I Had a Good Father and Mother
| "I Had a Good Father and Mother" | |
|---|---|
| Single by Washington Phillips | |
| Recorded | Dallas, Texas, December 2, 1929 |
| Genre | Gospel blues |
| Length | 3:01 |
| Label | Columbia |
| Songwriter(s) | Washington Phillips |
| Producer(s) | Frank B. Walker |
"I Had a Good Father and Mother" is a 1929 gospel blues song by Washington Phillips (1880–1954, vocals and zither). The song has sometimes been covered as "I Had a Good Mother and Father"; or with, in both cases, "Real" inserted before "Good".
Unusually, the song does not have a conventional refrain; instead, the verses are separated by a wordless vocalise.
The final verse reflects a concept mentioned several times in the Gospel of John:
- A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. – John 13:34
- As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love. – John 15:9
- This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you. – John 15:12
The recording history suggests that the song was composed by Phillips himself: there seems to be no earlier or contemporary version, nor any cover version until 64 years after his recording of the song.