Son Of An Only Child

Album: Jubilee Road (2018)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • Tom Odell's Jubilee Street album was inspired by a time when he was living in a terraced street in east London. The lyrics to this song were inspired by the family that lived over the road from him. He told The Sun: "Their parents would go out on a Saturday leaving the kids behind with a babysitter. It conjured up some memories of my own childhood, when my sister and I used to huddle around the TV and watch Fame Academy. I began to write and suddenly there was a story there!"
  • Odell told The Yorkshire Post that the story he came up with was "a babysitter with this young boy and then the young boy's older and he's part of this lost generation and he feels angry."
  • Odell namechecks two other songs in the last verse: Elton John's "Rocket Man" and Tina Turner's "Simply The Best." He explained it's "a doff of the cap" to both numbers.

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Jesus Christ Superstar: Ted Neeley Tells the Inside Story

Jesus Christ Superstar: Ted Neeley Tells the Inside StorySong Writing

The in-depth discussion about the making of Jesus Christ Superstar with Ted Neeley, who played Jesus in the 1973 film.

Billy Steinberg - "Like A Virgin"

Billy Steinberg - "Like A Virgin"They're Playing My Song

The first of Billy's five #1 hits was the song that propelled Madonna to stardom. You'd think that would get you a backstage pass, wouldn't you?

Lou Gramm - "Waiting For A Girl Like You"

Lou Gramm - "Waiting For A Girl Like You"They're Playing My Song

Gramm co-wrote this gorgeous ballad and delivered an inspired vocal, but the song was the beginning of the end of his time with Foreigner.

James Bond Theme Songs

James Bond Theme SongsMusic Quiz

How well do you know the 007 theme songs?

Elton John

Elton JohnFact or Fiction

Does he have beef with Gaga? Is he Sean Lennon's godfather? See if you can tell fact from fiction in the Elton John edition.

Richie Wise (Kiss producer, Dust)

Richie Wise (Kiss producer, Dust)Songwriter Interviews

Richie talks about producing the first two Kiss albums, recording "Brother Louie," and the newfound appreciation of his rock band, Dust.