He has toured with Owl City, John Mayer, Sheryl Crow, The Fray, Jason Mraz, Vedera Newsboys, MUTEMATH, Meiko, Cary Brothers, and Train; and headlined VH1's first ever "You Oughta Know Tour" in the spring of 2007.
Kearney's songs have appeared on the television series: Dirty Sexy Money, Kyle XY, The Unit, Without A Trace, Laguna Beach, The Hills, Bones, Jericho, Friday Night Lights, Wildfire, What About Brian, South Beach, 8th & Ocean, One Tree Hill, Scrubs, The Closer, NCIS, Life Unexpected and Grey's Anatomy.
He attended California State University, Chico in Chico, California where he majored in literature and played soccer until his junior year. It was also at this time when Mat picked up a guitar for the first time. Using a roommate's guitar, he tried covering other songs. Realizing he wasn't too good at it, he began writing his own.
Kearney has stated that his legal name is Mathew due to a nurse's error on his birth certificate. He discovered the error while in the 8th grade when he noticed how his mom corrected the error with red ink, never legally correcting it. Since then, he embraced the one T in his legal name.
Hey Mama
Mat Kearney Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
With all the pictures in the magazines
Holding hands when she's mad at me
'Cause she don't wanna go, don't wanna go
I met her at Anthropologie
Purple boots and her golden dreams
Standing there like a Tennessee queen
Singing, oh oh
Won't you help me sing this song
Singing, ee ee ee
She don't ever want to go to sleep
Singing, hey mama, don't want no drama
Just a kiss before I leave
Hey lady, don't say maybe
You're the one that I can believe
Hey lover, don't want no other
Finger for my ring
Hey mama, hey hey mama
Hey mama, hey hey mama
Hey mama, hey hey mama
Hey mama, hey hey mama
Oh oh
Ooh oh oh oh
Ooh oh oh oh
I can see it in her Cherokee eyes
Those baby browns and the golden thighs
What you doing for the rest of your life?
'Cause you don't want to go, don't wanna go
Singing, oh oh
Won't you help me sing this song
Singing, ee ee ee
She's playing like a mystery
Singing, hey mama, don't want no drama
Just a kiss before I leave
Hey lady, don't say maybe
You're the one that I can believe
Hey lover, don't want no other
Finger for my ring
Hey mama, hey hey mama
Hey mama, hey hey mama
Hey mama, hey hey mama
Hey mama, hey hey mama
Oh oh
Ooh oh oh oh
Ooh oh oh oh
Couldn't be more opposite
I'm hard to please and you're hard to get
You're Mississippi and I'm Oregon
You're sun-tanned and I'm porcelain-skinned
Singing, hey mama, don't want no drama
Just a kiss before I leave
Hey lady, don't say maybe
You're the one that I can believe
Hey lover, don't want no other
Finger for my ring
Hey mama, hey hey mama
Hey mama, hey hey mama
Hey mama, hey hey mama
Hey mama, hey hey mama
Oh oh
Ooh oh oh oh
Ooh oh oh oh
The song 'Hey Mama' by Mat Kearney describes a girl who is trying to find herself but is lost in the world of magazines and media. She cannot decide what she wants to be and takes hand holding as a way to express anger with someone she cares about. The singer meets this girl at Anthropologie and describes her as a Tennessee queen with purple boots and golden dreams. He tries to sing a song to her, inviting her to sing along with him, but she remains detached and mysterious, playing hard to get. Their differences are described as they come from different places and have different skin tones. Despite their differences, he wants her to be his only lover and wants to put a ring on her finger.
Line by Line Meaning
She don't know what she wants to be
The girl is confused about her aspirations and future goals.
With all the pictures in the magazines
She is influenced by the images portrayed in magazines.
Holding hands when she's mad at me
She seeks physical re-assurance during moments of anger.
'Cause she don't wanna go, don't wanna go
She is hesitant and resistant to change.
I met her at Anthropologie
The artist met the girl at a fashion store called Anthropologie.
Purple boots and her golden dreams
She is adorned in purple boots and seems to have lofty aspirations.
Standing there like a Tennessee queen
She appears majestic and regal like a queen of the South.
Singing, don't look at me, don't look at me
She is trying to hide herself from the artist's gaze.
Singing, oh oh
She sings the phrase 'oh oh'.
Won't you help me sing this song
The artist is asking the girl to help him sing the song.
Singing, ee ee ee
She sings the phrase 'ee ee ee'.
She don't ever want to go to sleep
She does not want to end the night and fall asleep.
Singing, hey mama, don't want no drama
The singer tells the girl that he wants to avoid any conflicts.
Just a kiss before I leave
He desires a kiss as a parting gesture.
Hey lady, don't say maybe
He encourages the girl to make a positive decision.
You're the one that I can believe
The artist trusts the girl and believes in her.
Hey lover, don't want no other
The artist proclaims that he does not want anyone else.
Finger for my ring
He desires a committed relationship and, hopefully, marriage one day.
I can see it in her Cherokee eyes
He comments on the girl's alluring Cherokee eyes.
Those baby browns and the golden thighs
He admires her brown eyes and golden thighs.
What you doing for the rest of your life?
He asks her about her future and if she plans to spend it with him.
'Cause you don't want to go, don't wanna go
She is hesitant and resistant to change.
She's playing like a mystery
The girl is intriguing and difficult to understand.
Couldn't be more opposite
He acknowledges that they are polar opposites.
I'm hard to please and you're hard to get
He is not easily satisfied, while she is not easily attainable.
You're Mississippi and I'm Oregon
They are from different regions of the United States.
You're sun-tanned and I'm porcelain-skinned
He has fair skin, while she is tanned.
Hey mama, hey hey mama
The artist repeatedly addresses the girl as 'mama'.
Oh oh
She sings the phrase 'oh oh'.
Ooh oh oh oh
She hums the tune.
Ooh oh oh oh
She hums the tune.
Lyrics © Spirit Music Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: MAT KEARNEY, JASON LEHNING
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Eric
This was my most played Spotify song for 2020 if anyone cares
Daybreak Vintage Co
We care!
Tucker Dunagan
It was a good song to pick
Eric
@JAZLYN ROZE Thank u!!
JAZLYN ROZE
I do (:
tito monroy
i swear every time i hear this guy it puts a smile to my face the whole day
Dan Wright
Ok I guess so aaaaaaa
E ew
Uttam Hota
Amazing.
Hayat Koukouh
+XMafiagamingx Same here
Ault
Same :)