“Sunflowers For Alfred Roy” is a tribute to Mariah's late father recorded for her 2002 Charmbracelet album. “At the end [of his illness] he couldn't have flowers because he would have an allergic reaction and the sunflowers had become his thing,” Mariah said about the song. “My mother told me that they used to grow sunflowers when I was little, so it became this thing. We had sunflowers at his memorial and that's kind of why there are the sunflowers in the [’Through The Rain’] video and on the album.”
Thank you for forgiving
Hurtful things I've done as a child
Adolescent or woman
Thank you for embracing a flaxen-haired baby
Although I'm aware you had doubts
I guess anybody'd have had doubts
Please be at peace father
I'm at peace with you
Bitterness isn't worth cling to
After all the anguish we've all been through
Thank you for the mountains
The lake of the clouds
I'm picturing you and me there right now
As the crystal cascades showered down
Strange to feel that proud, strong man
Grip tightly to my hand
Hard to see the life inside
Wane as the days went by
Trying to preserve each word
He murmured in my ear
Watch part of my life disappear
Father, thanks for reaching out
And lovingly
Saying that you've always been proud of me
I needed to feel that so desperately
You're always alive inside of me
Now you're shining like
A sunflower up in the sky
Way up high
Written by Mariah Carey and Lionel Cole.
Produced by Mariah Carey and Randy Jackson.
