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Mama Said
Metallica Lyrics


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Mama she has taught me well
Told me when I was young
Son your life's an open book
Don't close it 'fore its done

The brightest flame burns quickest
That's what I heard her say
A son's heart's owed to mother
But I must find my way

Let my heart go
Let your son grow
Mama, let my heart go
Or let this heart be still
Yeah, still

Rebel, my new last name
Wild blood in my veins
Apron strings around my neck

The mark that still remains
Left home at an early age
Of what I heard was wrong
I never asked forgiveness
But what is said is done

Let my heart go
Let your son grow
Mama, let my heart go
Or let this heart be still

Never I ask of you
But never I gave
But you gave me your emptiness that I'll take to my grave
Never I ask of you
But never I gave
But you gave me your emptiness that I'll take to my grave
So let this heart be still

Mama, now I'm coming home
I'm not all you wished of me
A mother's love for her son
Unspoken, and maybe
Yeah, I took your love for granted
And all the things you said to me
I need your arms to welcome me
But, a cold stone's all I see

Let my heart go
Let your son grow
Mama, let my heart go
Or let this heart be still
Let my heart go
Mama, let my heart go

You never let my heart go
So let this heart be still

Never I ask of you
But never I gave
But you gave me your emptiness that I'll take to my grave
Never I ask of you
But never I gave
But you gave me your emptiness that I'll take to my grave

So let this heart be still

Overall Meaning

The song "Mama Said" by Metallica is a tribute to the lead vocalist James Hetfield's mother who passed away when he was a teenager. The song is an emotional journey of a son's life and his relationship with his mother. In the initial lines, he reflects on the lessons his mother taught him about how his life is an open book, and he should not close it before it's done. She also told him that the brightest flame burns quickly, which means that he should take it easy in life and find his way.


The chorus "Let my heart go, Mama, let my heart go, or let this heart be still." portrays the son's desire to have his freedom and take control of his life while his mother still wants to hold on to him. This rebellious nature is shown in the lyrics "Rebel, my new last name, wild blood in my veins." The son left home at an early age, and even though he heard something wrong about his mother, he never asked for forgiveness. He reflects on the emptiness and pain his mother gave him that he will take to his grave.


In the end, the son wants to come back to his mother, but he acknowledges that he is not all that she wished for. He needs her love and arms to welcome him back, but all he sees is a cold stone. The song's emotional lyrics and the guitar's soft melodies make it a moving experience and a tribute to all the mothers' sacrifices in the world.



Line by Line Meaning

Mama she has taught me well
My mother has given me a strong foundation of values and teachings.


Told me when I was young
She instilled these values and teachings in me from a young age.


Son your life's an open book
She warned me that my choices and actions would be on display for everyone to see.


Don't close it 'fore its done
She encouraged me to keep taking risks and living fully until the end of my life.


The brightest flame burns quickest
My mother cautioned me that those who live most vividly can also burn out quickly.


That's what I heard her say
This was a lesson that she repeated to me often.


A son's heart's owed to mother
I recognize that as her child, I am indebted to her for her love and care.


But I must find my way
However, I also understand that I must forge my own path in life.


Let my heart go
I am asking my mother to release me from any emotional chains that might be holding me back.


Let your son grow
I ask her to allow me to continue maturing and developing as a person.


Mama, let my heart go
I am addressing my mother specifically and asking her to grant me this freedom.


Or let this heart be still
If she cannot give me this space, then I am resigned to staying still and static.


Rebel, my new last name
I have embraced a rebellious spirit in my life and have chosen to separate myself from my mother's expectations.


Wild blood in my veins
I have inherited a spirit of adventure and defiance from my family.


Apron strings around my neck
Although I have tried to move away, I still feel a lingering attachment to my mother and her values.


The mark that still remains
This attachment is a lasting legacy of my upbringing.


Left home at an early age
I chose to strike out on my own before I was fully ready or mature.


Of what I heard was wrong
I made some mistakes along the way, but that was simply part of my growth process.


I never asked forgiveness
I acknowledge that I may have disappointed my mother, but I have not yet sought her forgiveness.


But what is said is done
However, I cannot change the past, and must accept things as they are.


Never I ask of you
I have never made any specific requests of my mother.


But never I gave
However, I also recognize that I haven't always been available or present for my mother when she needed me.


But you gave me your emptiness that I'll take to my grave
I will carry with me the pain and sadness that my mother has experienced, even if I never explicitly asked for it.


Mama, now I'm coming home
I am returning to my roots and my mother after having been away for some time.


I'm not all you wished of me
However, I recognize that I have not fulfilled all of her hopes and dreams for me.


A mother's love for her son
I understand that a mother's love for her child is deep and powerful.


Unspoken, and maybe
There may be some things that she has not shared with me or communicated directly.


Yeah, I took your love for granted
I acknowledge that I may have overlooked or underestimated my mother's love and support in the past.


And all the things you said to me
However, I have not forgotten the lessons and advice that my mother gave to me when I was younger.


I need your arms to welcome me
I am asking for my mother's physical embrace and support upon my return home.


But, a cold stone's all I see
However, I am met not with warmth and tenderness, but with coldness and disappointment.


You never let my heart go
I feel as though my mother has never fully released me or allowed me to grow and develop independently.


So let this heart be still
As a result, I am resigned to inaction and stillness.




Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: James Alan Hetfield, Lars Ulrich

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Most interesting comments from YouTube:

@yapookim7217

Mama, she has taught me well
Told me when I was young
"Son, your life's an open book"
"Don't close it 'fore it's done"
"The brightest flame burns quickest"
That's what I heard her say
A son's heart's owed to mother
But I must find my way

Let my heart go
Let your son grow
Mama, let my heart go
Or, let this heart be still

"Rebel, " my new last name
Wild blood in my veins
Apron strings around my neck
The mark that still remains
I left home at an early age
Of what I heard was wrong
I never asked forgiveness
But what is said is done

Let my heart go
Let your son grow
Mama, let my heart go
Or let this heart be still

Never I ask of you, but never I gave
But you gave me your emptiness
I now take to my grave
Never I ask of you, but never I gave
But you gave me your emptiness
I now take to my grave
So let this heart be still

Mama, now I'm coming home
I'm not all you wished of me
But a mother's love for her son
Unspoken, help me be
Yeah, I took your love for granted
And all the things you said to me, yeah
I need your arms to welcome me
But a cold stone's all I see

Let my heart go
Let your son grow
Mama, let my heart go
Or let this heart be still

Let my heart go
Mama, let my heart go
You never let my heart go
So let this heart be still, whoa
Never I ask of you, but never I gave
But you gave me your emptiness
I now take to my grave
Never I ask of you, but never I gave
But you gave me your emptiness
I now take to my grave
So let this heart be still



@user-Georiy_Kirovsk

Мама говорила
Мама учила меня хорошему,
Говорила мне, когда я был молод:
«Сынок, твоя жизнь как открытая книга –
Не закрывай её раньше времени».
«Самое яркое пламя сгорает быстрее всего», -
Вот что я слышал от нее.
Сердце сына в долгу перед матерью,
Но я должен найти свой путь.

Отпусти мое сердце,
Позволь своему сыну вырасти.
Мама, отпусти мое сердце,
Или успокой его.

Бунтарь – моя новая фамилия,
Дикая кровь в моих венах,
Но передник вокруг моей шеи
Все еще на мне.
Я слышал, что покидать дом в раннем возрасте
Неправильно.
Я никогда не просил прощения,
Но что сделано, то сделано.

Отпусти мое сердце,
Позволь своему сыну вырасти.
Мама, отпусти мое сердце,
Или успокой его.

Я никогда не просил у тебя,
Но никогда и не давал.
Но ты оставила мне свою пустоту,
Которую я с собой в могилу несу.
Я никогда не просил у тебя,
Но никогда и не давал.
Но ты оставила мне свою пустоту,
Которую я с собой в могилу несу,
Так успокой это сердце.

Мама, я возвращаюсь домой,
Я не совсем тот, каким ты хотела видеть меня.
Но любовь матери к своему сыну,
Несомненно, помогала мне всегда.
Я недостаточно ценил твою любовь,
И все, что ты мне говорила.
Я нуждаюсь в твоих объятиях,
Но холодный камень – все, что я вижу.

Отпусти мое сердце,
Позволь своему сыну вырасти.
Мама, отпусти мое сердце,
Или успокой его.

Отпусти мое сердце,
Мама, отпусти мое сердце.
Ты никогда не отпускала его,
Так успокой это сердце.

Я никогда не просил у тебя,
Но никогда и не давал.
Но ты оставила мне свою пустоту,
Которую я с собой в могилу несу.
Я никогда не просил у тебя,
Но никогда и не давал.
Но ты оставила мне свою пустоту,
Которую я с собой в могилу несу,
Так успокой это сердце.



@Mordimer935

Mama she has taught me well
Told me when I was young
"Son your life's an open book
Don't close it 'fore its done"
The brightest flame burns quickest
That's what I heard her say
A son's heart's owed to mother
But I must find my way
Let my heart go
Let your son grow
Mama, let my heart go
Or let this heart be still
Yeah, still
Rebel, my new last name
Wild blood in my veins
Apron strings around my neck
The mark that still remains
Left home at an early age
Of what I heard was wrong
I never asked forgiveness
But what is said is done
Let my heart go
Let your son grow
Mama, let my heart go
Or let this heart be still
Never I ask of you
But never I gave
But you gave me your emptiness that I'll take to my grave
Never I ask of you
But never I gave
But you gave me your emptiness that I'll take to my grave
So let this heart be still
Mama, now I'm coming home
I'm not all you wished of me
A mother's love for her son
Unspoken, and maybe
Yeah, I took your love for granted
And all the things you said to me
I need your arms to welcome me
But, a cold stone's all I see
Let my heart go
Let your son grow
Mama, let my heart go
Or let this heart be still
Let my heart go
Mama, let my heart go
You never let my heart go
So let this heart be still
Never I ask of you
But never I gave
But you gave me your emptiness that I'll take to my grave
Never I ask of you
But never I gave
But you gave me your emptiness that I'll take to my grave
So let this heart be still



All comments from YouTube:

@SorooshMhs

“Son, your life’s an open book, don’t close it before it’s done”

That shit is deep

@adansmith5299

No, my friend. That is a metaphor.

@crrc77

Absolutely

@TheDude-gd6eg

Is it? 🤔 Sounds pretty cheap and cheesy to me.

@paulaandream.garcia5118

Ikr :')

@nazderinkalyoncu1297

ABSOLUTELY...AND DON'T FORGET : BRIGHTEST FLAME BURNS QUICKEST....

10 More Replies...

@nikhilkumar3999

"Need your arms to cover me
But a cold stone's all I see"

That's a gut-wrenching line.

@nu-agegamer3548

*Need your arms to welcome me

@EquineMetalhead

When I heard this song for the first time, and when I found out the lyric, I immediately teared up because that broke my heart in two.

@MarkoFTW

Stay strong, brother by sorrow.

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