They recorded for the major Jamaican producers at the time, including Coxsone Dodd of Studio One fame. The Heptones had a number of Jamaican hits for Studio One, including "Pretty Looks Isn't All", "Fattie Fattie" and "I Hold the Handle." They went on to record with Joe Gibbs, Harry J (Harry Johnson), and Rupie Edwards. In 1977, they recorded "Party Time" for Lee Perry, one of Perry's finest productions, which included a version of Bob Dylan's "I Shall Be Released."
Sibbles left the group in 1977 to start a successful solo career. He was replaced by Naggo Morris. After Sibbles left, the group's popularity waned. The original trio reunited in 1995 and released Pressure! produced by Tappa Zukie
Mama Say
The Heptones Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
son, I ain't got no food today
tit for tat, butter for fish
there's a little porridge in the dish
mama say
son, you've got to stay home today
there's a hole in the roof
son, daddy left you were from you were four
I've got to struggle 'cos I am poor
she said, food is a very hard thing to find
sometime I feel like I'm going out of my mind
mama say
son, today look like a rainy day
but the food I ain't got enough
rain a fall but dutty tough'
The Heptones's song "Mama Say" is a beautiful and poignant ode to the struggles of everyday life, poverty, and hardships. The song begins with the mother of the singer speaking to him, telling him "son, I ain't got no food today." This introduction sets the tone of the entire song, which is one of struggle, despair, and the overwhelming feeling of being trapped in poverty. The mother's words are a heartbreaking attempt to prepare her son for a life of struggle and want, and she reminds him that sometimes in life, you just have to make do with what you have. The line "tit for tat, butter for fish, there's a little porridge in the dish" is a symbolic reminder of the need to be grateful for what little you have since sometimes, that is all that life will give you.
The second verse of the song continues with the theme of poverty and difficult times. The mother tells her son that he cannot go to school today because there is a hole in the roof that he needs to help her fix. She reminds him of how hard life has been for them since his father left them, and she struggles every day to put food on the table. The line "sometimes I feel like I'm going out of my mind" is a heartbreaking reminder of how devastating poverty and hardship can be on one's mental health. The final verse of the song continues with the theme of hardship and reminds the listener that even when it rains, the tough still get dirty. This line is a reminder that even when things seem to be getting better, life can still be tough and challenging.
Line by Line Meaning
mama say
The mother speaks and imparts some advice to her son.
son, I ain't got no food today
The mother tells her son that there's no food to eat for the day.
tit for tat, butter for fish
The mother suggests that one good turn deserves another.
there's a little porridge in the dish
Although there's only a little bit of porridge left, it is all that they have to eat.
son, you've got to stay home today
The mother tells her son that he cannot go out today.
there's a hole in the roof
The house has some damages that need to be fixed.
you've got to make it waterproof
It is the son's responsibility to prevent rainwater from coming in through the damaged roof.
son, daddy left you were from you were four
The mother reminds her son that his father abandoned them when he was still a child.
I've got to struggle 'cos I am poor
The mother explains that they struggle financially because of their poverty.
she said, food is a very hard thing to find
The mother expresses the difficulty in finding food to sustain themselves.
sometime I feel like I'm going out of my mind
The mother admits that the struggles are taking a toll on her mental well-being.
son, today look like a rainy day
The mother warns her son that it will be a rainy day.
but the food I ain't got enough
Unfortunately, there is not enough food to eat despite the rainy weather.
rain a fall but dutty tough
The rainy weather may bring some hardship, but they must persevere through it.
Contributed by Isabella J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Jonathan Binns
I used to play this riddim and song over and over when it came out, such a irie irie tune. This record could never grow cold it is a continual classic throughout the ages...😉😉😉😉
winston miller
Like all classics, "Mamma Say" will last forever.
This tune moved me whenever I heard it played at various venue during my raving times.
It would still move me today if I heard it played somewhere, but the club and blues party scene is not what it usedto be, still...
John E Harvey Jr.
A real classic! Love it.
Chris Cole
Lovely tune. The UK version has the female background vocals. I'm lucky to have them both 🙂🙂.
madhusudan
Was actually searching for "Love Won't Come Easy" (now I remember the title) so I typed in "Mamma Say" and got to hear this classic. Excellent mistake on my part!
Rocco M
absolutely magnifico.
Andrew Gordon
The movie Black Joy bought me here, for those who haven't seen the movie, totally hilarious. R.I.P. to the actor Norman Beaton who star's in the movie Black Joy.
Leroy Holmes
Brilliant movie 'BLACK JOY',
features a Brixton you'll never see again, those were the Marcus Garvey days.
Thanks for the recall.
🇯🇲🖤🇧🇴🥁🔥🔥🔥🆙🙏🏿
Troy Lewis
I lived it.. Im of that age.
Oliv Szf
.... Timeless Crucial 😊