Supper Time
Irving Berlin Lyrics

The lyrics for Irving Berlin's Supper Time are a heart-wrenching portrayal of a mother's grief after the wrongful lynching of her husband. Supper time, which is usually a time for a family meal, has turned into an excruciating experience for the singer of the song. The song puts into perspective the severity of the impact of racial injustice on the lives of the victims and their families.

The first few lines of the song set the context for the rest of the lyrics. The singer is getting ready for supper time, but her husband is not coming home because he has been unjustly lynched. She is unable to set the table because she is weighed down by her grief. She knows that her children are going to be hungry soon and they'll want to eat, but how can she feed them when her husband has been taken away from her? This sentiment is reiterated in the first and second verse with a sense of increasing desperation.

The third and fourth verse of the song delve into the emotional turmoil the singer is going through as she prepares to tell her children the truth. She doesn't know how to tell them that their father has been violently taken from them. She doesn't know how to keep from crying when she brings them their supper. She doesn't know how to teach them to be thankful when it seems like there is nothing to be thankful for. The lyrics powerfully convey the message that racial injustice does not only affect individuals; it has a long-lasting and widespread impact on families and entire communities.