Story Behind The Song

I wrote this song as my first son was preparing to go to college in Northern California. When we perform it, we can count on two or three sets of parents breaking into tears and telling us how close this song comes to capturing their experience.

Song Description

This song captures the bittersweet emotions of a father driving his son to college, making small talk while emotions well up. Simple arrangement with acoustic guitar and fiddle.

Lyrics

Driving Him Away

Heading north on Highway 101
Off to college with my first-born son
He is talking about his mom
He guesses she will feed the cats now that he is gone

But we don?t talk about the way we feel
I keep my grip just holding on to the wheel

And I am driving him away
And this is right and this is life
And this is what we hope and pray
But something?s dying in me anyway

We used to wrestle on the parlor floor
I?d let him win and he would yell for more
Now he?s grown tall and full of quiet grace
But I still see my little boy in his handsome face

And though I know the time has come for him to leave
He is still so dear to me I can?t believe

I am driving him away
And this is right and this is life
And this is what we hope and pray
But something?s dying in me anyway
As I am driving him away

So bittersweet is a father?s pride
As he takes his biggest step I must try to step aside

And I am driving him away.

Heading north on highway 101
Off to college with my first-born son.


© Greg Beattie 2004