Daddy's Gone
Encyclopedia
"Daddy's Gone" is a song by Scottish
Indie rock
band Glasvegas
. The song was written and composed by the band's singer and guitarist James Allan.
"Daddy's Gone" was originally released as a limited edition 7"
and a download
single through Sane Man on November 5, 2007. The song received mostly positive reception from music journalists, with single reviews praising its lyrical content and production.
The single was re-released as part of the promotion for Glasvegas
. The newer version has a slower tempo and slightly rougher sound. It was released on August 25, 2008 as a CD, a download EP, and two different 7" singles. It entered the Top 200 UK Singles Chart
at #20.
, Scotland
, where the band recorded their previous single, "Go Square Go!
." James Allan handled all production duties as well as its B-side, "Flowers & Football Tops."
and in 4/4 time
. The song is based around I-VI-IV-V and I-III-VI-V chord progressions for the verses and the choruses, respectively.
single, limited to 1000 copies, and a download
through Sane Man on November 5, 2007. A promo CD
was also released. The artwork featured on the sleeve of the 7" is by Rob Biddulph, and was designed in the style of singles from the 1960s. Biddulph also designed the artwork for the band's following single, "It's My Own Cheating Heart That Makes Me Cry
," in the same style.
The 2008 re-release CD and one of the 7" singles has a new song called "A Little Thing Called 'Fear'" as the b-side, while the alternate 7" single has a cover version
of Nirvana
's "Come as You Are." All three formats feature the album version of "Daddy's Gone."
CD (GOWOW007)
7" #1 (GOWOW008)
7" #2 (GOWOW009)
Download EP
named the song Track of the Week and praised the song's subject matter, stating "the love between a young man and his absent dad is rarely visited [...] which makes this second single from Glasvegas [...] all the more touching." McMahon also referred to the band's genre, stating "they sound like an amalgamation of every great single Creation
record released pre-Oasis
(The Jesus And Mary Chain
, The Pastels
and Saint Etienne
), while at the same time managing to tap into the disparate brilliance of the likes of Elvis Presley
, early-Beatles, The Stone Roses
, Orange Juice
, Roy Orbison
, The Velvet Underground
and The Proclaimers
." NME later awarded the song #2 in a list of Best Tracks of 2007.
Andrew Farley of Drowned in Sound
praised the song; hailing it as "fantastic," noting the song's individuality, saying, "it's not every day you come across a song of this stature," and referred to the production, stating "Phil Spector
would be proud." Farley also describes it as "one of the breakthrough tracks of [2007]."
Daily Telegraph rock critic Neil McCormick was extremely impressed with the song, going as far as placing it at number 18 in his list of the 100 Greatest Songs of All Time in 2009. He described the track as an "epic, emotional, boldly prosaic rock and roll ballad of paternal abandonment."
Former Libertines
guitarist and Dirty Pretty Things
singer Carl Barât
cited "Daddy's Gone" as "the best song this year so far." Barât has often invited members of Glasvegas onstage to perform the Dirty Pretty Things
track "B.U.R.M.A."
In October 2011, NME
placed it at number 123 on its list "150 Best Tracks of the Past 15 Years".
Production
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
Indie rock
Indie rock
Indie rock is a genre of alternative rock that originated in the United Kingdom and the United States in the 1980s. Indie rock is extremely diverse, with sub-genres that include lo-fi, post-rock, math rock, indie pop, dream pop, noise rock, space rock, sadcore, riot grrrl and emo, among others...
band Glasvegas
Glasvegas
Glasvegas are a Scottish indie rock band from Glasgow. The band consists of James Allan , Rab Allan , Paul Donoghue and Jonna Löfgren . The band received critical acclaim for their debut album Glasvegas which was released in September 2008, reaching No...
. The song was written and composed by the band's singer and guitarist James Allan.
