Roger Waters was the main lyricist for the classic British rock band Pink Floyd. He, along with Syd Barrett, Nick Mason, and Richard Wright, formed the band in 1965 and released their first album, The Piper at the Gates of Dawn in 1967. In 1968, Syd Barrett was replaced by guitarist/singer David Gilmour. He and Gilmour were the main creative forces behind the albums Meddle, Dark Side of the Moon, and Wish You Were Here; Waters eventually became the primary songwriter, being the driving force behind Animals, and The Wall as well as the sole songwriter of The Final Cut. Waters became well-known for being an intense perfectionist and his controlling nature alienated the rest of the band. The Final Cut, released in 1983, was essentially a Roger Waters solo album "performed by Pink Floyd" as the credits stated. This would be the group's last album with Waters. David Gilmour decided to carry on with Pink Floyd and Waters, believing that Pink Floyd was a "non-entity" without him, sued the rest of the band to retire the Pink Floyd name. His lawsuit ultimately failed, and Pink Floyd released three more studio albums and two double live albums, without him.
The feud between David Gilmour and Roger Waters lasted for decades, and it wasn't until Live 8 in 2005 that they finally decided to set their differences aside and perform a brief set for the charity gig. This would be the last time that Pink Floyd would ever perform together in their "classic" lineup. Shortly after the show, there was much speculation that Pink Floyd would get back together for a full reunion tour, but Gilmour ultimately nixed the idea, stating that although the Live 8 gig was fun, the rehearsals were not.
Much to everyone's surprise, Gilmour and Waters reunited once again on July 11, 2010 for a charity performance for “The Hoping Foundation,” an organization that supports Palestinian refugee kids. At Ronnie Scott’s club in London, the duo performed four songs together: “To Know Him Is to Love Him” (a cover of the old Teddy Bear’s song), “Wish You Were Here,” “Comfortably Numb,” and finally (after a special request) “Another Brick in the Wall Part 2.” Once again, just like after the Live 8 Reunion, speculation began regarding future reunions. No official Pink Floyd reunion has yet been set, but Gilmour did promise that he would join Roger Waters for one show on his 2010-11 “The Wall” tour, performing “Comfortably Numb.” Gilmour fulfilled his promise on May 14, 2011 in London.
Waters has so far released the following solo albums:
* Music from The Body soundtrack with Ron Geesin(1970)
* The Pros and Cons of Hitch Hiking (1984)
* When the Wind Blows soundtrack with contributions from other artists as well (1986)
* Radio K.A.O.S. (1987)
* The Wall: Live in Berlin (1990)
* Amused to Death (1992)
* In the Flesh live (2000)
* Flickering Flame: The Solo Years, Vol. 1 (2003)
* Ça Ira (Opera) (2005)
*Is This the Life We Really Want? (2017)
*Igor Stravinsky's The Soldier's Tale (2018)
*The Lockdown Sessions (2022)
Mother
Roger Waters Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Mother do you think they'll like the song
Mother do you think they'll try to break my balls
Ooooh aah, Mother should I build a wall
Mother should I run for president
Mother should I trust the government
Mother will they put me in the firing line
Ooooh aah, is it just a waste of time
Mama's gonna make all of your
Nightmares come true
Mama's gonna put all of her fears into you
Mama's gonna keep you right here
Under her wing
she won't let you fly but she might let you sing
Mama will keep baby cosy and warm
Ooooh Babe Ooooh Babe Ooooh Babe
Of course Mama's gonna help build the wall
Mother do think she's good enough for me
Mother do think she's dangerous to me
Mother will she tear your little boy apart
Oooh aah, mother will she break my heart
Hush now baby, baby don't you cry
Mama's gonna check out all your girl friends for you
Mama won't let anyone dirty get through
Mama's gonna wait up till you get in
Mama will always find out where
You've been
Mamma's gonna keep baby healthy and clean
Ooooh Babe Ooooh Babe Ooooh Babe
You'll always be a baby to me
Mother, did it need to be so high.
The song Mother by Roger Waters is essentially a conversation between a son and his mother. The son is seeking guidance and advice from his mother about different aspects of life. The lyrics initially focus on the theme of war, with the son asking whether a war will break out and if it does, whether he will be safe. He also questions whether building a wall will offer him protection. The overall imagery of war, danger and protection seem to come from Waters' own childhood where he was raised during World War II; he saw his parents' fears and anxieties, which may have been passed on to him.
As the song progresses, the lyrics shift towards the theme of love, relationships, and sexuality. The son seems to be unsure about the girl he is involved with and asks his mother if she thinks the girl is good enough for him. The 'dirty' people are not to be allowed to meet the son, and the mother will keep a tab on her son's whereabouts. The son wonders if he is too young for love, and if his relationship with the girl will result in a heartbreak.
