In the rock (and roll) community, Bill Monroe may be best known via one of Elvis Presley's earliest recordings at Sun Records, that of Monroe's 'Blue Moon of Kentucky'. Patsy Cline also made a highly regarded version of this song.
Mother
Bill Monroe Lyrics
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For mother and father had both passed away
We followed our mother up to the graveyard
For mother wews called to Heaven that day
Mother's not dead, she's only a-sleeping
Just patiently waiting for Jesus to come
The birds will be singing while mother is sleeping
Oh, how we miss her round the old home place
Everything seems so lonesome since she went away
Mother is sleeping way back in the mountains
Yes, Mother is sleeping way back in the hills
Mother's not dead, she's only a-sleeping
Just patiently waiting for Jesus to come
The birds will be singing while mother is sleeping
They will sing o're her as the grave sinks a-way
The lyrics of Bill Monroe's song "Mother" have a deep emotional resonance. They tell a tale of the loss of a loved one, in this case, the singer's mother. The song opens with the singer reflecting on the fact that he has been forced to leave his home in the mountains due to the passing of both his mother and father. The opening verse sets a somber tone that carries throughout the song.
The second verse hints at the religious faith of the singer and his family, as they have taken his mother to her final resting place, where they believe she awaits the second coming of Jesus. The line "Mother's not dead, she's only a-sleeping, Just patiently waiting for Jesus to come" is a powerful expression of faith that as much as it speaks to the religious beliefs of its time, it also serves as a metaphor for the idea that our loved ones are never truly gone and that we will one day be reunited with them.
The final verse emphasizes the longing and sorrow that the singer feels for his mother. "Oh, how we miss her round the old home place, Everything seems so lonesome since she went away," expresses the feelings of emptiness and loneliness that often accompany the loss of a loved one. However, the final lines of the song provide a message of hope, one that suggests that even though she is gone, life continues. "They will sing o're her as the grave sinks away," brings peace to the heart of the singer who longs for a reunion with his mother.
Line by Line Meaning
Well, I left my old home back in the mountains
The singer had to leave their home in the mountains
For mother and father had both passed away
The singer's parents had both died
We followed our mother up to the graveyard
The singer and their family went to the graveyard where their mother was buried
For mother wews called to Heaven that day
The artist believes their mother was called to heaven on the day she died
Mother's not dead, she's only a-sleeping
The artist believes their mother is not truly dead, but is instead resting
Just patiently waiting for Jesus to come
The singer believes their mother is waiting for Jesus to come so she can be taken to heaven
The birds will be singing while mother is sleeping
The singer envisions a peaceful scene of birds singing while their mother rests
They will sing o're her as the grave sinks a-way
The artist imagines the birds singing as their mother's grave disappears into the earth over time
Oh, how we miss her round the old home place
The artist and their family deeply miss their mother and the home they used to share
Everything seems so lonesome since she went away
The artist finds life to be more lonely and difficult since their mother passed away
Mother is sleeping way back in the mountains
The singer's mother is buried in a remote location in the mountains
Yes, Mother is sleeping way back in the hills
The artist emphasizes again that their mother is resting in a secluded spot in the hills
Lyrics © Kanjian Music
Written by: BILL MONROE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind