Pink Floyd – Mother

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Mother do you think they'll drop the bomb?
Mother do you think they'll like this song?
Mother do you think they'll try to break my balls?
Oooh, ahh
Mother should I build the wall?
Mother should I run for President?
Mother should I trust the government?
Mother will they put me in the firing mine?
Oooh ahh,
Is it just a waste of time?

Hush now baby, baby, don't you cry.
Mama's gonna make all your nightmares come true.
Mama's gonna put all her fears into you.
Mama's gonna keep you right here under her wing.
She won't let you fly, but she might let you sing.
Mama's gonna keep baby cozy and warm.
Ooooh baby, ooooh baby, oooooh baby,
Of course mama's gonna help build the wall.

Mother do you think she's good enough, for me?
Mother do you think she's dangerous, to me?
Mother will she tear your little boy apart?
Ooooh ah,
Mother will she break my heart?

Hush now baby, baby don't you cry.
Mama's gonna check out all your girlfriends for you.
Mama won't let anyone dirty get through.
Mama's gonna wait up until you get in.
Mama will always find out where you've been.
Mama's gonna keep baby healthy and clean.
Ooooh baby, oooh baby, oooh baby,
You'll always be baby to me.

Mother, did it need to be so high?

Send "Mother" Ringtone to Cell


Lyrics submitted by Demau Senae

Track duration: 06:07

"Mother" as written by Roger Waters

Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.

Lyrics powered by LyricFind


Mother song meanings
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118 Comments

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  • +1
    Song Meaning:I think the meaning is more literal...In the beginning of the song, child is asking his mother questions, from a child’s “a bit scared of the world” perspective. As the song goes on, and the child gets older, mother’s answers become creepy and controlling. It's about a parent not letting their child grow up to be independent.
    Flag KTM690ron January 15, 2013   Link
  • 0
    My Interpretation:I always thought this song was about Syd Barret and the sheltered life he lived after leaving the band.
    Flag caddi63on October 16, 2012   Link
    • 1 Reply
  • 0
    General Comment:I think the poster who mentioned Mother Russia is kind of right. I was just dicking around on my guitar, playing ths song, and as I was doing so, the double meaning of it came to me. Ostensibly it is about a mother's relationship with her son, but the subtext is that "mother" is a sort of Orwellian controlling entity, like a police state, where nothing "dirty gets through" and we are kept "healthy and clean" behind a wall. This is the sort of state that could conceivably arise if they do indeed "drop the bomb". A first-rate anti-war / protest song that only Floyd could merge with some f***ed-up Oedipus wrongness in there.
    Flag nonamerequiredon April 23, 2012   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I think mother is actually mother Russia.

    This whole song is about Russia isolating themselves behind the wall, and a critique of the communist ideology.

    which would make the last line make sense.
    Flag Bogcomon November 01, 2011   Link
  • +1
    General Comment:My view of it was always a person caught on the east side of the Wall. A child, talking to his mother about the repression on the East side.

    Mother do you think they'll drop the bomb - he was worried what russians would do.

    Mother do you think they'll try to break my balls - If he dont do as he's told he'll be in trouble.

    Ooooh aah, Mother should I build a wall - Should he become numb, stop having feelings.

    Mother should I run for president - Should I stand up for what i feel is right?

    Mother should I trust the government - exactualy what is says.

    Mother will they put me in the firing line - Will they kill me if i speak up?

    Is it a waste of time speaking up?

    Mother consoles child. Controlling. By saying your nightmares will come true if you don't behave.

    Mother will keep you under her wing,(Russia will keep you safe)

    She wont let you fly, but she will let you sing, (Russia will control you).

    The rest was always in my oppion about control till last verse where he asks

    "Mother, did it need to be so high" meaning did u need to be so controlling?


    This was always my picture of the song from when i was a child and the album was released.
    Maybe I was right in this, but personally i think now he wrote the song to have two meanings.




    Flag theMadCowon October 10, 2011   Link
    • 1 Reply
  • 0
    General Comment:One of you wrote that she over-protected him, keeping him too safe. But a mother who's overbearing and doesn't let go is using her son (because she's lonely, needy, terrified of being abaondoned, controlling, etc.) and anyone who uses someone this way - especially her child - isn't capable of providing true safety. That kind of safety is crippling, enabling, debilitating. And the weirdest part? I'm a mom of boys and can so see how easily I could slip into that role!! Thank goodness I'm conscious of it! I've even said to each of them "you'll always be my baby" (thinking of the children's book "I'll Love You Forever") and it wasn't until re-hearing this song tonight for the first time in years (Pearl Jam singing it on Jimmy Fallon - so awesome) and re-hearing the line "you'll always be baby to me" that I thought "OH GREAT!" These types of moms are moms who I would say have Borderline Personality Disorder - classic symptoms. Sorry for going so far into the over-analyzing here! ;) But anyway...damn it's a good song!
    Flagged Theresseon October 01, 2011   Link
  • -1
    General Comment:i love this song... pink floyd rocks...
    but im so lost... im trap/lost.. anybody out there?
    Flag mkeon September 06, 2011   Link
  • -1
    My Opinion:I thought that this song along with a great deal of The Wall album was actually about the Berlin Wall.
    Flag icebox365on July 07, 2011   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Question - why does the lyric say "should I run for President?"

    PF is English and they do not have a President (do they?)
    Flag ahollowayon May 18, 2011   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:this song is definitely not about a literal overprotective mother... think a little deeper
    Flag warriogirl21on March 16, 2011   Link
    • 1 Reply

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