No Son of Mine

Album: We Can't Dance (1991)
Charted: 6 12
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  • Well, the key to my survival
    Was never in much doubt
    The question was how I could keep sane
    Trying to find the way out

    Things were never easy for me
    Peace of mind was hard to find
    And I needed a place where I could hide
    Somewhere I could call mine

    I didn't think much about it
    Till it started happening all the time
    Soon I was living with the fear everyday
    Of what might happen at night

    I couldn't stand to hear the
    Crying of my mother
    And I remember when
    I swore that, that would be the
    Last they'd see of me
    And I never went home again

    They say time is a healer
    And now my wounds are not the same
    I rang the bell with my heart in my mouth
    I had to hear what he'd say

    He sat me down to talk to me
    He looked me straight in the eyes

    He said:
    "You're no son, you're no son of mine
    You're no son, you're no son of mine
    You walked out, you left us behind
    And you're no son, you're no son of mine"

    Oh his words how they hurt me
    I'll never forget it
    And as the time, it went by
    I lived to regret it

    You're no son, you're no son of mine
    But where should I go
    Please tell me what should I do
    You're no son, you're no son of mine
    But I came here for help
    Oh I was looking for you

    Well the years they passed so slowly
    I thought about him everyday
    What would I do, if we passed on the street
    Would I keep running away

    In and out of hiding places
    Soon I'd have to face the facts
    We'd have to sit down and talk it over
    And that would mean going back

    They say time is a healer
    And now my wounds are not the same
    I rang the bell with my heart in my mouth
    I had to hear what he'd say

    He sat me down to talk to me
    He looked me straight in the eyes

    He said:
    "You're no son, you're no son of mine
    You're no son, you're no son of mine
    You walked out, you left us behind
    And you're no son, you're no son of mine"

    Oh his words how they hurt me
    I'll never forget it
    And as the time, it went by
    I lived to regret it

    You're no son, you're no son of mine
    But where should I go
    Please tell me what should I do

    You're no son, you're no son of mine
    But I came here for help
    Oh I was looking for you Writer/s: Michael Rutherford, Phil Collins, Tony Banks
    Publisher: CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC
    Lyrics licensed and provided by LyricFind

Comments: 4

  • Gman Story Book Drummer from SydneyArguably one of Genesis’s darkest. When one reads through the lyrics it tends to confuse the listener into thinking exactly where does the blame lie. However, The line “ I lived to regret it” clinched it from my pov. The song continues to have a profound effect on many of wayward Sons in one way or another. I’ll leave it at that for now but will try to depict the story in an upcoming GMan video..
  • Myra HThis song really hits home for me. I grew up in a troubled childhood . Parents fighting every weekend with police called each time. Mother chased me and my father with a butcher knife.
    Threw me out when I was 15 into the street. Thankfully I had a family to take me in .

    I pray for all children that have to grow up in this type of situation of drinking and abuse.
  • Eamon from Motherwell, ScotlandMy girlfriend, Madge adores this song and rightly so, it is a tremendously musical extravaganza.
    I gently converted her to Genesis and was delighted to attend Old Trafford in Manchester to see the group with Jimbo,Linda, Paul & Trish.
    We also went to Rome and went to Circus maximus to see the remnants of the 500,000 fans the day after the concert.
    The song reflects the problem of child/wife abuse in England and although the sad lyrics reflect this desperate situation, the music achieves acclaim and sends the message out.
    Eamon, Motherwell.
  • Steve from Torrance, CaIn the studio, the working title of this song was "Elephant". The elephant's trumpet sound heard throughout the song is actually a heavily distorted guitar. The sound also appears on the song "On the Shoreline", which is the non-album b-side to "I can't dance".
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