Stewart's music career began in 1962 when he took up busking with a harmonica. In 1963, he joined The Dimensions as a harmonica player and vocalist. In 1964, Stewart joined Long John Baldry and the All Stars before moving to the Jeff Beck Group in 1967. Joining Faces in 1969, he also maintained a solo career releasing his debut album that year. Stewart's early albums were a fusion of rock, folk music, soul music, and R&B. His third album, 1971's Every Picture Tells a Story, was his breakthrough, topping the charts in the UK, US, Canada and Australia, as did its ballad "Maggie May". His 1972 follow-up album, Never a Dull Moment, also reached number one in the UK and Australia, while going top three in the US and Canada. Its single, "You Wear It Well", topped the chart in the UK and was a moderate hit elsewhere.
After Stewart had a handful more UK top ten hits, the Faces broke up in 1975. Stewart's next few hit singles were ballads with "Sailing", off the 1975 UK and Australian number-one album, Atlantic Crossing, becoming a hit in the UK and the Netherlands (number one), Germany (number four) and other countries, but barely charting in North America. A Night on the Town (1976), his fifth straight chart-topper in the UK, began a three-album run of going number one or top three in the US, Canada, the UK and Australia with each release. That album's "Tonight's the Night (Gonna Be Alright)" spent almost two months at number one in the US and Canada, and made the top five in other countries. Foot Loose & Fancy Free (1977) contained the hit "You're in My Heart (The Final Acclaim)" as well as the rocker "Hot Legs". Blondes Have More Fun (1978) and its disco-tinged "Da Ya Think I'm Sexy" both went to number one in Canada, Australia and the US, with "Da Ya Think I'm Sexy" also hitting number one in the UK and the top ten in other countries. Stewart's albums regularly hit the upper rungs of the charts in the Netherlands throughout the 70s and in Sweden from 1975 onward.
After a disco and new wave period in the late 1970s and early 1980s, Stewart's music turned to a soft rock/middle-of-the-road style, with most of his albums reaching the top ten in the UK, Germany and Sweden, but faring less well in the US. The single "Rhythm of My Heart" was a top five hit in the UK, US and other countries, with its source album, 1991's Vagabond Heart, becoming, at number ten in the US and number two in the UK, his highest-charting album in a decade. In 1993, he collaborated with Bryan Adams and Sting on the power ballad "All for Love", which went to number one in many countries. In the early 2000s, he released a series of successful albums interpreting the Great American Songbook.
In 2008, Billboard magazine ranked him the 17th most successful artist on the "Billboard Hot 100 All-Time Top Artists". A Grammy and Brit Award recipient, he was voted at No. 33 in Q Magazine's list of the Top 100 Greatest Singers of all time. As a solo artist, Stewart was inducted into the US Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1994, the UK Music Hall of Fame in 2006, and he was inducted a second time into the US Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2012 as a member of Faces.
Full Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rod_Stewart
Studio albums
An Old Raincoat Won't Ever Let You Down (1969)
Gasoline Alley (1970)
Every Picture Tells a Story (1971)
Never a Dull Moment (1972)
Smiler (1974)
Atlantic Crossing (1975)
A Night on the Town (1976)
Foot Loose & Fancy Free (1977)
Blondes Have More Fun (1978)
Foolish Behaviour (1980)
Tonight I'm Yours (1981)
Body Wishes (1983)
Camouflage (1984)
Every Beat of My Heart (1986)
Out of Order (1988)
Vagabond Heart (1991)
A Spanner in the Works (1995)
When We Were the New Boys (1998)
Human (2001)
It Had to Be You: The Great American Songbook (2002)
As Time Goes By: The Great American Songbook, Volume II (2003)
Stardust: The Great American Songbook, Volume III (2004)
Thanks for the Memory: The Great American Songbook, Volume IV (2005)
Still the Same... Great Rock Classics of Our Time (2006)
Soulbook (2009)
Once in a Blue Moon: The Lost Album (2010)
Fly Me to the Moon... The Great American Songbook Volume V (2010)
Merry Christmas, Baby (2012)
Time (2013)
Another Country (2015)
Blood Red Roses (2018)
The Tears of Hercules (2021)
Mama You Been on My Mind
Rod Stewart Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And coverin' the crossroads I'm standing at
Or maybe it's the weather or something like that
But mama you been on my mind
I do not mean you trouble, don't put me down, don't get upset
I am not pleadin' or sayin' I can't forget you
I do not pace the floor, bowed down and bent, but yet