The song ends with the son questioning the need for the wall to be so high, which could be interpreted as a metaphor for the barriers we can erect in our lives, with his mother's voice saying, "Mother should I run for president?" Returning attention to political themes and the notion of power and its abuses. Overall, the song depicts a universal conversation of a son seeking advice from his mother, seeking safety and affirmation in a world and times of change.
Line by Line Meaning
Mother do you think they'll drop the bomb
Asks if there is any hope left in a world where massive human-casualty weapons of destruction could be brought upon it.
Mother do you think they'll like the song
Asks if people will connect to the song and understand what it truly stands for.
Mother do you think they'll try to break my balls
Asks if the world will intentionally make life hard for him.
Ooooh aah, Mother should I build a wall
Fearing that the world will work against him and suggests building barriers to keep them at bay.
Mother should I run for president
Asks if society will accept him as leader of the nation.
Mother should I trust the government
Asks if he can trust the people who are supposed to have his best interests at heart.
Mother will they put me in the firing line
Asks if everyone will be against him and might even target him.
Ooooh aah, is it just a waste of time
Doubts whether he even has a purpose in a world that might only seek to bring him down.
Hush now baby, baby don't you cry
Comforts the person he is talking to, hoping that they will be strong enough to get through life's challenges.
Mama's gonna make all of your
Promises to help and guide the person through their life.
Nightmares come true
Suggests that life itself is a terrifying thing that you have to endure.
Mama's gonna put all of her fears into you
Warns that her own fears might hold the person back, therefore making their challenges greater.
Mama's gonna keep you right here
Implies that she won't let the person grow up and make their own choices.
Under her wing
Literally providing protection and shelter for the person under her care and guidance.
she won't let you fly but she might let you sing
Discourages the person from being too ambitious and leaves open the possibility of being content and happy with simpler things.
Mama will keep baby cosy and warm
Promises the child that she will ensure they have a secure and comfortable life.
Ooooh Babe Ooooh Babe Ooooh Babe
An expression of love and affection directed at the child.
Of course Mama's gonna help build the wall
Echoing the sentiment from earlier in the song, that barriers must be built to protect oneself.
Mother do think she's good enough for me
Asks if the person he is talking to sees potential in his romantic entanglements.
Mother do think she's dangerous to me
Asks if his romantic entanglements are worth the potential emotional risks.
Mother will she tear your little boy apart
Asks if his romantic partners will abuse his emotions and leave him worse off than before.
Oooh aah, mother will she break my heart
Expresses his fears for future heartbreak through failed romantic relationships.
Mama's gonna check out all your girl friends for you
Promises to be a second opinion of sorts, vetting the people he is romantically interested in.
Mama won't let anyone dirty get through
Protecting him from people who might not have his best interests in mind.
Mama's gonna wait up till you get in
Which suggests that she will always be there waiting to make sure he's okay.
Mama will always find out where
Promises to know everything that is happening in her child's life.
You've been
Making sure the child is on the right track and stays out of harm's way.
Mamma's gonna keep baby healthy and clean
Promises the child's health will be taken care of and they won't be exposed to anything that could pose a danger to their well-being.
Ooooh Babe Ooooh Babe Ooooh Babe
Another expression of love and affection directed at the child.
You'll always be a baby to me
Acknowledges the fact that no matter what, the person he is talking to will always be the one he needs to protect and care for.
Mother, did it need to be so high.
Ponders whether the barriers of life needed to be as high as they are and if they are worth building in the first place.
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: PETER HAUBFLEISCH
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@frankmeenzen787
Yupp!
We don't need no education
We don't need no thought control
No dark sarcasm in the boardroom
Politicians leave us people alone
Hey, Politicians, leave us people alone
All in all it's just another brick in the wall
All in all you're just another brick in the wall
More actually than ever before!
May Roger live 120 healthy years and David and Nick too!
@ramiguirguis3502
This version of mother is beautiful. I really enjoy listening to the young ladies. Their voices are angelic.
In fact the entire band is also quite amazing. The guitarests and drummers included.
I am now putting together a piano arrangememt of this song.
Thank you very much Mr. Roger Waters. You and Mr. David Gilmour are musical legends.
God Bless All of You.
@MikeJBeebe
Roger, if you and David could find some way of putting it all behind you both, and make just one video like this together, it would bring a flood of hope into a world that's sorely lacking it right now.
@andydavenhall
Roger is a narcissist and David can't stand him..
@stratmanjoe
Mike Beebe please put things behind.....
@ishaan13221
Amen.
@guilhermecardoso1274
Up
@kennethbull9850
Yes it would!
@mehmetaliyuksel9952
"We should do this again, right? right !? rightt?!!?!"
YES PLEASE!
@yasisoufi
Fuck me! Yes yes!!
@viniciusrenno846
PLEASE!
@robbiburrell1168
Yasssss