Family Life [Song]

Uploaded by Trinnilicious4Life
FAMILY LIFE
By Rikki Jai

Spoken: A father is the pillar of strength in a family. So it is written, so it shall be.

Early, early, five in the morning before the cock even start crowing
I would be wakened by a loud, loud rumbling
That would be mih Daddy car engine
By the time I run and move 'way the curtain
All I could see was the jalopy smoking
Then I would have to wait 'til the evening
When from work he would be returning
You see, times was hard and it was eight of us
But Daddy never complained, he never made or showed any fuss
From dawn to dawn he would toil, you know, he had to get that pay
Just so that his children could see a better and brighter day.

Chorus:
"Love family life," is what he used to say
Doh mind he working hard for a little pay
Together, together, together, together
He wanted to keep his family together
"Love family life," is what he used to say
The little pay he got went a long, long way
Together, together, together, together
He never wanted his children to stray [to keep us together]
On the right track, he told us to stay [to keep us together]
He did what had to be done to keep us together
He had to keep his family together
He had to keep his family together.

Once a barber, once a cane cutter, once a tailor, then taxi driver
A jack of all trades, that was my father
You could say he was a survivor
But he stumbled on the path through frustration
Into the world of alcoholism
That became a time of misery, Mammy had to hold on tight to we
But the birth of my lil sister brought a change in my father
Slow and surely he recovered as the main family caretaker
Then from dusk to dawn he toiled, again, for that little pay
Just so that his children could see a better and brighter day.

Chorus:
"Love family life," is what he used to say
Doh mind he working hard for a little pay
Together, together, together together
He wanted to keep his family together
"Love family life," is what he used to say
The little pay he got went a long, long way
Together, together, together, together
So many hurdles along the way [to keep us together]
For a guiding light he would pray [to keep us together]
He did what had to be done to keep us together
He had to keep his family together
He had to keep his family together.

Daddy! I know you do what you do, I know you did what you did all for we, all for we!

Mammy was a mother and teacher for me, my two brothers and my three sisters
Making sure we all got to school, education was the golden rule
She never passed primary education but she wanted more for she children
Always trying her best to understand, bright like any mathematician
And Mummy toiled every day, teaching us in her special way
And when the day was done, she'd read stories and sing us songs
Then from work my father would come and in her hand put that little pay
Then she stretch and stretch to ensure we had a better and brighter day.

Chorus:
"Love family life," is what he used to say
Doh mind he working hard for that little pay
Together, together, together, together
He wanted to keep his family together
"Love family life," is what he used to say
The little pay he get went a long, long way
Together, together, together, together
So many turn their backs on him [to keep us together]
When for help he went asking [to keep us together]
He did what had to be done to keep us together
He had to keep his family together
He had to keep our family together.

Mammy! Wey you do!

Now mih father gone and he leave we,
I'm not saying he was the best Daddy
But he was simply the best that he could be
And of him I have great, great memories
Showing me life's battles can be won
From behind the barrel of a gun
Of the many other things he taught me then
A real man have to mind all he children. Yuh hear mih!
Most times when a father's absent, children grow misguided and delinquent
Single mothers try, that's the truth, but as a father, she's a substitute
Pity the children without a Daddy and that voice of authority
Each parent has a role to play to provide a better and brighter day.

Chorus:
"Love family life," is what he used to say
Doh mind he working hard for a little pay
Together, together, together, together
He wanted to keep his family together
"Love family life," is what he used to say
The little pay he got went a long, long way
Together, together, together, [together]
If we want to fight crime holistically [to keep us together]
Put back the father in family [to keep us together]
And he will do what has to be done to keep us together
Fathers will keep their family together
Fathers will keep their family together

He had to keep our family together.
Anyhow and any way!
He had to do it, he had to do it....

Source: The lyrics posted on this blog are often transcribed directly from performances. Although it is my intention to faithfully transcribe I do not get all the words and I have a knack for hearing the wrong thing. Please feel free to correct me or to fill in the words that I miss by dropping me a message via e-mail. I'd be forever grateful. Thanks in advance!
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A Note From The Gull

Thank you, Rikki Jai. I am bowing low. This is a moving and inspirational song, made even more so because it is a story of the struggles and love within a family with which many Trinbagonians can identify. Your appreciation of your parents and the care that they took of you is such a beautiful thing to witness.

I agree with you that a father's presence in a family makes a difference - a good father, that is. Think for example of some of the children who have been victims of abuse in our society and one thing that many of them have in common is the absence of their fathers and the presence of a fourth party who may resent the offspring of another man. I am not saying that all "stepfathers" are unkind to the children that they inherit and I am certainly not saying that all biological fathers are better fathers than "stepfathers".

Rikki, I had parents like your parents, and as I listen to this song I am reminded again of how lucky I was. Thank you for this song and its uplifting and positive message. The songs of complaint about our society's ills have their purpose but we should remember also to acknowledge and give thanks for all the good that persists.

Blessings to you and your family.

"Patria est communis omnium parens" - Our native land is the common parent of us all. Keep it beautiful, make it even more so.

Blessed is all of creation
Blessed be my beautiful people
Blessed be the day of our awakening
Blessed is my country
Blessed are her patient hills.

Mweh ka allay!
Guanaguanare