New England folk songwriter Dan Pallotta has a new single out entitled, “Working Man’s Son,” a powerful, upbeat and introspective folk track that captures the emotional tension of gratitude and guilt in a son’s relationship with his father.
The inspiration for the song came from Pallotta’s relationship with his father, who passed away three years ago. Pallotta reflects on the complex feelings that come with being the son of a working-class father.” Pallotta explains.
Listen to “Working Man’s Son” HERE. Watch the official music video HERE.
Speaking of the song’s title, Pallotta states, “It’s lenticular. It means at once intense pride on one hand, and a heavy burden and sorrow on the other.”
The song’s production reflects the emotional depth of the lyrics, with Pallotta opting for a more upbeat arrangement after initially considering a slow, intimate piano ballad. “We tried that ten different ways and it was dragging. Once I decided to pick up the tempo and raise the key to about the top of my voice, the existing arrangement came together,” he explains.
The track’s mood is both melancholic and inspiring, with a powerful sense of tribute and loss interwoven into the music. Pallotta’s poignant lyrics and thoughtful storytelling are complemented by his collaborators, including multi-instrumentalist Peter Davis, who contributed a variety of elements, including djembe, cajon, shruti box, electric guitar, and bass to the recording.
I’ve got medals and trophies
I’ve got ribbons of blue,
I didn’t win them for me, Dad
I won them for you
Dan Pallotta has been writing songs for forty years, but took about a thirty-year break in the middle to create the AIDSRides, the Breast Cancer 3-Day walks, and the Out of the Darkness Suicide Prevention walks. 182,000 people took part in one of these epic, heroic journeys, which raised nearly $600 million in nine years—more money raised more quickly for those causes than any events in history, and were the subject of a Harvard Business School case study.
In September 2023, the Stephen Gyllenhaal-directed documentary film adaption of Pallotta’s book, Uncharitable, was released, which advocates for liberating the nonprofit sector to its true potential. It features Edward Norton, and the heads of TED, the Ford Foundation, the Nature Conservancy, Charity:Water and many other organizations. Pallotta’s TED talk on charity is the 16th most commented TED talk of all time. He has written five books, served on two school boards, sang the national anthem at a Los Angeles Rams game, and did not forget the words!
Pallotta’s music and his commitment to making a difference in the world are inseparable. He writes songs about the human condition— as experienced across all manners of circumstance— in an effort to connect people through a recognition that we are not alone in the strange things we observe and feel in this mystery we call life.
