'Wanting to be understood', not just the son but also the father, i guess is the main theme of this song. Many great singers have sung this song with different approach, i chose to sing it with Yusef Islam/Cat Steven's way which is with a deeper register as the father part and the higher one for the son. Steven wrote this song for a musical about 'Russian Revolution', but the project faded away when Steven contracted Tuberculosis in 1969. In 1970 Father and Son was put on the B-side of his single 'Moon Shadow'.
Since then, Steven has recorded this song 2 more times. In the year 2007, with a small band playing acoustic instrument for a DVD release. And in the year 2020, for the revival of the album 'Tea for The Tillerman 2', Steven re-sang the part of the father (age 72 then) while keeping the original recording of his own vocals (at the age 22) for the son.
Personal, i do think, my approach of the 'father' part was not mature enough, maybe, if fate allows, when i will be 72, i'll sing the 'father' part again.