Mother Earth
Memphis Slim Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You may never go my way
Mother earth is laying for you
Cuz of all the debts you got to pay
Don't care how great you are
Don't care what you worth
When it all ends up you got to
You may own a half a city
Even diamonds and pearls
You may buy that plane baby
And fly all over this world
Don't care how rich you are
Don't care what you worth
When it all ends up you got to
Go back to mother earth
You may play race horses
You may own that race track
You may have enough money baby
To buy anything you like
Don't care how great you are
Don't care what you worth
When it all ends up you got to
Go back to mother earth
In Memphis Slim's song Mother Earth, the lyrics are a reminder of the inevitable cycle of life and death. The opening lines acknowledge the uncertainty of life, the fact that we may not always be together, and may not always find ourselves on the same path. The chorus brings the message home like a sledgehammer - no matter how great or wealthy we are, we all have to return to the earth eventually.
The verses are written in a form of address, as if Memphis Slim is singing to a specific person, warning them that Mother Earth is waiting for them to pay the debt they owe. The metaphor of debt is apt and reflective of the truth that we are all indebted to the natural world for the resources that sustain our lives. The second verse focuses on material possessions, highlighting that even the richest person will eventually be brought to their knees and be forced to face mortality. The final verse brings in the world of sport, with the image of racehorses being played, and the idea that money can buy anything, but it can't buy extra time on this earth.
Overall, this song is an impassioned plea to recognise our place within nature and to live in a way that respects and honours the planet. It's a reminder that our lives are finite, and we should make the most of them while we can, but always remember that everything we have is borrowed and must be returned eventually.
Line by Line Meaning
You may not have me all the time
I may not always be available to you
You may never go my way
You may not choose to follow my path
Mother earth is laying for you
The earth is waiting for you
Cuz of all the debts you got to pay
Due to the debts you owe
Don't care how great you are
It doesn't matter how accomplished you are
Don't care what you worth
Your net worth is insignificant
When it all ends up you got to
When everything is said and done, you must
Go back to mother earth
Return to the earth from whence you came
You may own a half a city
You may possess half of a metropolis
Even diamonds and pearls
You may have precious jewels
You may buy that plane baby
You may purchase your own aircraft
And fly all over this world
And travel to every corner of the globe
You may play race horses
You may be involved in horse racing
You may own that race track
You may be the proprietor of a course
You may have enough money baby
You may possess ample wealth
To buy anything you like
To purchase any desired object
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: LEWIS SIMPKINS, PETER CHATMAN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@bobcoard6691
.
I'm guessing that it must have been 1963 that our family holiday to Spain went through Paris for the last time.
After that, we flew to Barcelona or Perpignan. I liked the earlier train journeys. Took longer but as a pre-teenager I liked stuff like that. So, anyway, the last time we stopped overnight in Paris my father left both my mother & sister at the hotel and took me, his probably 13 year old son around some of the music bars he (magically) knew of.
After an hour or two we were in Clingancourt at a bar/club I've spent decades trying to find again. It was still nearly light outside so for July it would have been about 8-9.00 at night. Too early for the band to be playing, but an OK time to busk and rehearse.
In his antiquated South African French dialect, dad introduced me to Monsieur Chatman, a very black man with fingers longer than any that I'd ever seen.
M. Chatman played piano, something that fascinated me. (Still does, still a crap player) John Chatman spent maybe 90 minutes showing me how to roll a left hand and "pink" the top end notes. And , no. I don't remember what that was.
Ladies And Gentlemen, may I present Memphis Slim, a true gentleman
@SaphirSouenEstherG
Verse 1]
You may play race horses
You may own a race track
You may have enough money baby
To buy anything you lack
[Chorus]
Don't care how great you are
And I don't care what you worth
'Cause when it all end up
You got to go back to Mother Earth
[Verse 2]
You may high-hat me all the time
You may never go my way
But Mother Earth is laying for you
That's the debt you got to pay
[Chorus]
Don't care how great you are
And I don't care what you worth
When it all end up
You got to go back to Mother Earth
[Instrumental]
[Verse 3]
You may own a half a city
Even diamonds and pearls
You may buy that plane baby
And fly all over this world
[Chorus]
Don't care how great you are
And I don't care what you worth
Because when it all end up
You got to go back to Mother Earth
@BrandyBottle
+J. Schechter--I'm Memphis Slim's cousin and I had the privilege and honor of touring with him as a child on the old "Chitlin' Trail" Circuit that ran through both the southern and northern states. Then later in the 70s while I was in the Air Force and stationed in W. Germany.
