Mother Earth
Slim Memphis Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

You may not have me all the time
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
Go back to mother earth

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

Overall Meaning

In Slim Memphis's song "Mother Earth," the artist explores the inevitability of death and the fact that no matter how much wealth, power, or fame we attain in life, we all must return to the earth in death. The first verse sets the tone for the song, with the lyrics "You may not have me all the time, You may never go my way." This refers to the fact that death is unpredictable and can come at any time, regardless of how much control we think we have over our lives.


The second verse touches on the different forms of wealth people can accumulate in life, whether it be owning a city, diamonds, or even a plane. However, the lyrics continue to drive home the point that none of these things matter when it comes to death, stating "When it all ends up, you got to go back to mother earth."


The third verse speaks to the idea that even those who participate in high-stakes activities like horse racing may feel invincible in life, but ultimately, death is the great equalizer. The repetition of the phrase "Don't care how great you are, Don't care what you're worth" serves to emphasize the point of the song - no matter who you are or what you have, we all must return to the earth eventually.


Overall, "Mother Earth" serves as a poignant reminder that death is an inevitable part of life, and that focusing too much on material possessions or personal achievements can distract from the ultimate truth that we are all mortal beings.


Line by Line Meaning

You may not have me all the time
I may not always be present in your life.


You may never go my way
You may not follow the same path as me.


Mother earth is laying for you
The world is waiting for you to make your mark.


Cuz of all the debts you got to pay
Because of the responsibilities and consequences you must face.


Don't care how great you are
It doesn't matter how successful you become.


Don't care what you worth
Your wealth and possessions do not define you.


When it all ends up you got to
In the end, you must.


Go back to mother earth
Return to the natural world.


You may own a half a city
You may have enormous influence and power.


Even diamonds and pearls
Possessing wealth and luxury items.


You may buy that plane baby
You may have the means to travel in luxury.


And fly all over this world
To see all that the world has to offer.


You may play race horses
Participating in the excitement and glamour of horse racing.


You may own that race track
Controlling the racing industry.


You may have enough money baby
Having an almost limitless supply of wealth.


To buy anything you like
Being able to acquire anything you desire.




Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: LEWIS SIMPKINS, PETER CHATMAN

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Most interesting comments from YouTube:

Esther Gavillet

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



Rev. Robert 'Standing Eagle' Marshall

+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!



bob coard

.
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



All comments from YouTube:

Esther Gavillet

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

Barney Davey

What an incredible song and lyric. So powerful. Got here from the Mother Earth rendition with Tracy Nelson. I wore the grooves out on the vinyl of that one circa 1972. It's a masterful, worthy listen.

Insert Witty Meme Here

There will never be another like Slim.

Rev. Robert 'Standing Eagle' Marshall

+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!

Insert Witty Meme Here

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...?

Rev. Robert 'Standing Eagle' Marshall

J. Schechter -- I was singing with the group that opened for him, The Regulators, they were an acapella gospel and Du-Whoop group. They came with Slim when he came to visit and heard me singing in the children's choir in church and they thought it would be a novel ideas adding me to their group. That lasted about 18-months.

Rev. Robert 'Standing Eagle' Marshall

+J. Schechter -- Sorry for responding so later... I didn't see your response till today, I've been busy writing my book and editing my photography.

I was just 6-years-old at the time and was just a singer. As I got older I added percussion and some jamming with a harmonica--Sonny Boy Williamson gave me my first harmonica on my 8th birthday.

Cora Visser

reall legend we will never forget you and your music (rip)

Lúcio Cornélio Sila

fantastic!

John Grindey

Best funeral song ever

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