God Bless The Child
Sam Cooke Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

God bless the child, the child that's got his own
Them that's got shall get
Them that's not you lose
So the bible says and it still is news
Mama may have, papa may have
But God bless the child that got it's own
God bless the child that got it's own

Yes, the strong gets more
While the weak ones fade
Empty pockets don't ever make the grade
Mama may have, papa may have
But God bless the child that got it's own
God bless the child that got it's own

When you've got money
You've got lots of friends
Crowding round the door
When it's gone spending ends
They don't come no more
Which relations give, crust of bread and such
You can help yourself but don't take too much

Mama may have, papa may have

But God bless the child that got it's own
God bless the child that got it's own

Overall Meaning

Sam Cooke's "God Bless the Child" is a powerful and moving song about the struggle between those who have and those who don't. The lyrics explore the idea that people who are born into wealth and privilege will continue to thrive, while those who don't have the same advantages will struggle to get ahead. This is summed up in the opening lines, where Cooke sings "God bless the child, the child that's got his own / Them that's got shall get / Them that's not you lose / So the bible says and it still is news". The message here is that people who have wealth and status will always find it easier to accumulate even more of these things, while those who don't have them will continue to struggle.

As the song progresses, there is a sense of frustration and anger towards the way that society is constructed. Cooke sings about how "the strong gets more / While the weak ones fade / Empty pockets don't ever make the grade", illustrating the idea that people who are born into disadvantage will always struggle to overcome the barriers in their way. Yet despite this, Cooke remains hopeful that there is a way out. He sings "Mama may have, papa may have / But God bless the child that got it's own", pointing out that even if you don't have the advantages that others do, you can still succeed with hard work and a little bit of luck.

Line by Line Meaning

God bless the child, the child that's got his own
May God bless the child who has his own resources and doesn't have to rely on others.

Them that's got shall get
Those who already have wealth and resources will continue to accumulate more.

Them that's not you lose
Those who do not have resources will continue to struggle and may lose what little they have.

So the bible says and it still is news
This concept of the wealthy getting wealthier and the poor getting poorer is not a new idea and has been around for a long time.

Mama may have, papa may have
Even if your parents have wealth and resources, it doesn't necessarily mean you will be well-off.

But God bless the child that got it's own
Having your own resources and not relying on others is truly a blessing.

Yes, the strong gets more
Those who are already strong or wealthy will continue to gain power and resources.

While the weak ones fade
Those who are weak or poor will continue to struggle and may lose what little they have.

Empty pockets don't ever make the grade
Being poor or lacking resources will not bring you success or respect.

When you've got money
Having wealth and resources can attract many friends and admirers.

You've got lots of friends
People tend to want to be around those who have money and resources.

Crowding round the door
People may come to you seeking help or hoping to benefit from your resources.

When it's gone spending ends
Once your money or resources are gone, so are the people who were seeking to benefit from them.

They don't come no more
People tend to abandon those who no longer have anything to offer them.

Which relations give, crust of bread and such
Only your closest friends and family members will continue to support you when you are in need, even if they don't have much to give.

You can help yourself but don't take too much
While it's important to be self-sufficient, be careful not to take advantage of others or exploit their generosity.

Contributed by Matthew W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

TRACKS