The Story Of My Old Man

Album: The Young And The Hopeless (2002)
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Songfacts®:

  • Joel and Benji Madden wrote this about their father and how they felt growing up without him. >>
    Suggestion credit:
    Jessica - Nelson, New Zealand
  • The Madden brothers also wrote the songs "Emotionless" and "Predictable" about their dad, Roger Combs, whom they would reunite with in 2008.

Comments: 12

  • Nathan from Oxford EnglandTheir father leaving the family really did leave a void and inspired Joel and Benji's songwriting only to reunite in the late 00's and on good terms until his death in 2019.
  • Kelsey from Rustburg, VaThis song is based off of Benji and Joel's issues with their father. that's a fact. Anyway... I LUV BENJI!! And Good Charlotte rox!!
  • Jacob from Chicago, Ilits a good song it is like the srort of my dad's father who got up and left so i can relate but no mater what its always sad
  • Brittany from Townsville, AustraliaThat strange my dad and I, we joke about things almost all the time. Yeah I find this song sorta sad but I like it. like others it's a great song writen by twins. (FUNNY :)(: ).
  • Tiffany from Lake Forest, CaHaha! My dad called me the otehr day and told me I was a loser, I told him at least im not in Lynwood getting high off crack with my two daughters in the passenger seat looking over to me, telling me, "dont look at me, what daddy is doing is bad." I will never forget that. Im not a loser Im doing better than you. Im not on drugs, my kids dont have to see that. I asked him, "Im not a dr. or something because I was never given those means to be that. What makes me a loser? NOT being in a shelter NOT asking my kids to pee in a cup beacuse they love me?"

    He has not talked to me since. I will never become like them. I hate the ways I was tought. My kids will never see that life so help me god.
  • Breanna from Antioch, Tnthis song sorta relates to my life. my dad didnt leave us ,my parents got divourced, but he does drink and the rest is basically like my biography.
  • Breanna from Lexington, NcI still live with my father, but my cousin's dad abandoned them and this song completely relates to her life. GC, i wanna thank u, cuz u helped her thru everything, and for helping me get over him leaving.
  • John from Sydney, AustraliaIt certainly is a sad song. I have never experienced any of that bad stuff with family or anything like that but it still somehow strikes a chord. I am constantly amazed by how well Good Charlotte (or, as you have said, Benji and Joel) manage to sum up so many things in their songs. This song talks about hereditry traits (and the difficulties in avoiding them), the love of a father for a son no matter what's going on in his life (even if it isn't strong enough to keep him at home) and the regret felt by people when they stuff up theirs lives.
    This song's great.
  • Charlotte from Chicago, Ilits such a sad song
  • Charlotte from Chicago, Ili so totally agree with rach! Benji & Joel are both great songwriters & singers they inspire me soooooooo much! i hope that 1 day the songs i write will be as good as their's!
  • Rach from Norfolk, EnglandBenji and Joel didn't know whether to put this song on the album. It is really personnal and they didn't want people to take the mick out of their personnal feelings. I think that they made the right descision putting it on the alum as other people who have had a father walk out on them can relate to a song.
    It is a beautiful song and the twins should be proud of it!
  • Grace from Ventura, Cai can completly relate to this song
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