Mama Who Bore Me
Lea Michele Lyrics


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Mama who bore me
Mama who gave me
No way to handle things
Who made me so sad
Mama, the weeping
Mama, the angels
No sleep in Heaven, or Bethlehem
Some pray that, one day, Christ will come a-callin'
They light a candle, and hope that it glows
And some just lie there, crying for him to come and find them
But when he comes, they don't know how to go

Mama who bore me
Mama who gave me
No way to handle things
Who made me so bad
Mama, the weeping




Mama, the angels
No sleep in Heaven, or Bethlehem

Overall Meaning

In the song Mama Who Bore Me by Lea Michele, the lyrics tell a story about a young woman struggling with the absence of a mother figure in her life. The lines "Mama who bore me, Mama who gave me" suggest the presence of a mother, but it becomes clear that she is not fulfilling the role of a caregiver. The desperation and sadness of the singer is apparent in the following lines: "No way to handle things, Who made me so sad" and "Mama, the weeping, Mama, the angels, No sleep in Heaven, or Bethlehem." These lyrics further emphasize the singer's lost and lonely feelings.


The second verse touches on the idea of prayer and the hope of some people for salvation. The lines "Some pray that, one day, Christ will come a-callin', They light a candle, and hope that it glows" highlight the religious longing for guidance and direction. However, the lines that follow speak to the doubts and confusion that can accompany faith; "And some just lie there, crying for him to come and find them, But when he comes, they don't know how to go." The last two lines of the song repeat the same lyrics as the opening and emphasize the continued longing and sadness of the singer.


Line by Line Meaning

Mama who bore me
The mother who physically gave birth to me


Mama who gave me
The mother who provided for me and raised me


No way to handle things
Lacking the skills or experience to deal with life's challenges


Who made me so sad
Unclear, possibly indicating past trauma or struggles


Mama, the weeping
The mother who expresses her sadness and grief


Mama, the angels
The mother who protects and cares for her child like an angel


No sleep in Heaven, or Bethlehem
No respite from life's difficulties, even in idyllic or holy places


Some pray that, one day, Christ will come a-callin'
People place their hope and faith in the possibility of divine intervention


They light a candle, and hope that it glows
Using symbolic gestures and hoping for a positive outcome


And some just lie there, crying for him to come and find them
Feeling helpless and waiting for someone or something else to fix their problems


But when he comes, they don't know how to go
Not having the necessary tools or guidance to move forward, even with divine intervention


Mama who bore me
Reiteration of the opening line, emphasizing the role of the mother in shaping one's life


Mama who gave me
Reiteration of the second line, further emphasizing the importance of maternal influence


No way to handle things
Repetition of the earlier line, underscoring the struggles and difficulties faced in life


Who made me so bad
Possible continuation of the previous thought, or implying a negative self-image


Mama, the weeping
Repetition of the fifth line, emphasizing the role of the mother in expressing emotions


Mama, the angels
Repetition of the sixth line, highlighting the protective and nurturing aspects of motherhood


No sleep in Heaven, or Bethlehem
Reiteration of the earlier line, expressing a sense of hopelessness and despair




Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Steven Sater, Duncan Sheik

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Most interesting comment from YouTube:

@patriciaebrahim3471

Mamma who bore me
Mamma who gave me
No way to handle things
Who made me so sad

Mamma, the weeping
Mamma, the Angels
No sleep in Heaven
Or Bethlehem

Some pray that one day, Christ will come a'-callin'
They light a candle and hope that it glows
And some just lie there crying for Him to come and find them
But when He comes they don't know how to go

Mamma who bore me
Mamma who gave me
No way to handle things
Who made me so bad

Mamma, the weeping
Mamma, the Angels
No sleep in Heaven
Or Bethlehem



All comments from YouTube:

@maltaraquel9459

Introducing: "Don't Have Sex Or You'll Get Pregnant And Die," the musical.

@fangirlandproud6442

Malta, Raquel accurate

@samanthalibby2935

I understood that reference

@thecrunchiestleaf8447

"mAYbe we should all just sTAB CEASAR!!"
-Gretchen Wieners

@pops3445

Malta, Raquel hey maybe they’ll be a dead girl walking!

@iheartsjonas

All of this could have been avoided if her mom told her about the birds and the bees

@thechoripankiller

I kinda think that talking about birds and bees instead of pussy and dick is the main problem

@blankacct6421

@@thechoripankiller Now that's the truth.

@blankacct6421

And in present times, people who are forced to rely on the education system because their parents don't tell them this stuff don't get an adequate explanation about how this works. Not to mention consent. Furthermore, LGBT+ kids don't get an education about that at all at school. Hence the higher risk for STDs. It all comes back to a lack of education, as do most things in life.

@calamity2383

@@blankacct6421
Well, my school told us about all of that shit — but I’m sure some schools are still doing horrible jobs.

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