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I Want to Be the Boy to Warm Your Mother's Heart
The White Stripes Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

I want to be the boy to warm your mother's heart
I'm so scared to take you away
I tried to win her over right from the start
But something always got in the way
We've been sitting in your backyard for hours
But she won't even come out and say hi
While my mother baked a little cake for you
And even dreaded when you said goodbye

What kind of cartwheels do I have to pull?
What kind of joke should I lay on her now?
I'm inclined to go finish high school
Just to make her notice that I'm around

Well nothing I come up with seems to work
It feels like everything I say is a lie
And never have I felt like such a jerk
I'm afraid to even open my eyes
Because I really don't want her to judge me
I want her to really know who I am
And the, and only then will she love me
Well at least that was the plan

If ever a boy needed a holiday
If ever a girl needed someone to hold
I just hope I don't act the same way
By the time that I get that old

I never said I was the heir to a fortune
I never claimed to have any looks
But these kind of things must be important
Because somebody ripped out my page
In your telephone book

I want to warm her heart

Overall Meaning

The song "I Want to Be the Boy to Warm Your Mother's Heart" by The White Stripes is a poignant reflection on the desire to be accepted by the important people in someone's life. The song centers around the singer's attempt to win over the mother of the person they are interested in, but despite their efforts, they never seem to gain her approval. The singer expresses their fear of taking their love interest away from their mother and their frustration at the obstacles preventing them from forming a connection with her. They feel like a failure and are unsure of how to proceed, continually questioning what they need to do to win her over.


The lyrics also highlight the importance of appearances and social status in forming relationships. The singer acknowledges that they do not have much to offer in terms of wealth or attractiveness, but something about those qualities seems to matter when it comes to winning over this particular mother. The singer's struggle speaks to the anxieties many people face when trying to impress others, especially those who are important to someone they care about.


Overall, the lyrics of "I Want to Be the Boy to Warm Your Mother's Heart" showcase The White Stripes' signature blend of raw emotion and relatable storytelling, rendering a moving commentary on the universal human experience of navigating relationships.


Line by Line Meaning

I want to be the boy to warm your mother's heart
I want to make a good impression on your mother and have her approve of me.


I'm so scared to take you away
I'm afraid to take you away from your mother and have her disapprove of me.


I tried to win her over right from the start
I've been trying to make a good impression on your mother since I met her.


But something always got in the way
But every time I try, something seems to happen and I can't win her over.


We've been sitting in your backyard for hours
We've been spending a lot of time together, but your mother hasn't come out to talk to us.


But she won't even come out and say hi
Your mother hasn't even acknowledged my presence or attempted to make conversation.


While my mother baked a little cake for you
Meanwhile, my mother prepared a special treat for you to show her affection.


And even dreaded when you said goodbye
She even felt sad when you left, as she has grown fond of you.


What kind of cartwheels do I have to pull?
What kind of extravagant efforts or displays do I have to make to impress your mother?


What kind of joke should I lay on her now?
What kind of humorous or lighthearted comment can I make to break the tension and make her like me?


I'm inclined to go finish high school
I'm feeling so inadequate that I'm considering going back to school to improve my standing in her eyes.


Just to make her notice that I'm around
Just to get her to acknowledge me and take me seriously as a potential suitor for her daughter.


Well nothing I come up with seems to work
None of my attempts to impress her or make her like me have been successful.


It feels like everything I say is a lie
I feel like I'm being dishonest or insincere in my attempts to win her over.


And never have I felt like such a jerk
I've never felt so foolish or embarrassed in my attempts to impress a girl's mother.


I'm afraid to even open my eyes
I'm scared to see the judgment or disapproval in her eyes when she looks at me.


Because I really don't want her to judge me
Because I really want her approval and acceptance.


I want her to really know who I am
I want her to see me for who I am and recognize my good qualities.


And the, and only then will she love me
And only then will she accept me as a suitable partner for her daughter.


Well at least that was the plan
That was what I had hoped for and envisioned, but it's not working out that way.


If ever a boy needed a holiday
If ever a boy needed a break or time off to recover from the stress of trying to impress a girl's mother,


If ever a girl needed someone to hold
If ever a girl needed someone to support and comfort her,


I just hope I don't act the same way
I just hope I don't become as hard to please and judgmental when I'm older.


By the time that I get that old
When I'm older and in a position to judge my daughter's suitors, I hope I'll be more open-minded and understanding.


I never said I was the heir to a fortune
I never claimed to be rich or come from a wealthy family.


I never claimed to have any looks
I never boasted about my physical appearance or attractiveness.


But these kind of things must be important
But these things must matter to your mother and influence her opinion of me.


Because somebody ripped out my page
Because somebody has deliberately cut me out of your mother's life and made it clear I'm not welcome.




Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: JACK WHITE

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Robyn


on Candy Cane Children

The meaning of this song is basically saying the older you get, the less fun Christmas becomes usually do to adulthood. The lines "don't you know your name?...", probably refers to the adults telling kids to grow up as if they're saying "Do you know how old you are? You're getting too old for this stuff." Probably why he put the lines "nobody knows how to talk to children". Also, he puts the lines "think again" after a thought of one of the kids thinking of wishing to participate in Christmas activities. As if they're thinking "Yeah I probably AM too old for this.." "364 more tears girl" the sadness of getting older. Not participating feels like a missed opportunity and causes even more sadness..

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