Even tho' my eyes are hazy
And my thoughts they might be narrow
Where you been don't bother me, or bring me down with sorrow
I don't even mind where you be wakin' up tomorrow
But mama you been on my mind
I'm not asking you to say words like yes or no
Please understand me, I've no place I'm calling you to go
I'm just whisperin' to myself so I can pretend that I don't know
Mama you been on my mind
When you wake up in the mornin' baby, look inside your mirror
You know I won't be next to you, you know I won't be near
I'd just be curious to know if you can see yourself as clear
As someone who has had you on his mind
As someone who has had you on his mind
Mama you been on my mind
In "Mama You Been on My Mind,” Rod Stewart presents a melancholic reflection on his past relationship with his mother. The song is a poignant tribute to his mother, who has been on his mind lately. The lyrics hint that the reason for this could be the color of the sun, perhaps a triggering sight that reminds him of her in some way. Rod Stewart suggests that it might also be the weather, which evokes memories of her, although he doesn't know why.
Stewart seems to be addressing his mother directly in the lyrics, asking not to put him down or get upset because he doesn't mean her any trouble. He conveys that he is not pleading with her to take him back or forgive him but just that she's on his mind. The verse "Even tho' my eyes are hazy And my thoughts they might be narrow” indicates that he has been struggling with something and isn't entirely clear-headed, but he still manages to articulate his feelings of concern for his mother.
In the final verse, Stewart is almost speaking to her directly, asking her to take a look in the mirror when she wakes up in the morning. He indicates that he won't be there and is curious if she can see herself as clearly as others do, someone who has had her on their minds.
Overall, Stewart's soft, plaintive vocal delivery, coupled with the bittersweet lyrics, creates an emotional, introspective atmosphere that captures the listeners' hearts.
Line by Line Meaning
Perhaps it's the color of the sun cut flat
Maybe it's the way the sun shines that reminds me of you
And coverin' the crossroads I'm standing at
And it feels like you are always there, even when I am at a crossroad
Or maybe it's the weather or something like that
Or perhaps it's just the way I'm feeling about the weather that makes me think of you
But mama you been on my mind
But regardless, I can't stop thinking about you
I do not mean you trouble, don't put me down, don't get upset
I'm not trying to upset you or cause any problems, please understand
I am not pleadin' or sayin' I can't forget you
I'm not saying that I can't forget you or that I need you back in my life
I do not pace the floor, bowed down and bent, but yet
I'm not pacing around or losing sleep over this, but I still can't shake the thought of you
Mama you been on my mind
You're constantly on my mind
Even tho' my eyes are hazy
Even though things aren't clear to me
And my thoughts they might be narrow
And my thoughts might be limited or shallow
Where you been don't bother me, or bring me down with sorrow
I'm not concerned with where you've been or what you're doing, it doesn't make me sad
I don't even mind where you be wakin' up tomorrow
I don't care where you are or who you're with when you wake up tomorrow
But mama you been on my mind
But once again, you're on my mind
I'm not asking you to say words like yes or no
I'm not expecting anything from you or asking for a response
Please understand me, I've no place I'm calling you to go
Just know that I don't have any intentions of taking action or trying to get you to come back
I'm just whisperin' to myself so I can pretend that I don't know
I'm just talking to myself, pretending like I'm not thinking about you
Mama you been on my mind
But it's not working, you're still on my mind
When you wake up in the mornin' baby, look inside your mirror
When you wake up in the morning, take a good look at yourself in the mirror
You know I won't be next to you, you know I won't be near
You know that I won't be there with you
I'd just be curious to know if you can see yourself as clear
I'm just wondering if you can see yourself clearly
As someone who has had you on his mind
As someone who can't stop thinking about you
Mama you been on my mind
Once again, you've been on my mind
As someone who has had you on his mind
As someone who can't stop thinking about you
Mama you been on my mind
And again, you've been on my mind
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Bob Dylan
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind