Mama's Funeral
Elizabeth Cook Lyrics


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Nah nah nah nah...

At mama's funeral, organs didn't play
But you could hear the lonesome sway
Of the local guitar man
He played Hank Williams songs
We all did 'Farther Along'
The boys drank beer out by the barn
At mama's funeral

Oh the birds showed up to sing
As we gathered round the ole porch swing
Where her feet had worn the paint off the boards
And her pillow sat all faded and torn
Her children all took turns
Trying to find the words
Just wantin to say something right
Bout the best friend they'd found in life
And explain it to the nurses that came from the hospital
To mama's funeral

It was surprising to me, thought it'd be as hard as it could be
But everybody took a little piece of pain
And they spread it round like summer rain
And it helped to ease the load
More than I could've known
At mama's funeral

And my family made me proud
Cause when the cryin got loud
The laughter followed close behind
Daddy'd say "now don't all remember the time..."
Tables set up all over the place
Covered with pictures, candles and lace
The Quik Sack stayed open late
Sold out of all their cups and paper plates
To the strangers that gathered up on the hill
For mama's funeral

All the pretty flowers planted by her hands
Her guitar in a corner sittin on a stand





Nah nah nah nah...

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Elizabeth Cook's song "Mama's Funeral" convey a bittersweet and poignant atmosphere that is both melancholic and cathartic. The opening verse of the song sets the tone for the rest of the narrative that revolves around the experience of the singer and her family members as they gather to mourn the loss of their mother. The absence of traditional funeral arrangements such as organ music creates a contemplative space wherein the local guitar man plays a wistful tune that resonates with the mourners. The reference to Hank Williams' songs brings out the nostalgic and mournful tone of the song.


The following verse evokes a poignant image of the gathering of siblings and other family members around the porch swing that their mother had often sat on. The physical markers of her presence such as the worn-out paint of the boards and the faded pillow add to the emotional weight of the moment. The image of the nurses who attended the funeral underscores the sense of community and care that surrounds the dying and the bereaved. The subsequent verse narrates how the gathered mourners grieve and yet find solace in each other's presence. The laughter that follows the tears adds a note of resilience and optimism to the proceedings.


Overall, "Mama's Funeral" is a powerful meditation on loss, grief, and resilience that is conveyed through evocative and poignant lyrics. The song captures the complexity of emotions that surround the ritual of funeral and the different ways in which people come together to cope with the aftermath of death.


Line by Line Meaning

At mama's funeral, organs didn't play
There was no organ music at the funeral of my mother


But you could hear the lonesome sway
However, the mourners were still deeply affected by the occasion


Of the local guitar man
The only musician around was the nearby guitarist


He played Hank Williams songs
He performed music by Hank Williams


We all did 'Farther Along'
We joined in singing 'Farther Along'


The boys drank beer out by the barn
The male guests drank beer outside the barn


At mama's funeral
This was all happening at my mother's funeral


Oh the birds showed up to sing
Birds were present and sang around us during the funeral


As we gathered round the ole porch swing
We gathered around the porch swing that my mother used to sit on


Where her feet had worn the paint off the boards
Her feet had made some spots on the porch boards where the paint had worn off


And her pillow sat all faded and torn
Her pillow was sitting there, looking old and worn


Her children all took turns
All her children had a chance to speak and say something


Trying to find the words
They did their best to find the right words to express their feelings


Just wantin to say something right
They just wanted to express themselves accurately


Bout the best friend they'd found in life
They talked about how she was the best friend they ever had


And explain it to the nurses that came from the hospital
They also tried to explain this to the nurses who came from the hospital


To mama's funeral
All this was happening at my mother's funeral


It was surprising to me, thought it'd be as hard as it could be
I was surprised that the funeral wasn't as difficult as I had anticipated it to be


But everybody took a little piece of pain
However, everyone still felt some level of pain at the occasion


And they spread it round like summer rain
This pain was felt by everyone and was spread around like a rainstorm


And it helped to ease the load
Sharing in the pain helped to alleviate some of the burden


More than I could've known
This effect was greater than I could have imagined


At mama's funeral
All of this was at my mother's funeral


And my family made me proud
I was proud of my family


Cause when the cryin got loud
Despite the tears, they also found ways to laugh


The laughter followed close behind
Laughter followed soon after the crying


Daddy'd say "now don't all remember the time..."
My father would say, 'let's not all remember that time...'


Tables set up all over the place
Tables were arranged all around the area


Covered with pictures, candles and lace
These tables had pictures, candles and lace placed upon them


The Quik Sack stayed open late
The nearby convenience store stayed open for longer than usual


Sold out of all their cups and paper plates
They sold out of all the cups and paper plates


To the strangers that gathered up on the hill
The store sold these items to the strangers who had gathered on the hill


For mama's funeral
All this was happening at my mother's funeral


All the pretty flowers planted by her hands
The pretty flowers were planted by my mother's hands


Her guitar in a corner sittin on a stand
Her guitar was standing in a corner on a stand


Nah nah nah nah...
This seems to be a repeated, and vague, phrase




Contributed by Adeline V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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