"Papa" is a song written by Stephen Poliakoff and Adrian Johnston [1] for the BBC drama Gideon's Daughter. The song is originally sung by Emily Blunt's character Natasha (and is occasionally referred to as Natasha's song) to her father (played by Bill Nighy) during a performance at her school. The performance features vocals with flamenco style acoustic/classical guitar accompaniment.
Factual Grounding
As Natasha mentions shortly before performing the song, "Papa" is based on the life of sex obsessed author George Siminon's daughter Marie-Jo who committed suicide at the age of 25 after spending large amounts of her life in mental health institutions. She held an unnatural bond with her father, who tried to curb this obsession by giving her a ring and "marrying her." It was said that the only times she removed this ring was to have it resized. Marie-Jo was buried with this ring after her death in 1978[2][3].
Lyrics
I see you from my window
Walking with her there
I don't have to know which number
I won't stop you touch her hair
I don't need to see you waving
When you slip away at night
I don't have to know what happened
As you crawl back when it's light
I don't need you to look at me
And tell me how many hundreds there have been
I don't want to have to listen
As they fall a constant stream
I don't need to catch you with them
Your voice so full of joy
As you murmur your little nothings
My own Papa so very coy
Mon cherie Papa
Mon cherie Papa
I don't need you to say I love you
I don't need you to say goodnight
I don't need you to caress me
I don't need to be held tight
I only want you to be ready
To know my voice will never ring
To know there'll never be another letter
You've got to hear this one small thing
I need you to remember
That I never was your shame
I always was your daughter
I never did complain
I always was your daughter
I never did complain
