You've Got to See Mama Ev'ry Night
Kay Starr Lyrics


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You gotta see your mamma every night,
Or you can't see your mamma at all!
You've got to kiss your mamma, treat her right,
Or I won't be home when you call!

Now I don't like that kind o' man
That makes love on the installment plan!
You gotta see your mamma every night,
Or you won't see your mamma at all!

Monday night, you didn't show,
Tuesday night, you claimed no dough,
Wednesday night, that same old stall,
Thursday night, you didn't call.

Friday night, you dogged my path,
Saturday night, you took your bath,
Sunday night, you had a date,
And from the looks of everything it's clear that I don't rate!

Hey you, you better show tonight,
Or you won't see your mamma at all!
You better kiss me, you better hold me right,
Or I won't be home when you call!

Now I don't like that kind o' man
That operates on the installment plan.
You better see me, you better make things right,
Or you won't see your mamma at all!

Cut out all this stallin',




Cut in some callin',
Or you won't see your mamma at all!

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Kay Starr's song You've Got To See Your Mamma are a playful but stern warning to a lover who has been neglecting his relationship with the singer. She wants him to prioritize spending time with her and treating her with respect, otherwise, he won't have access to her at all. The lyrics playfully describe the man's excuses for not seeing her, but as the song progresses, it becomes clear that the singer will not tolerate it any longer, and the man needs to make things right. The repeated line, "you won't see your mamma at all," drives home the message that the singer is not interested in a man who is not fully committed to her.


The song's title "You gotta see your mamma every night" is a reference to a cultural norm at the time where young men were expected to visit their mothers regularly. The singer is using this norm to express her desire for consistency and commitment in the relationship. The line "makes love on the installment plan" is also an interesting phrase that refers to the concept of buying something on credit and paying it back in installments. Here it means that the man is trying to fit in his affection towards the singer in small doses, without fully committing to a relationship.


Overall, the song's tone is one of playful warning and is a great example of the pop music of the time. The catchy melody with its upbeat tempo is perfect for its lyrics, and it's easy to see why the song was popular upon its release.


Line by Line Meaning

You gotta see your mamma every night,
It's important that you spend time with your mother regularly


Or you can't see your mamma at all!
If you neglect your mother, you won't be welcome in her presence


You've got to kiss your mamma, treat her right,
Showing affection and respect to your mother is essential


Or I won't be home when you call!
If you don't treat your mother well, I won't be around for you


Now I don't like that kind o' man
I don't approve of men who behave a certain way


That makes love on the installment plan!
I don't approve of men who show affection inconsistently


Monday night, you didn't show,
On Monday you didn't keep your promise to spend time with me


Tuesday night, you claimed no dough,
On Tuesday you used the excuse of not having money


Wednesday night, that same old stall,
On Wednesday you used the same old excuse for not seeing me


Thursday night, you didn't call.
On Thursday you didn't even bother to call me


Friday night, you dogged my path,
On Friday you tried to avoid me


Saturday night, you took your bath,
On Saturday you played it off as getting ready for something else


Sunday night, you had a date,
On Sunday you chose to go out with someone else


And from the looks of everything it's clear that I don't rate!
It's obvious that I'm not a priority for you


Hey you, you better show tonight,
You need to keep your promise and show up tonight


Or you won't see your mamma at all!
If you don't show up, you won't be welcome in my presence


You better kiss me, you better hold me right,
You need to show me affection in the right way


Or I won't be home when you call!
If you don't treat me right, I won't be there for you


Now I don't like that kind o' man
I have a low opinion of men who act a certain way


That operates on the installment plan.
I don't approve of men who only show affection occasionally


You better see me, you better make things right,
You need to make things right between us


Or you won't see your mamma at all!
If you don't make things right, I won't be around for you


Cut out all this stallin',
Stop making excuses and wasting time


Cut in some callin',
Start calling and communicating with me more


Or you won't see your mamma at all!
If you don't improve your behavior, you won't be welcome in my presence




Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: BILLY ROSE, CON CONRAD

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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