Hi, Dad (An Open Letter to Dad)

Annotation

The song "Hi, Dad (An Open Letter to Dad)" (Imperial Records # 66272), by Dick Clair, another very interesting answer record which took a comedy approach, poking fun at Victor Lundberg. Musically, the song is just a jazz piano, with Dick Clair speaking over it. Printed on the single is the date "11 December 1967". The track started with the son (the narrator) driving down the freeway, when all of a sudden he heard his father on the radio, dictating a letter. The narrator wondered why they did not just sit down, man to man. The narrator took a swipe at the money Lundberg would be making from his hit record and he brushed off Lundberg's comments about god. Moreover, he said that "draft card burning isn't my kind of gesture, picketing the Pentagon is more my thing".

Annotation by Justin A. Brummer

Lyrics

English: Hi dad...Chee, it's nice to hear from you, it's been years / I was kind of surprised you didn't send your letter through the mail instead of making a record / But then you always were a character and we've never been too close / There is no reasons for us not to just sit down and have a man to man talk / Hey, it's lucky I caught it, I never listen to the radio, I was driving down the freeway and it just happened to come on / Of course I knew it was you right away, who could mistake your voice... / I've only got a minute, I couldn't afford a group of musicians, but a friend of mine came along with me to play the piano.... / It's kind of expensive these recording sessions... / But you always had a sharp eye for business... / Now lets see, the weather is good, that cold snap is finally over, not much else new / Dad I only heard the record once, not sure if I got it all straight, I had to take a turnoff the freeway right in the middle of it there But I think you said that I can keep my hair long as long as I keep thinking thoughts like Washington and Lincoln / That god is probably alive, and that if I burned my draft card I'm not your son / You seemed a little testy there at the end / I think it is terrific you approve of long hair / I actually cut it dad, I got a crew cut just before I heard from you / Kind of sorry about it now, hadn't thought of that Washington/Lincoln comparison, that's groovy / I don't remember asking you if god is alive, that must of been Joey…

Notes

Imperial 66272 (IM-6413), "Audition Record" label, a product of Liberty Records, a Division of Liberty Records, Inc., Los Angeles, California; "Hi, Dad (An Open Letter to Dad)" (Richard Clair, Jenna McMahon, Ed Scott), 2:40, Asa Music Co., ASCAP. The label is date-stamped "DEC 11 1967". [From the record sleeve and labels]

About the artist

Dick Clair (born Richard Clair Jones, 12 November 1931, San Francisco, California; died 12 December 1988, Los Angeles) was an American comedian and television writer, half of the act Clair and McMahon with Jenna McMahon and later an Emmy-winning writer on The Carol Burnett Show, Mama's Family and The Facts of Life. 'Hi, Dad (An Open Letter to Dad)' was issued on Imperial 66272 in 1967 and was co-written with Jenna McMahon. [Source: Discogs; Wikipedia; Los Angeles Times obituary]

Themes

Draft · Anti-War · Answer to Open Letter

In collections

Lundberg's "An Open Letter" & Answer Songs · Draft Songs · Jazz Songs · Peace, Protest, & Anti-War Songs [War Years]