Mama
Kate Miller-Heidke Lyrics


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When I'm out and about
Skipping around the city
Up and down
Without a doubt
I'm okay with me

But when I'm home all alone
With only the phone
And all the crap I've accrued
What can I do?

Mama, I wanted to please you
Mama, I wanted to please
Dadda, dadda, I wanted to be better, better,
I wanted to be mama
I wanted to be you

When I'm out in the car
With the wind in my hair
Spinning wheels
It really feels
Like I'm going somewhere

But when I'm home all alone
With only the phone




Eating crap in the nude
What can I do?

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Kate Miller-Heidke's song "Mama" are a reflection on the struggles faced by the singer in reconciling who they are as an individual with the expectations placed on them by their parents. The first stanza describes the singer's confidence when they are out in the world, free from any external pressure to conform to societal norms or familial expectations. However, the chorus reveals the root of the singer's anxiety - a desire to please their parents, especially their mother. The repetition of "Mama, I wanted to please you" and the line "I wanted to be mama/ I wanted to be you" indicate a deep-seated need to live up to their mother's expectations, to the point of taking on her persona entirely.


The second stanza conveys a similar message, with the singer finding solace in the freedom of the open road but still feeling pressure at home. The line "eating crap in the nude" implies a sense of self-loathing and a lack of control, with the singer resorting to unhealthy habits when alone. Overall, the song is a poignant portrayal of the struggle to reconcile personal identity with familial expectations and the pressures that come with wanting to please our loved ones.


Line by Line Meaning

When I'm out and about
When I am outside of my house, interacting with the world around me


Skipping around the city
Moving with joy and energy through the urban landscape


Up and down
Navigating through different emotional states while being out in the world


Without a doubt
Feeling confident and sure of oneself while being out in the world


I'm okay with me
Satisfied with one's own self while outside of the house


But when I'm home all alone
However, when I am inside my own residence and all by myself


With only the phone
Having only the telephone as the sole medium of communication


And all the crap I've accrued
Surrounded by all the materialistic things that I have accumulated over time


What can I do?
What choices are available to me?


Mama, I wanted to please you
Mother, I yearned to make you happy


Mama, I wanted to please
Mother, I wished to make you feel content


Dadda, dadda, I wanted to be better, better,
Father, father, I desired to improve myself, to be superior to my current self


I wanted to be mama
I wished to be like my mother, to emulate her qualities and essence


I wanted to be you
I wished to become you, to embody your being and mannerisms


When I'm out in the car
When I am driving on the road


With the wind in my hair
With the wind blowing and ruffling my hair while driving


Spinning wheels
The tires rotating and the vehicle moving forward


It really feels
One experiences physical sensations that are difficult to describe


Like I'm going somewhere
Like I am progressing towards a clear destination


Eating crap in the nude
Eating unhealthy food while being in a state of undress


What can I do?
What options are available to me?




Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: KATE MILLER-HEIDKE

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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