Mama You Sweet
Lucinda Williams Lyrics


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I love you, Mama you sweet
I love you, Mama you sweet
I love you, Mama you sweet
I love you, Mama you sweet
I love you, Mama you sweet

With an ocean in my spirit
And cracks on my lips
And scars in my heart
And this burden on my hips

Ocean becomes heavy and tries
To push its way out
Through these ancient eyes
And the memories in my mouth

Ocean becomes tears
That ebb and flow
Over the lines in my face
And the pain in my soul

And pain hits a wall
And doesn't know which way to go
And ocean says I'm crying now
And tells pain to follow

And pain courses through
Every vein, every limb
Trying to find a way out
Between the secrets in my skin

And secrets hold on
Until they finally give in
And they meet up with ocean
And tears again

And tears hand me a shovel
Saying break beneath the crust
That binds earthly skin
And buries all the trust

Somehow trust was caught
Between the cracks on my lips
And the scars in my heart
And this burden on my hips





I love you, Mama you sweet...

Overall Meaning

The song "Mama You Sweet" is a heartfelt tribute to a mother from her daughter. The repeated phrase "I love you, Mama you sweet" sets the tone and reinforces the depth of the daughter's love for her mother. The daughter describes her emotional state as being like an ocean with cracks on her lips, scars on her heart, and a burden on her hips. The ocean imagery represents the depths of her feelings, and the cracks and scars suggest that she has been hurt in the past. The burden on her hips may represent the weight of her emotions or the burdens of life she carries.


As the song progresses, the daughter describes her pain as hitting a wall and not knowing which way to go. The ocean inside her tells the pain to follow, and it courses through her veins and limbs in search of an escape. The secrets held within her skin prevent the pain from escaping until it meets up with the ocean again, and tears flow once more. The tears hand her a shovel, encouraging her to break beneath the crust and bury the trust that was caught "between the cracks on [her] lips and the scars in [her] heart and this burden on [her] hips."


Overall, Lucinda Williams's "Mama You Sweet" is a moving tribute to the strong bond between a mother and daughter. The ocean imagery and references to pain and trust suggest that the daughter has experienced difficult times, but her love for her mother remains constant.


Line by Line Meaning

I love you, Mama you sweet
The singer expresses profound love and admiration for their mother in a repetitive manner.


With an ocean in my spirit
The singer feels heavy within, burdened with an immense force akin to an ocean.


And cracks on my lips
The singer's lips are dry and have cracks, indicating emotional and mental exhaustion that reflects on their physical appearance.


And scars in my heart
The artist carries emotional scars, ones that have not completely healed or have left a lasting impression.


And this burden on my hips
The artist carries a burden, which is both heavy and tiring, to the extent that it is discernible in their gait.


Ocean becomes heavy and tries
The singer's inner force becomes so heavy that it seems ready to burst out and take control of them.


To push its way out
The force within the singer seeks a way to escape, albeit without any clear path or direction.


Through these ancient eyes
The artist's experience and emotions manifest in their eyes, though they are unable to decipher or express them in words.


And the memories in my mouth
The artist's memories weigh heavily on their mind and occasionally manifest in the form of unspoken words that are impossible to swallow.


Ocean becomes tears
The artist's inner force, which was hitherto nameless, transforms into tears.


That ebb and flow
Tears pour out in waves, like the ebb and flow of a tide.


Over the lines in my face
Tears cover the lines on the artist's face, obscuring the signs of age and experience.


And the pain in my soul
The tears represent the emotional pain and distress the singer is feeling deep within.


And pain hits a wall
Pain overwhelms the singer, to the extent of feeling like it has hit a wall, a point of no return.


And doesn't know which way to go
The pain is such that the singer is unable to find a way out or focus on anything else.


And ocean says I'm crying now
The artist's inner force understands that the tears are not just a product of the moment but a result of all the heavy emotional baggage the artist is carrying.


And tells pain to follow
The inner force instructs the pain to follow the tears, hoping that they will help alleviate the suffering in some way.


And pain courses through
The pain follows the tears, coursing through the singer's body, making it difficult to bear.


Every vein, every limb
Pain takes over the entire body, strained with the effort of carrying the burden up until this point.


Trying to find a way out
The pain is trying to find an outlet or a way to escape, a way to end the constant tumult within the artist.


Between the secrets in my skin
The artist has secrets, possibly associated with their burdens, and the pain seems to be searching for a way to find and release them.


And secrets hold on
The secrets remain concealed, held on by the artist, unwilling to let go or reveal them yet.


Until they finally give in
The singer's secrets eventually give in, culminating in a sense of vulnerability, opening the way for healing and recovery.


And they meet up with ocean
The artist's tears and secrets finally meet, and it becomes clear that they are both manifestations of the same deep emotional pain.


And tears again
The tears flow again, but this time, with the added dimension of the catharsis of emotional release, and the healing that comes with it.


And tears hand me a shovel
The singer's tears seem to be helping in some way, ready to offer assistance in getting rid of any barriers that could hinder the healing process.


Saying break beneath the crust
The tears urge the singer to break any barriers beneath the surface of their emotions or be weighed down by them further.


That binds earthly skin
The barriers include anything that could make it difficult to feel and experience emotions, such as the demands of everyday life, or pressures from society.


And buries all the trust
By holding onto their burdens, the artist has lost trust in themselves and their ability to process and heal from emotional pain. The tears, therefore, help to restore this trust.




Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: LUCINDA WILLIAMS

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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