TEARS IN HEAVEN

"Tears in Heaven" is a song about a true life story that Eric Clapton had lived through. Actually, it was a tragedy that happened to him.
Clapton wrote this about his 4-year-old son Conor, who died when he fell out of a 53rd floor window in the apartment where his mother was staying in New York City. Clapton had one other child at the time: His daughter Ruth was born in 1987, the year after Conor was born.

Here Eric, one of the greatest guitarists, is talking to his son dreaming that they would meet in Heaven and he wonders if Conor would know his name and  would  hold his hand if they saw each other there.

TEARS IN HEAVEN    BY ERIC CLAPTON

Would you know my name

If I saw you in heaven

Will 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 knee
Time can break your heart
Have you begging please
Begging please

(instrumental)

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
Will 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

Cause I know I don't belong
Here in heaven

A very sad story, isn't it? You can feel the great pain he suffers from in the deep inside while listening to the rhythm of the music and lyrics together. I wish it had never happened. Unfortunately, death of a child  is an unbearably though loss that cannot be explained and expressed.

When it comes to Grammar-Learning, this song is a very good example for second type IF CLAUSES, which explain our wishes, regrets, dreams referring unreal future and present, but  never ever  past situations although past forms are used.

They appear to be unreal wishes or dreams now but they may come true in the future. Who knows?