The song is based on lead singer Ezra Koenig's own experiences with his father. In an interview, Koenig said that he wrote the song as a way of processing his feelings about his father's absence and the impact it had on him as a child.
The lyrics of the song use vivid imagery and metaphors to explore the complex emotions of the narrator. For example, he compares his father to a "ghost" and a "shadow," suggesting that he is a distant and elusive figure. He also uses the image of a "son of a gun" to express his anger and frustration, and the line "I'm waiting for my time to come" to express his longing for a chance to connect with his father.
The song ends on a note of hope, with the narrator expressing his belief that he will eventually find the connection he is seeking. He sings, "I'm not the son of a gun, I'm the son of a father / And I'm waiting for my time to come."
Overall, "Son" is a powerful and moving song about the search for fatherhood and the desire for connection between parents and children.