"Daddy's Gone" was originally released as a limited edition 7"
Gramophone record
A gramophone record, commonly known as a phonograph record , vinyl record , or colloquially, a record, is an analog sound storage medium consisting of a flat disc with an inscribed, modulated spiral groove...
and a download
Digital distribution
Online distribution, digital distribution, or electronic software distribution is the practice of delivering content without the use of physical media, typically by downloading via the internet directly to a consumer's device. Online distribution bypasses conventional physical distribution media,...
single through Sane Man on November 5, 2007. The song received mostly positive reception from music journalists, with single reviews praising its lyrical content and production.
The single was re-released as part of the promotion for Glasvegas
Glasvegas (album)
Glasvegas is the debut studio album by the Scottish Indie rock band Glasvegas, first released in the UK on 8 September 2008 by Columbia Records . The album was produced by lead singer James Allan and Rich Costey . The album sold copies in its first week of release and reached number 2 on the UK...
. The newer version has a slower tempo and slightly rougher sound. It was released on August 25, 2008 as a CD, a download EP, and two different 7" singles. It entered the Top 200 UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
at #20.
Origins and recording
James Allan wrote and composed the song prior to the recording sessions at Central Sound Studios in GlasgowGlasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
, where the band recorded their previous single, "Go Square Go!
Go Square Go!
"Go Square Go!" is a song by Scottish Indie rock band Glasvegas. The song was written by the band's singer and guitarist James Allan. It was released as the band's debut 7" single through WaKS on October 30, 2006, as well as a download....
." James Allan handled all production duties as well as its B-side, "Flowers & Football Tops."
Musical and lyrical content
"Daddy's Gone" is in A majorA major
A major is a major scale based on A, with the pitches A, B, C, D, E, F, and G. Its key signature has three sharps.Its relative minor is F-sharp minor and its parallel minor is A minor...
and in 4/4 time
Time signature
The time signature is a notational convention used in Western musical notation to specify how many beats are in each measure and which note value constitutes one beat....
. The song is based around I-VI-IV-V and I-III-VI-V chord progressions for the verses and the choruses, respectively.
Formats and B-sides
The song was first released as a 7"Gramophone record
A gramophone record, commonly known as a phonograph record , vinyl record , or colloquially, a record, is an analog sound storage medium consisting of a flat disc with an inscribed, modulated spiral groove...
single, limited to 1000 copies, and a download
Digital distribution
Online distribution, digital distribution, or electronic software distribution is the practice of delivering content without the use of physical media, typically by downloading via the internet directly to a consumer's device. Online distribution bypasses conventional physical distribution media,...
through Sane Man on November 5, 2007. A promo CD
Promotional recording
A promotional recording, or promo, is an audio or video recording distributed for free, usually in order to promote a recording that is or soon will be commercially available...
was also released. The artwork featured on the sleeve of the 7" is by Rob Biddulph, and was designed in the style of singles from the 1960s. Biddulph also designed the artwork for the band's following single, "It's My Own Cheating Heart That Makes Me Cry
It's My Own Cheating Heart That Makes Me Cry
"It's My Own Cheating Heart That Makes Me Cry" is a song by Scottish Indie rock band Glasvegas. The song was written and composed by the band's singer and guitarist James Allan....
," in the same style.
The 2008 re-release CD and one of the 7" singles has a new song called "A Little Thing Called 'Fear'" as the b-side, while the alternate 7" single has a cover version
Cover version
In popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a contemporary or previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...
of Nirvana
Nirvana (band)
Nirvana was an American rock band that was formed by singer/guitarist Kurt Cobain and bassist Krist Novoselic in Aberdeen, Washington in 1987...
's "Come as You Are." All three formats feature the album version of "Daddy's Gone."
2007 version
7" vinyl (SAN001); download; CDR promo- "Daddy's Gone" – 4:08
- "Flowers & Football Tops" – 5:38
2008 version
Promo CD (GOWOW006)- "Daddy's Gone" (Clean Radio Edit) – 3:41
- "Daddy's Gone" (Radio Edit) – 3:41
- "Daddy's Gone" (Album Version) – 4:25
- "Daddy's Gone" (Instrumental) – 4:25
CD (GOWOW007)
- "Daddy's Gone" – 4:25
- "A Little Thing Called 'Fear'" – 3:43
7" #1 (GOWOW008)
- Limited numbered edition red-colored vinyl.
