The Father, My Son and The Holy Ghost

Album: God, Family, Country (2019)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • On July 10, 2016, Craig Morgan's 19-year-old son, Jerry Greer, was killed in a tubing accident. In the aftermath of his loss, Morgan couldn't bring himself to record any new music. Instead, he turned to his woodworking hobby while processing his grief. This heart-rending song, released on August 30, 2019, is his first single since the death of his son.
  • The deeply personal song finds Morgan reflecting on his loss. Penned and produced by the singer and self-released, he laments how he found it difficult to cope with life following the heartbreaking news.

    I've been beat up, I been pushed and shoved but never really knocked down
    Between mom and dad, Uncle Sam and friends I somehow always pulled out
    But the pain of this was more
    Than I'd ever felt before, yeah I was broke


    There is hope, too, as Morgan slowly receives a divine perspective on his son's passing:

    I cried and cried and cried until I passed out on the floor
    Then I prayed and prayed and prayed till I thought I couldn't pray anymore
    And minute by minute, day by day, my God, He gave me hope
    I know my boy ain't here but he ain't gone


    What keeps Morgan going is the thought that one day he will be reunited with Jerry in Heaven.
  • Following the song's release, Morgan's fellow country singer Blake Shelton started a Twitter campaign to run the track up the sales chart. Shelton said he would "gladly give up my spot on country radio to get this song on." He added: "There's nothing easy or fun about writing a song like this, but sometimes it's just something you gotta do."

    Shelton continued pushing the song, enlisting some of his superstar friends to his campaign. Thanks in part to the country star's support, the single topped the all-genre iTunes sales chart on September 12, 2019.
  • Craig Morgan filmed the song's music video at the Gallery at Morgan Farms, a shop the singer and his family own and operate in the small town of Dickson, Tennessee. The stained glass window of St. Michael that we see on one wall was installed in Jerry's memory.

    Director Ryan Mclemore keeps things simple as he focusses on Morgan's emotionally charged performance. Morgan said the clip was designed to help families dealing with similar tragedies. "Its simplicity embraces the truth of the lyrics of the song," the singer told CMT. "I hope this video lifts people up. For anyone who has experienced loss, I want this song to give them the desire to pursue their faith and to have hope."
  • Craig Morgan had already turned in his God, Family, Country album by the time he wrote this poignant ballad. "We were working on selecting a single off of the project and then I wrote this song," Morgan told Billboard. "After I wrote this, I played it for management and some of the people at the label heard it and collectively decided that we should put this song out. So I had to go in real quick and record it and add it to the project."

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Yoko Ono

Yoko OnoSongwriter Interviews

At 80 years old, Yoko has 10 #1 Dance hits. She discusses some of her songs and explains what inspired John Lennon's return to music in 1980.

Holly Knight ("The Best," "Love Is A Battlefield")

Holly Knight ("The Best," "Love Is A Battlefield")Songwriter Interviews

Holly Knight talks about some of the hit songs she wrote, including "The Warrior," "Never" and "The Best," and explains some songwriting philosophy, including how to think of a bridge.

Laura Nyro

Laura NyroSongwriting Legends

Laura Nyro talks about her complex, emotionally rich songwriting and how she supports women's culture through her art.

Sarah Brightman

Sarah BrightmanSongwriter Interviews

One of the most popular classical vocalists in the land is lining up a trip to space, which is the inspiration for many of her songs.

Supertramp founder Roger Hodgson

Supertramp founder Roger HodgsonSongwriter Interviews

Roger tells the stories behind some of his biggest hits, including "Give a Little Bit," "Take the Long Way Home" and "The Logical Song."

U2 Lyrics

U2 LyricsMusic Quiz

How well do you know the lyrics of U2?