Song of the Day - Family Portrait - Pink

Momma please stop cryin, I can't stand the sound
Your pain is painful and its tearin' me down
I hear glasses breakin as I sit up in my bed
I told dad you didn't mean those nasty things you said

That's the opening verse to Pink's classic and heartrending 'Family Portrait,' today's "Song of the Day." I was inspired to honor it by my new friend with whom I shared a meal with last night. He and I talked a lot about music and we were sharing some of our favorite singers when I asked him if he liked Pink, one of my all time favorite singer/songwriters. He told me he did and mentioned this song specifically, and since it's one of my personal favorites, I decided to share it today.

I remember when I first discovered Pink, I mean really discovered her. I had already known a little bit about her from her first song, 'There You Go,' and her then-popular 'Get the Party Started,' but that was it. A few years back I was in Atlantic City and at the time I had nothing to play my iPod on in the hotel room (I can never do without music!), so I paid for a music service that was available on the TV in the hotel. I scanned through the selections they had and came across Pink's 2001 'M!ssundaztood.'

I can remember clearly how thoroughly I enjoyed the entire CD and I played it over and over again for the rest of my stay, whenever I was in the room. The album is classic, with superbly written songs combined withh great music tracks. Of course, there's the defiant 'Just Like a Pill,' the humorous 'Don't Let Me Get Me,' the fun 'Get the Party Started,' and this one, but other songs on the album are really good as well, like the title track, 'Respect' (her "rap song"), the melodic '18 Wheeler,' and lots more. And so began my love affair with the music of Pink.



This song, as you can see from the opening salvo, is about divorce. Though I've never experienced divorce firsthand, the lyrics, told from a child's point of view, are powerful and demonstrate the singer's talents as a songwriter. So check out the video and the lyrics below and enjoy 'Family Portrait":





Family Portrait - Pink

Momma please stop cryin, I can't stand the sound
Your pain is painful and its tearin' me down
I hear glasses breakin as I sit up in my bed
I told dad you didn't mean those nasty things you
said

You fight about money, bout me and my brother
And this I come home to, this is my shelter
It ain't easy growin up in World War III
Never knowin what love could be, you'll see
I don't want love to destroy me like it has done
my family

Can we work it out? Can we be a family?
I promise I'll be better, Mommy I'll do anything
Can we work it out? Can we be a family?
I promise I'll be better, Daddy please don't
leave

Daddy please stop yellin, I can't stand the sound

Make mama stop cryin, cuz I need you around
My mama she loves you, no matter what she says
its true
I know that she hurts you, but remember I love
you, too

I ran away today, ran from the noise, ran away
Don't wanna go back to that place, but don't have
no choice, no way
It ain't easy growin up in World War III
Never knowin what love could be, well I've seen
I don't want love to destroy me like it did my
family

Can we work it out? Can we be a family?
I promise I'll be better, Mommy I'll do anything
Can we work it out? Can we be a family?
I promise I'll be better, Daddy please don't
leave

In our family portrait, we look pretty happy
Let's play pretend, let's act like it comes
naturally
I don't wanna have to split the holidays
I don't want two addresses
I don't want a step-brother anyways
And I don't want my mom to have to change her
last name

In our family portrait we look pretty happy
We look pretty normal, let's go back to that
In our family portrait we look pretty happy
Let's play pretend, act like it goes naturally

In our family portrait we look pretty happy
(Can we work it out? Can we be a family?)
We look pretty normal, let's go back to that
(I promise I'll be better, Mommy I'll do
anything)
In our family portrait we look pretty happy
(Can we work it out? Can we be a family?)
Let's play pretend act and like it comes so
naturally
(I promise I'll be better, Daddy please don't
leave)
In our family portrait we look pretty happy
(Can we work it out? Can we be a family?)
We look pretty normal, let's go back to that
(I promise I'll be better, Daddy please don't
leave)

Daddy don't leave
Daddy don't leave
Daddy don't leave
Turn around please
Remember that the night you left you took my
shining star?
Daddy don't leave
Daddy don't leave
Daddy don't leave
Don't leave us here alone

Mom will be nicer
I'll be so much better, I'll tell my brother
Oh, I won't spill the milk at dinner
I'll be so much better, I'll do everything right
I'll be your little girl forever
I'll go to sleep at night

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