I was going to visit him again when I got stationed in Sicily in late 1987, and we had it all set for when he came back from doing a gig with his old guitarist Matt Murphy; however, I was sent on a deployment and didn't get back till the 1st of March 1988; that's when I found out that he had caught the flu while he was in the states and he died of kidney failure on the 24th of February.
The Sicilian blues and jazz radio stations had played his music in tribute for 3-days.
About 10-years ago, I started doing a radio segment with the help of a DJ friend of mine, David Lescht, on the UNM college radio station, KUNM, called "Memphis Slim Remembered" either on or about his birthday of the 3rd of Sep. However, that ended 3-years ago when David died.
Slim was a great individual, performer, and humanitarian and I truly miss him!
@ruthdixon7807
sweet sophistication and an immaculate arrangement.
@bobcoard6691
.
I'm guessing that it must have been 1963 that our family holiday to Spain went through Paris for the last time.
After that, we flew to Barcelona or Perpignan. I liked the earlier train journeys. Took longer but as a pre-teenager I liked stuff like that. So, anyway, the last time we stopped overnight in Paris my father left both my mother & sister at the hotel and took me, his probably 13 year old son around some of the music bars he (magically) knew of.
After an hour or two we were in Clingancourt at a bar/club I've spent decades trying to find again. It was still nearly light outside so for July it would have been about 8-9.00 at night. Too early for the band to be playing, but an OK time to busk and rehearse.
In his antiquated South African French dialect, dad introduced me to Monsieur Chatman, a very black man with fingers longer than any that I'd ever seen.
M. Chatman played piano, something that fascinated me. (Still does, still a crap player) John Chatman spent maybe 90 minutes showing me how to roll a left hand and "pink" the top end notes. And , no. I don't remember what that was.
Ladies And Gentlemen, may I present Memphis Slim, a true gentleman
@caiojuliocesar1
fantastic!
@johngrindey
Best funeral song ever
@SaphirSouenEstherG
Verse 1]
You may play race horses
You may own a race track
You may have enough money baby
To buy anything you lack
[Chorus]
Don't care how great you are
And I don't care what you worth
'Cause when it all end up
You got to go back to Mother Earth
[Verse 2]
You may high-hat me all the time
You may never go my way
But Mother Earth is laying for you
That's the debt you got to pay
[Chorus]
Don't care how great you are
And I don't care what you worth
When it all end up
You got to go back to Mother Earth
[Instrumental]
[Verse 3]
You may own a half a city
Even diamonds and pearls
You may buy that plane baby
And fly all over this world
[Chorus]
Don't care how great you are
And I don't care what you worth
Because when it all end up
You got to go back to Mother Earth
@treychoice6332
Nobody lives forever not even your soul when it all ends up youve got to go back to mother earth
@fernandodeavila6926
INDIGENOUS WARRIOR LOVE. To all my relatives ❤, PUSH forward.
@schechter01
There will never be another like Slim.
@BrandyBottle
+J. Schechter--I'm Memphis Slim's cousin and I had the privilege and honor of touring with him as a child on the old "Chitlin' Trail" Circuit that ran through both the southern and northern states. Then later in the 70s while I was in the Air Force and stationed in W. Germany.
I was going to visit him again when I got stationed in Sicily in late 1987, and we had it all set for when he came back from doing a gig with his old guitarist Matt Murphy; however, I was sent on a deployment and didn't get back till the 1st of March 1988; that's when I found out that he had caught the flu while he was in the states and he died of kidney failure on the 24th of February.
The Sicilian blues and jazz radio stations had played his music in tribute for 3-days.
About 10-years ago, I started doing a radio segment with the help of a DJ friend of mine, David Lescht, on the UNM college radio station, KUNM, called "Memphis Slim Remembered" either on or about his birthday of the 3rd of Sep. However, that ended 3-years ago when David died.
Slim was a great individual, performer, and humanitarian and I truly miss him!
@schechter01
Rev. Robert 'Standing Eagle' Marshall
Well, now I'm just in awe...that's quite a story. I only wish I knew him as you did. When you toured with him, what did you play? Guitar or...?