- "Daddy's Gone" – 4:25
- "A Little Thing Called 'Fear'" – 3:43
7" #2 (GOWOW009)
- "Daddy's Gone" – 4:25
- "Come as You Are" (written by Kurt CobainKurt CobainKurt Donald Cobain was an American singer-songwriter, musician and artist, best known as the lead singer and guitarist of the grunge band Nirvana...
) – 3:22
Download EP
- "Daddy's Gone" – 4:25
- "A Little Thing Called 'Fear'" – 3:43
- "Come as You Are" – 3:22
- "Daddy's Gone" (Live Acoustic Version) – 4:17
Critical reception
During professional reviews, "Daddy's Gone" received positive reception. James McMahon of NMENME
The New Musical Express is a popular music publication in the United Kingdom, published weekly since March 1952. It started as a music newspaper, and gradually moved toward a magazine format during the 1980s, changing from newsprint in 1998. It was the first British paper to include a singles...
named the song Track of the Week and praised the song's subject matter, stating "the love between a young man and his absent dad is rarely visited [...] which makes this second single from Glasvegas [...] all the more touching." McMahon also referred to the band's genre, stating "they sound like an amalgamation of every great single Creation
Creation Records
Creation Records was a British independent record label headed by Alan McGee. Along with Dick Green and Joe Foster, McGee founded Creation in 1983. The label lasted until its demise in 1999. The name came from the 1960s band The Creation , whom McGee greatly admired. McGee, Green and Foster were...
record released pre-Oasis
Oasis (band)
Oasis were an English rock band formed in Manchester in 1991. Originally known as The Rain, the group was formed by Liam Gallagher , Paul "Bonehead" Arthurs , Paul "Guigsy" McGuigan and Tony McCarroll , who were soon joined by Liam's older brother Noel Gallagher...
(The Jesus And Mary Chain
The Jesus and Mary Chain
The Jesus and Mary Chain are a Scottish alternative rock band formed in East Kilbride, Glasgow in 1983. The band revolves around the songwriting partnership of brothers Jim and William Reid...
, The Pastels
The Pastels
The Pastels are a group from Glasgow, Scotland, UK.Their early records for labels like Whaam!, Creation, Rough Trade, and Glass Records, had a raw and immediate sound, melodic and amateur, which seemed at odds with the time...
and Saint Etienne
Saint Etienne (band)
Saint Etienne are an English Pop group comprising Sarah Cracknell, Bob Stanley and Pete Wiggs. They are named after the French football team AS Saint-Étienne.-History:Bob Stanley and Pete Wiggs were childhood friends and former music journalists...
), while at the same time managing to tap into the disparate brilliance of the likes of Elvis Presley
Elvis Presley
Elvis Aaron Presley was one of the most popular American singers of the 20th century. A cultural icon, he is widely known by the single name Elvis. He is often referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll" or simply "the King"....
, early-Beatles, The Stone Roses
The Stone Roses
The Stone Roses are an English alternative rock band formed in Manchester in 1983. They were one of the pioneering groups of the Madchester movement that was active during the late 1980s and early 1990s...
, Orange Juice
Orange Juice
Orange Juice was a Scottish post-punk band founded in the middle class Glasgow suburb of Bearsden as the Nu-Sonics in 1976. Edwyn Collins formed the Nu-Sonics with his school-mate Alan Duncan and was subsequently joined by James Kirk and Steven Daly, who left a band called The Machetes. The band...
, Roy Orbison
Roy Orbison
Roy Kelton Orbison was an American singer-songwriter, well known for his distinctive, powerful voice, complex compositions, and dark emotional ballads. Orbison grew up in Texas and began singing in a rockabilly/country & western band in high school until he was signed by Sun Records in Memphis...
