It’s not time to make a change
Just relax, take it easy
You’re still young, that’s your fault
There’s so much you have to know
Find a girl, settle down
If you want you can marry
Look at me, I am old, but I’m happy

I was once like you are now
And I know that it’s not easy
To be calm when you’ve found
Something going on
But take your time, think a lot
Think of everything you’ve got
For you will still be here tomorrow
But your dreams may not

How can I try to explain?
When I do he turns away again
It’s always been the same, same old story
From the moment I could talk
I was ordered to listen
Now there’s a way
And I know that I have to go away
I know I have to go

It’s not time to make a change
Just sit down, take it slowly
You’re still young, that’s your fault
There’s so much you have to go through
Find a girl, settle down
If you want you can marry
Look at me, I am old, but I’m happy

All the times that I’ve cried
Keeping all the things I knew inside
It’s hard, but it’s harder to ignore it
If they were right I’d agree
But it’s them they know, not me
Now there’s a way
And I know that I have to go away
I know I have to go

Kender I det? Der er nogle sange, der rører en dybere end andre. Sange, der bliver hos en, medens tiden går – og som dukker op i bevidstheden med passende mellemrum. En sådan sang er Cat Stevens “Father and son” fra 1970. Det er en sang om forholdet mellem to generationer – faderens og sønnens. Et klassisk tema om ungdommens opbrud fra familien – og om, hvordan man arver det bedste fra sin far  (og moder). At Stevens var ganske ung – i tyverne – da han skrev sange, viser blot, hvor stor en sangskriver han egentlig er. Det er stor kunst at kunne skrive en vedkommende sang om et så ømt og ømtåleligt emne.