Mother Earth
Gov’t Mule Lyrics
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You may never go my way
Mother Earth is waitin' for you
That's the debt you got to pay
I don't care how great you are
Or what you're worth
When it all comes down
You may own half a city
Diamonds and pearls
You may have your own airplane
You may fly all over this world
Don't give a damn what you 're worth
When it all comes down
You got to go back to Mother Earth
Play the horses, baby
You may own the race track
You may have enough money,
To buy anything you lack
Don't care how great you are
Don't give a damn what you 're worth
'Cause when it all comes down
You got to go back to Mother Earth
You may high hat me all the time
You may never go my way
Mother Earth is waitin' for you
That's the debt you got to pay
I don't care how great you are
Or what you're worth
When it all comes down
You got to go back to Mother Earth
The song "Mother Earth" by Gov't Mule is a haunting reminder that, no matter how successful and powerful one may become, everyone must return to the earth in the end. The lyrics start with the singer addressing someone who may not respect him, saying that they might never agree with him but that Mother Earth is waiting for them to pay their debt. It can be understood to mean that no matter how much someone may think they are better than others, they cannot escape their eventual return to the earth.
The lyrics then describe someone who might have everything in life: money, power, and influence, yet none of it matters when it all comes down to it. The singer doesn't care how rich or powerful this person might be or what they own, as it won't protect them from the inevitable return to Mother Earth. The chorus sounds like a warning or a reminder to the listener that no matter who they are or what they do, they will eventually have to return to the earth, where everything started.
The imagery presented in "Mother Earth" is thoughtful and profound. It reminds the listener of the one certainty in life, which is death, and how we all must return to the earth when we die. This song resonates with people across the globe by reminding us of the simplicity of life and the importance of valuing our time here on earth.
Line by Line Meaning
You may high hat me all the time
You may look down on me and treat me with disrespect all the time
You may never go my way
You may never choose to follow my path or agree with my beliefs
Mother Earth is waitin' for you
Death and our return to nature is inevitable and about to happen to you
That's the debt you got to pay
Death is the price we all have to pay for living on this earth, and it is owed by you too
I don't care how great you are
It doesn't matter how powerful, wealthy, or important you think you are
Or what you're worth
No matter how much money, possessions, or achievements you have
When it all comes down
In the end, when everything is said and done
You got to go back to Mother Earth
You will eventually return to the cycle of life, death, and rebirth that is guided by nature
You may own half a city
You may have a great amount of money, property, or businesses
Diamonds and pearls
You may possess valuable and luxurious material goods
You may have your own airplane
You may have access to fast and luxurious transportation
You may fly all over this world
You may have the ability to travel and explore many parts of the world
Don't give a damn what you 're worth
It doesn't matter how successful or wealthy you are in this world
You may own the race track
You may even be a powerful figure in a particular industry or field
You may have enough money, to buy anything you lack
You may have enough wealth to obtain anything you may want, but it doesn't mean anything in the end
Play the horses, baby
Take risks, enjoy life, and do what you love while you can
Mother Earth is waitin' for you
Death and the cycle of nature still awaits you
That's the debt you got to pay
Death and the return to mother earth is still the price you must eventually pay
Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: LEWIS SIMPKINS, PETER CHATMAN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@smokinjz
Don't you mind people grinnin' in your face
Don't mind people grinnin' in your face
You just bear this in mind, a true friend is hard to find
Don't you mind people grinnin' in your face
You know your mother would talk about you
Your own sisters and your brothers too
Yeah, don't care how you're tryin' to live
They'll talk about you still
Oh, but bear, ooh, this in mind, a true friend is hard to find
Don't you mind people grinnin' in your face
You know they'll jump you up and down
They'll drag you all 'round and 'round
Just as soon as your back is turned
They'll be tryin' to crush you down
Yes, but bear, ooh, this in mind, a true friend is hard to find
Don't you mind people grinnin' in your face
Two, three, four
@jpranguinranguin
Best Blues from 1995! Sons of Allman Brothers Era! The road is still going on!
@deanmigliori5566
Some of the best heavy slow blues ever recorded.Everyone gotta shout.Lawd have mercy.
@NapoleonWilson-wt4mm
Woody was my favorite bass player,still have this cd...luv that damn mule...
@Calcutta151
Back in the early days I seen them as the opening band that stunned the entire crowd. Needless to say, they Totally blew away the headliners act every time. The Power trio days were truly incredible. Govt Mule has remained one of my top favorite bands of all time. I love real music. Nothing compares to true Live performance.
@dmreeoogdaq
+Calcutta151 I'm with you 100%. I saw Mule in trio form w/Allen Woody many times, in crowds ranging in size from about 50-70 people to about 10,000 (when they opened for The Black Crowes in '96), and they went places on stage that transcended us in the audience and even themselves. To say that they were magic together is to understate the reality of what they were on stage.I was devastated when Woody died. The man was a symphony on the bass guitar and I spent long chunks of time in some shows just listening to where he went in the context of a song, which was often FAR.
@judsons
My favorite of all Gov't Mule songs. Met him at an Allmans show backstage and told him this was the album of the year when it came out (in my book). He loved the compliment. Then we got a pic together. Cool. vinylphilly squarepins org/pictures
@claytonpaul4259
Long live Son House
@smashketchum5181
Criminally underrated.
@melissawebb6810
Saw an 8 year old fb memory that brought this song back up and I can’t stop playing it. What an amazing cover.
@mannyruiz1954
Saw this group once. What a band. When they were a heavy power trio.