For years fans of Boston born singer/songwri… Read Full Bio ↴Biography
For years fans of Boston born singer/songwriter Lily Holbrook all had one thing in common...a subway token! Lily was a regular fixture inside the Park Street Subway Station, performing to ever increasing enthusiastic crowds of commuters.
With the 2008 release of her new album, "Wicked Ways," an opening performance for Brian Wilson and a slot at New Jersey's "All Points West" festival headlined by Radiohead, Lily is no longer an underground sensation. Her music has caused pedestrian traffic jams in Boston's Harvard Square and Newbury Street, Santa Monica's famed Third Street Promenade and, more recently, in San Francisco's Castro area.
Lily first unleashed her voice on a wider audience with her independent debut "Running from the Sky" in 2000. Described by fans as "a somber fairy tale" the ethereal vocals and dark lyrics quickly earned a cult following resulting in the street singer selling over 20,000 copies as an unsigned artist. With her steady street buzz she was a natural choice for the film, "Playing for Change"-a rocumentary highlighting the lives of 16 street musicians across the country. The film struck a chord with audiences and was added into rotation on the Sundance Channel, the Independent Film Channel and Comcast On Demand. It also secured Lily her first record deal and in 2005 BackPorch/Virgin released her second album "Everything Was Beautiful and Hurt."
Describing her music as melancholic rock, Lily's influences have always been diverse, ranging from Led Zeppelin and Pink Floyd to Tori Amos, PJ Harvey and The Cure. Of her latest album the artist says "This is my most accomplished work and fully represents who I am as an artist." As legendary producer Glen Ballard (Alanis Morisette, No Doubt, Michael Jackson) says: "Lily Holbrook is the real deal!"
Lily now calls San Francisco her home and has begun working on her fourth album. Her passion for causes such as LGBTQI rights, animal welfare, at risk youth and women's issues has her donating her musical talents to various charitable organizations throughout the bay area. She continues to busk and delight fans, locals and tourists with her impromtu concerts.
Mama I'm Coming Home
Lily Holbrook Lyrics
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Here I come, but I ain't the same
Mama, I'm coming home
Times gone by seems to be
You could have been a better friend to me
Mama, I'm coming home
Took me in and you drove me out
Lost and found and turned around
By the fire in your eyes
You made me cry, you told me lies
But, I can't stand to say goodbye
Mama, I'm coming home
I could be right, I could be wrong
Hurts so bad, it's been so long
Mama, I'm coming home
Selfish love yeah we're both alone
The ride before a fall
But I'm gonna take this heart of stone
I just got to have it all
I've seen your face a hundred times
Everyday we've been apart
I don't care about the sunshine, yeah
'Cause mama, mama, I'm coming home
I'm coming home
You took me in and you drove me out
Yeah, you had me hypnotized
Lost and found and turned around
By the fire in your eyes
I've seen your face a thousand times
Every day we've been apart
And I don't care about the sunshine, yeah
'Cause mama, mama, I'm coming home
I'm coming home
I'm coming home
I'm coming home
In Lily Holbrook's song "Mama I'm Coming Home," the singer reflects on a complex relationship with her mother. She acknowledges the changing times and her own personal changes, admitting that she is not the same person who left home. The lyrics suggest that there were issues between the two in the past, and the singer wishes that her mother had been a better friend to her. Despite their troubled past, the singer announces her return home, repeating the phrase "Mama I'm coming home" throughout the song.
The lyrics also hint at a hypnotic, possibly abusive relationship with the mother figure, as the singer acknowledges being "lost and found and turned around by the fire in your eyes." She admits to being hurt and lied to by her mother, yet cannot bear to say goodbye. The song conveys a sense of emotional turmoil, with the repeated phrase "Oh Mama" suggesting a mix of anger, sadness, and nostalgia.
Overall, the song portrays a complicated mother-daughter relationship, with both love and pain present. The singer appears to be seeking closure by returning home, perhaps hoping to reconcile and heal past wounds.
Line by Line Meaning
Times have changed and times are strange
Things are different and difficult now compared to before
Here I come, but I ain't the same
I'm returning, but I've changed and grown
Mama, I'm coming home
I'm returning home to you
Times gone by seems to be
The past feels like a distant memory
You could have been a better friend to me
You could have treated me better and been more supportive
Took me in and you drove me out
You welcomed me and then pushed me away
Yeah, you had me hypnotized
You had a strong influence over me
Lost and found and turned around
I was confused and uncertain, but you helped me find my way
By the fire in your eyes
Your passion and intensity drew me in
You made me cry, you told me lies
You hurt me and didn't always tell the truth
But, I can't stand to say goodbye
I don't want to part ways with you permanently
I could be right, I could be wrong
I'm unsure if this decision is correct or not
Hurts so bad, it's been so long
It's painful and has been a while since we were last together
Selfish love yeah we're both alone
Our love was self-centered and now we're both alone
The ride before a fall
This could be the beginning of the end
But I'm gonna take this heart of stone
I'm going to take a risk and open up emotionally
I just got to have it all
I need to have everything, including you
I've seen your face a hundred times
I've thought about you countless times
Everyday we've been apart
Every day that we've been away from each other
I don't care about the sunshine, yeah
I don't care about anything else because I want to be with you
'Cause mama, mama, I'm coming home
I'm coming back to my mother's embrace
I'm coming home
I'm finally returning home
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: John Osbourne, Zakk Wylde
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind