Tesla's music fit well with the blasting sounds of their 80s hair metal and glam rock contemporaries. Yet it was more bluesy and lyrics dealt with other themes than just the usual, girls, alcohol and violence. But what set them even more apart from their contemporaries was their t-shirt and jeans image, a 'street' look reminiscent of the Ramones (and other 70s punk groups) that was in strong contrast of the leather, spandex, and flashy-make type look of the time.
The band's early lifespan as City Kidd brought them considerable frustration, with them failing to break into the musical mainstream while also competing with another band with the same name. Their mutation into Tesla provided a clear shot at success. 'Mechanical Resonance', their debut that the boys released in 1986, became a commercial smash while also receiving significant critical praise. That album was certified platinum by the RIAA on October 5, 1989.
In total, the group has released six studio albums with original music, the latest of them being 2008's 'Forever More'. They have also created a a double-disc covers album, titled 'Real To Reel', as well as a number of compilations and live albums. Their sound has focused on a particularly melodic and accessible kind of hard rock with strong shades of classic heavy metal as well.
Tesla's popular 1990 remake of Signs, originally recorded by the Five Man Electrical Band (who also inspired the album which the remake came from, Five Man Acoustical Jam), is probably the most mainstream of Tesla's hits. However, many fans remember fondly Tesla's other hits such as Gettin' Better, Modern Day Cowboy, Little Suzi, Edison's Medicine and Love Song.
The band derived their name, certain album and song names (e.g. The Great Radio Controversy, Mechanical Resonance, etc), and some song content from events relating to Nikola Tesla, a Serbian-American inventor and electrical engineer born in the 19th century in Smiljan, Austria-Hungary, modern day Croatia.
Mama's Fool
Tesla Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Why must I be so, must I be so misunderstood
While my intentions, my intentions all are good
Wish only one time that things would turn out like they should
Just like they should
Too many times, too many times payin' the price, just for the thrill
Too many hearts, too many times, overkill
How many folks gettin' to be over the hill
She always told me things, like those weren't made of sugar and spice
She always scolded me, "Don't let the same dog bit you twice"
Well I, Lord I've just been fooled again
[Chorus]
Mama she raised no fool, you did not raise no fool
Mama I ain't no fool, I've just been fooled again
Mama she raised no fool, you did not raise no fool
Mama I ain't no fool, well I've just been fooled again
Too many lies, shame on the wives, too many cakes and eat it too
Too many hearts goin' straight down the tube
Hell of a dude, did it but don't have the time and the words for use
Too many rounds, too many times, overuse
She's always telling me, "Just take your time, always think twice"
Forever scolding me, "Don't let the same dog bit you twice"
Well I, hell I've just been fooled again
[Chorus]
Mama I ain't no fool
Oh, let me tell you if it happens again like it did next time
Somebody's gonna have to walk the line, walk the line!
She's always telling me, "Take my advice boy and just think twice"
Forever scolding me, "Don't let the same dog bit you twice"
Well I, Lord I won't be fooled again
Mama she raised no fool, you did not raise no fool
Mama I ain't no fool, I've just been fooled again
Mama she ain't no fool, I may be crazy but I ain't no fool
Mama you crazy fool, may be crazy but I ain't no fool
Crazy but I ain't no fool, may be crazy, I may be crazy
Crazy but I ain't no fool
Out in the cold, and a long long way from home
The lyrics of Tesla's song Mama's Fool express the feeling of being misunderstood despite having good intentions. The singer is tired of paying the price for his mistakes and wishes for things to turn out right for once. He reflects on how many times he has been fooled and how many hearts have been broken, as well as the many faces people wear and their true selves they reveal eventually. He recalls his mother's advice of not letting the same mistake happen twice, but admits that he has just been fooled again. He feels ashamed and angry and declares that he won't be fooled again.
The repetitive use of the phrase "too many" in the song emphasizes how the singer feels overwhelmed by the amount of lies, hearts, rounds, and faces he encounters. The mother figure in the chorus represents a symbol of wisdom, guidance, and care. Mama is portrayed as someone who raised no fools, but her son feels like one because of his repeated failures. Nonetheless, he tries to reassure himself that he may be crazy, but he ain't no fool. The last line of the song, "Out in the cold, and a long long way from home," brings a sense of loneliness and isolation to the singer's state of being as he feels lost and without direction.
Line by Line Meaning
Out on the road, and a long long way from home
I am far from home on the road.
Why must I be so, must I be so misunderstood
I feel misunderstood.
While my intentions, my intentions all are good
Despite being misunderstood, my intentions are good.
Wish only one time that things would turn out like they should
I wish things would work out as they should.
Just like they should
I want things to happen the way they're supposed to.
Too many times, too many times payin' the price, just for the thrill
I have paid the price many times for the thrill of something.
Too many hearts, too many times, overkill
Many hearts have been involved too many times.
So many times, double around, how many faces do reveal
Many times people change their faces.
How many folks gettin' to be over the hill
Many people are getting old.
She always told me things, like those weren't made of sugar and spice
My mother always warned me about things that are not easy.
She always scolded me, 'Don't let the same dog bit you twice'
My mother always scolded me for not learning from repeated mistakes.
Well I, Lord I've just been fooled again
I have been tricked again.
[Chorus]
The chorus repeats multiple times.
Too many lies, shame on the wives, too many cakes and eat it too
Too many lies and unfaithful wives who want the best of both worlds.
Too many hearts goin' straight down the tube
Too many hearts are getting broken.
Hell of a dude, did it but don't have the time and the words for use
A person who did something wrong but doesn't have time to explain.
Too many rounds, too many times, overuse
Too many things have been repeated too many times.
She's always telling me, 'Just take your time, always think twice'
My mother always advised me to take my time and think carefully.
Forever scolding me, 'Don't let the same dog bit you twice'
My mother always scolded me to learn from my mistakes and not repeat them.
Well I, hell I've just been fooled again
I have been fooled again.
[Chorus]
The chorus repeats multiple times.
Oh, let me tell you if it happens again like it did next time
If it happens again, someone will be held accountable.
Somebody's gonna have to walk the line, walk the line!
Someone will have to take responsibility for their actions.
Mama she raised no fool, you did not raise no fool
My mother did not raise me to be foolish.
Mama I ain't no fool, I've just been fooled again
I have been fooled but I am not a fool.
Mama she ain't no fool, I may be crazy but I ain't no fool
My mother is not foolish and neither am I.
Mama you crazy fool, may be crazy but I ain't no fool
My mother may be crazy but I am not a fool.
Crazy but I ain't no fool, may be crazy, I may be crazy
I may be crazy but I am not a fool.
Crazy but I ain't no fool
I may be crazy but I am not a fool.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: FRANK HANNON, JEFF KEITH
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Christopher N. Savage
on Getting' Better
A shame that you can't see the original video, but this tune has the passion and power to lift you up and brighten your day!!!!!