Father Come Home
Yearning Echoes: A Plea for Home in Starshine Singers' Melody
Lyrics
Father, dear Father,
Expressing a plea to the father, addressing him affectionately.
Come home with me now.
Urging the father to come home immediately.
The clock in the steeple strikes one.
Noting the time as indicated by the striking clock.
You promised, dear Father,
Reminding the father of his promise to return home after work.
That you would come home
Highlighting the father's commitment to returning after completing his day's work.
As soon as your day’s work was done.
Emphasizing the expectation that the father would come home after finishing work.
Our fire has gone out, our house is all dark,
Describing the dark and quiet state of the house with the fire out.
And Mother’s been watching since tea,
Indicating that the mother has been waiting since tea.
With poor brother Benny so sick in her arms
Depicting the mother holding the sick brother Benny with no one else to help.
And no-one to help her but me.
Expressing the speaker's responsibility to assist the mother in the absence of the father.
Come Home! Go home!
Repetition of urging the father to come home or go home.
Come Home! Go home!
Continuation of the repeated plea for the father to come home or go home.
Oh… Father, come home. Go home!
Specifically addressing the father and urging him to come home.
Dear Father, sweet Father,
Reiterating the request for the father to come home, emphasizing sweetness.
Please Father come home. Go home!
Continuing the plea for the father to come home with a sense of urgency.
Father, dear Father,
Repeating the initial plea for the father to come home.
Come home with me now.
Reiterating the request for the father to come home immediately.
The clock in the steeple strikes three.
Noting the time as indicated by the striking clock again.
The house is so lonely,
Describing the loneliness of the house and the long hours.
The hours are so long
Highlighting the difficulty for the speaker and the weeping mother due to the father's absence.
For poor weeping Mother and me.
Expressing the emotional impact of the situation on the mother and the speaker.
Yes, we are alone, poor Benny is dead,
Confirming the loneliness and the passing of brother Benny.
And gone with the angels of light.
Indicating Benny's departure with the angels of light, suggesting his passing.
And these were the very last
Referring to Benny's last words expressing a desire to kiss the father goodnight.
Words that he said:
Quoting Benny's final words before his passing.
“I want to kiss Papa goodnight!”
Reflecting Benny's poignant wish to bid the father goodnight.
Come Home! Go home!
Continuation of the repeated plea for the father to come home or go home.
Come Home! Go home!
Reiteration of the urgency for the father to come home.
Oh… Father, come home. Go home!
Final repetition of addressing the father and urging him to come home.
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