
Brian Wilson
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Child, the child, Father of the man. Easy my child, it's just enough to believe. Out of the wild, into what you can conceive. You'll achieve. Child, the child, Father of the man.
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Written by: Brian Wilson, Van Dyke Parks
Lyrics © Wixen Music Publishing, BMG Rights Management
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
11 facts about this song
Belonging to AlbumSMiLE" - The song "Child Is Father of the Man" is one of the experimental pieces from the Beach Boys' unfinished album "SMiLE", which was later completed and released by Brian Wilson as a solo album in 2004.
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AuthorshipBrian Wilson, along with lyricist Van Dyke Parks, wrote this composition. Wilson is known for his ingenious songwriting and unconventional music production.
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InspirationThe title "Child Is Father of the Man" comes from a famous poem composed by William Wordsworth called "My Heart Leaps Up" indicating that our personality and essence are basically formed and fixed from childhood.
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Musical StructureThe song has a cyclic structure, derived from a rich variety of harmonic and rhythmic patterns. The tune is short, possessing no traditional verse or chorus, but consists of three instrumental sections.
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Horn SectionBrian Wilson used a horn section to mimic the sound of a circus band in the SMiLE version of the song, adding a surrealistic tone to it.
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Recorded versionsWhen Brian Wilson released his own version of SMiLE in 2004, he included two distinct versions of "Child Is Father of the Man." One is a short instrumental, and the other is a track with the same instrumental theme but different lyrics sung by Brian.
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Psychoanalysis influenceThe song was heavily influenced by themes of psychoanalysis and introspective reflection, very common during the 1960s and 70s, reflecting Wilson's own mental health struggles.
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Unreleased OriginalThe original Beach Boys version of the song remains officially unreleased, though various bootleg recordings have surfaced online.
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Brief Appearance in Bootleg AlbumsDespite not getting an official release, "Child Is Father of the Man" has appeared on some unofficial bootleg albums like "Unsurpassed Masters Vol. 16 (1966–1967)" and "Sea of Tunes" from the '90s.
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Puzzle Piece in SMiLE albumThe song, though short and without traditional structure, holds a vital place in the SMiLE album. It is perceived to be a part of Wilson's 'teenage symphony to God' musical project.
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Combination in 'Surf's Up'A brief fragment of this song was later incorporated into the track "Surf's Up," another Beach Boys song that was released on the album of the same name in 1971.
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Citation
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"Child Is Father of the Man Lyrics." Lyrics.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 11 May 2024. <https://www.lyrics.com/lyric/7252297/Brian+Wilson/Child+Is+Father+of+the+Man>.
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