"My Boy" (1973) is a popular song from the early 1970s. The music was composed by Jean-Pierre Bourtayre and Claude François, and the lyrics were translated from the original version "Parce que je t'aime, mon enfant" (Because I Love You My Child) into English by Phil Coulter and Bill Martin.
Song meaning A sentimental ballad, the song is sung in a first-person narrative from the point of view of a father to his young son under the presumption that the child is asleep and can’t hear what his father is trying to tell him. The father tells his son the truth of the strained relationship between the child's parents, and that all the father has left is the love of his son. Rather than risk losing that through a painful divorce, the father makes the decision to stay in a loveless marriage for the sake of his child.
Richard Harris version Actor Richard Harris performed the song "My Boy" at a music contest sponsored by Radio Luxembourg in 1971. Despite not winning the contest, Harris recorded the song and released it as a single later that year. Appearing on Harris' album of the same name, the song reached No. 41 on the Billboard pop chart and peaked at No. 13 on the Billboard adult contemporary chart.
Elvis Presley version
Elvis Presley recorded a cover version of "My Boy" in late 1973 that was included on his 1974 album Good Times. Presley's version of the song reached No. 20 on the Billboard pop chartWhitburn, Joel (2004) The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits, 8th Edition (Billboard Publications) and No. 17 on Cash Box.Cash Box Top 100 Singles, March 22, 1975 In the UK, where Presley's career had had something of a resurgence in the previous few years, it made the top 10 peaking at number 5 in the first week of January 1975. It was a bigger adult contemporary hit, spending one week atop the U.S. and CanadianRPM Adult Contemporary, April 5, 1975 charts in April 1975. "My Boy also peaked at No. 14 on the Billboard country chart.
Charts Richard Harris version Chart (1972)PeakpositionAustralian (Kent Music Report)
Elvis Presley version Chart (1974–75)PeakpositionAustralia (Kent Music Report)10Belgium 5Canada RPM Adult Contemporary1Canada RPM Top Singles27Netherlands 9New Zealand (RIANZ)12US Billboard Adult Contemporary1US Billboard Country14US Cash Box Top 10017
Year-end charts +Year-end chart performance for "My Boy" by Elvis Presley Chart (1975) Peakposition Australia (Kent Music Report) 65
See also List of number-one adult contemporary singles of 1975 (U.S.)
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