Mark Lenover is a singer/songwriter who has been writing and recording musi… Read Full Bio ↴Mark Lenover is a singer/songwriter who has been writing and recording music for over a decade. In that time he has independently released seven full length albums and three EPs. His material covers a wide variety of subjects, such as social reform, gender politics and mental illness and recovery.

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Molly Had a Little Lamb
Mark Lenover Lyrics

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Molly turns the light on as she turns the alarm off
Yeah she rails against her daughter's fits and gives the kid a cuff
'Cause she's late to catch her bus, and mommy's had enough
Of her precocious wit today
Molly backs into the house to wipe her face off of the dirt
She forgets to eat her breakfast, so she passes out at work
Now the secretaries look at her as though she
Needs the fat sucked from her head,

Until she's cold, and limp, and dead
And just as pleased as peaches
Tuck your heart away
You won't be needing it today
We hate to say it, but you're bound to break it
If you don't take special care
Missed call
Dammit all!
Have you any life insurance
Cut backs
Where's the kid?
Have you any wool?
Mama Mommy Mother-dearest don't send me to private school
I promise, promise I'll do better Daddy won't cheat any more
Come now, come now
Give the girl a promise Molly
Come now, come now
Give the girl your word
Have you any life insurance?
Have you any wool?
Poor old Molly's off her trolley
(Day-in, day-out)
Poor old Molly's gone right 'round the bend

Molly's husband crawls to dinner, inspecting his lover's work
His left hand holds a looking-glass and the other's in the lurch
Picking up and throwing plates, demanding Molly gets a face-lift
For his forty-fifth birthday
She's better let the baby have it's way
Or he'll be sore, as sure as sugar
Molly turns to switch the light off as she turns the water on
The leaves left in her cup tell her that life's bound to go on
Then she lays her head down, counting sheep and dreaming
About getting hers some day
Tuck your heart away
You won't be needing it today
We hate to say it, but you're bound to break it
If you don't take special care

You can hide it anywhere
Or you can just forget it

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Mark Lenover's song "Molly Had a Little Lamb" paint a bleak picture of a woman named Molly who is struggling to keep up with the demands of her life. The first verse finds Molly starting her day by waking up late and getting frustrated with her daughter's behavior. She lashes out at her daughter and sends her off to school, feeling exasperated. Molly then heads to work, but forgets to eat breakfast and ends up passing out. At work, she is scrutinized by her coworkers and feels like she is being judged for her appearance. The chorus of the song advises Molly to "tuck your heart away" and warns her that if she doesn't take care of herself, she is bound to "break it."

The second verse delves deeper into Molly's troubles, as we learn that her husband is having an affair and becoming increasingly abusive towards her. Molly is trapped in this toxic relationship and feels like she has no control over her life. The chorus repeats, emphasizing the importance of taking care of oneself.

The song's lyrics suggest that Molly is struggling to reconcile the expectations placed upon her by society with her own desires and needs. She is trapped in a cycle of abuse and neglect, and the lyrics warn against the dangers of ignoring one's own well-being in the pursuit of meeting others' expectations.

Line by Line Meaning

Molly turns the light on as she turns the alarm off
Molly starts her day and prepares to face her routine

Yeah she rails against her daughter's fits and gives the kid a cuff
Molly loses her temper and scolds her daughter for being difficult

'Cause she's late to catch her bus, and mommy's had enough
Molly is stressed and frustrated because she is running late for work

Of her precocious wit today
Molly is annoyed by her daughter's cleverness

Molly backs into the house to wipe her face off of the dirt
Molly is physically and emotionally drained after a long day

She forgets to eat her breakfast, so she passes out at work
Molly's exhaustion and neglect of her own health leads to her fainting at work

Now the secretaries look at her as though she
Molly is embarrassed and judged by her colleagues for her collapse at work

Needs the fat sucked from her head,
Molly's colleagues are cruelly suggesting she is stupid or incompetent

Until she's cold, and limp, and dead
Molly feels completely defeated and worthless

And just as pleased as peaches
Molly denies her own pain and stress, pretending everything is alright

Tuck your heart away
Molly advises herself to suppress her feelings and emotions

You won't be needing it today
Molly's life is cold and detached, denying the need for emotions or love

We hate to say it, but you're bound to break it
Molly's unhealthy coping mechanism will lead to her downfall

If you don't take special care
Molly needs to take care of herself and her emotional well-being

Missed call
Molly misses an important phone call

Dammit all!
Molly curses her situation and her apparent lack of control

Have you any life insurance
Molly worries about her and her family's security

Cut backs
Molly faces financial instability and uncertainty

Where's the kid?
Molly panics about her daughter's whereabouts

Have you any wool?
Molly's mind races, worrying about everyday problems and stresses

Mama Mommy Mother-dearest don't send me to private school
Molly's daughter pleads with her mother to not send her to a private school

I promise, promise I'll do better Daddy won't cheat any more
Molly's daughter promises to behave herself, and her mother's husband promises to stop cheating

Come now, come now, Give the girl a promise Molly
Molly's daughter seeks reassurance from her mother and her love

Have you any life insurance?
Molly's fear and uncertainty about the future is still present

Poor old Molly's off her trolley (Day-in, day-out),
Molly's mental health and stability are fragile, deteriorating day by day

Poor old Molly's gone right 'round the bend
Molly has reached the point of no return, losing her grip on reality

Molly's husband crawls to dinner, inspecting his lover's work
Molly's husband is critical of her cooking and compares it to his mistress's meals

His left hand holds a looking-glass and the other's in the lurch
Molly's husband prioritizes his own vanity above her needs and connection

Picking up and throwing plates, demanding Molly gets a face-lift
Molly's husband becomes physically aggressive and verbally abusive towards her, insisting she gets cosmetic surgery

For his forty-fifth birthday
Molly's husband is fixated on his aging and superficial appearance

She's better let the baby have it's way
Molly should prioritize her daughter's needs above her own

Or he'll be sore, as sure as sugar
Molly's husband will be angry and resentful if he does not get his way

Molly turns to switch the light off as she turns the water on
Molly attempts to escape her reality and seek solace in mundane routines

The leaves left in her cup tell her that life's bound to go on
Molly realizes that life will go on, but acknowledges the fleeting and transient nature of existence

Then she lays her head down, counting sheep and dreaming
Molly seeks comfort in sleep and fantasies of a better life

About getting hers some day
Molly dreams of escaping her unhappy and oppressive reality

You can hide it anywhere
Molly concludes that hiding her emotions and true nature is a necessary survival mechanism

Or you can just forget it
Molly believes that forgetting her pain and inner turmoil is another way of coping and surviving

Contributed by Isaac V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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