The theme presented in "Tears In Heaven" is the desesperation of a father who lose a son. In this song he, the father, is thoughtful becuase he doesen't know how would be life if he dies; he wants to know if his son would recognise him and if it would be the same: I was realy touched by this song because a year ago my auncle and my aunt lost their 5 months's kid.. it was realy shocking for all the family, but specially for them (their dream was to have a son, thay have had already 4 daughters) It was horrible, so I understand Eric Clapton a lot, obviously is not the same but I know something.
Would you know my name
If I saw you in heaven?
Would it be the same
If I saw you in heaven?
I must be strong
And carry on,
'Cause I know I don't belong
Here in heaven.
Would you hold my hand
If I saw you in heaven?
Would you help me stand
If I saw you in heaven?
I'll find my way
Through night and day,
'Cause I know
I just can't stay
Here in heaven.
Time can bring you down,
Time can bend your knees.
Time can break your heart,
Have you begging please,
begging please.
Beyond the door,
There's peace I'm sure,
And I know there'll be no more
Tears in heaven.
Would you know my name
If I saw you in heaven?
Would it be the same
If I saw you in heaven?
I must be strong
And carry on,
'Cause I know I don't belong
Here in heaven.
In "The Last Song" the main theme is the fact of how supportive a boy feels by his father. He thought that he would never accept him because of his situation: he was gay. But then he noticed that he was completely wrong, that it wasn't like that. He realized that he misjudged the love between a father and his son, and that his father understand him and love him a lot: well.. I have a friend who is homosexual, It was too difficult for him to tell his BIG secret to his father, he was realy frightened, he didn't know how he would react. It wasn't the same to what happened to John Lennon, his father was a little bit judger and didn't accept him a lot, but well let's say that they are surviving.
Yesterday you came to lift me up
As light as straw and brittle as a bird
Today I weigh less than a shadow on the wall
Just one more whisper of a voice unheard
Tomorrow leave tha windows open
As fear grows please hold me in yor arms
Won't you help me if you can shake this anger
I need your gentle hands to keep me calm
'Cause I never thought I'd lose
I only thought I'd win
I never dreamed I'd feel
This fire beneath my skin
I can't belive you love me
I never thought you'd come
I guess I misjudged love
Between a father and his son
Things we never said come together
The hidden truth no longer haunting me
Tonight we touched on the things that we never spoken
That kind of understanding sets me free
'Cause I never thought.... (Chorus)
The fact in common in both songs is that the tow of them talk about death and in both the son is the one who dies or is dying. In "Tears In Heaven" the one that is talking is the father and in "The Last Song" is the son the one that sings the song.