, The Velvet Underground
The Velvet Underground
The Velvet Underground was an American rock band formed in New York City. First active from 1964 to 1973, their best-known members were Lou Reed and John Cale, who both went on to find success as solo artists. Although experiencing little commercial success while together, the band is often cited...
and The Proclaimers
The Proclaimers
The Proclaimers are a Scottish band composed of identical twin brothers, Charlie and Craig Reid . They are probably best known for the songs "Letter from America", "I'm On My Way" and "I'm Gonna Be ". The band tours extensively throughout Europe and other continents...
." NME later awarded the song #2 in a list of Best Tracks of 2007.
Andrew Farley of Drowned in Sound
Drowned in Sound
DrownedinSound.com or DiS is a UK based music webzine financed by artist management company Silentway . The site is an editorially independent music website.-History:...
praised the song; hailing it as "fantastic," noting the song's individuality, saying, "it's not every day you come across a song of this stature," and referred to the production, stating "Phil Spector
Phil Spector
Phillip Harvey "Phil" Spector is an American record producer and songwriter, later known for his conviction in the murder of actress Lana Clarkson....
would be proud." Farley also describes it as "one of the breakthrough tracks of [2007]."
Daily Telegraph rock critic Neil McCormick was extremely impressed with the song, going as far as placing it at number 18 in his list of the 100 Greatest Songs of All Time in 2009. He described the track as an "epic, emotional, boldly prosaic rock and roll ballad of paternal abandonment."
Former Libertines
The Libertines
The Libertines were an English rock band, formed in London in 1997 by frontmen Carl Barât and Pete Doherty . The band, centred on the song-writing partnership of Barat and Doherty, also included John Hassall and Gary Powell for most of its recording career...
guitarist and Dirty Pretty Things
Dirty Pretty Things (band)
Dirty Pretty Things were an English band fronted by Carl Barât, a member of The Libertines. The formation of the band was announced in September 2005, after a dispute between Barât and Pete Doherty led to the breakup of The Libertines in 2004. Barât had worked with Vertigo Records and had...
singer Carl Barât
Carl Barât
Carl Ashley Raphael Barât is an English musician, actor and author. He was the frontman and lead guitarist of Dirty Pretty Things, and recently debuted a solo album, but is best known for being the co-frontman with Peter Doherty of the garage rock band The Libertines.-Early life:Carl Barât was...
cited "Daddy's Gone" as "the best song this year so far." Barât has often invited members of Glasvegas onstage to perform the Dirty Pretty Things
Dirty Pretty Things (band)
Dirty Pretty Things were an English band fronted by Carl Barât, a member of The Libertines. The formation of the band was announced in September 2005, after a dispute between Barât and Pete Doherty led to the breakup of The Libertines in 2004. Barât had worked with Vertigo Records and had...
track "B.U.R.M.A."
In October 2011, NME
NME
The New Musical Express is a popular music publication in the United Kingdom, published weekly since March 1952. It started as a music newspaper, and gradually moved toward a magazine format during the 1980s, changing from newsprint in 1998. It was the first British paper to include a singles...
placed it at number 123 on its list "150 Best Tracks of the Past 15 Years".
Personnel and credits
Glasvegas- James Allan – electric guitarElectric guitarAn electric guitar is a guitar that uses the principle of direct electromagnetic induction to convert vibrations of its metal strings into electric audio signals. The signal generated by an electric guitar is too weak to drive a loudspeaker, so it is amplified before sending it to a loudspeaker...
, vocalsSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
, producerRecord producerA record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music... - Rab Allan – electric guitar
- Paul Donoghue – bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
- Caroline McKay – drum kitDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
Production
- Kevin Burleigh – engineerAudio engineeringAn audio engineer, also called audio technician, audio technologist or sound technician, is a specialist in a skilled trade that deals with the use of machinery and equipment for the recording, mixing and reproduction of sounds. The field draws on many artistic and vocational areas, including...