We came down from the north
Blue hands and a torch
Red wine and food for free
A possibility
We share our mothers' health
It is what we've been dealt
What's in it for me
Fine
Then I'll agree

Trees there will be
Apples, fruits maybe
You know what I fear
The end is always near

You say you like it
You say you need it
When you don't
Looking better
Shining brighter
Than you do


Lyrics submitted by sh4vo

We Share Our Mother's Health Lyrics as written by Olof Bjorn Dreijer Karin Elizabeth Dreijer Andersson

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group

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We Share Our Mother's Health song meanings
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  • +6
    General Comment

    This song is clearly about the conflict between the enviromentalism and consumptionism, the female voice represents the first while the male voice represents the second.

    We came down from the north Blue hands and a torch Red wine and food for free A possibility We share our mothers' health It is what we've been dealt What's in it for me? Fine Then I'll agree

    Trees there will be Apples, fruits maybe You know what I fear The end is always near

    The utopia here is man couping with the nature, a simple life our ancestors led thousands of years ago. When food had to be grown, and the life was short, and unsure. This passage is song by a woman's voice because women are more intune with the nature than men can ever be (figure yourselves why is that).

    Say you like it Say you need it When you don't Looking better Shining brighter Than you do

    The part that is being sung by a man, cuts in suddenly, and is louder than the woman's voice. It clearly represents the ideas that are almost fundamental in our western culture: consumption ("say you need and want it when you don't") the constant improvement that makes our science, and the strife to become the best (being famous is a clear symbol of that, shining better than others, even when in fact, you're not better than an ordinary joe).

    Now the mens voice overpowers the female voice, that can be read as the dominance of men in the western culture, which pushed the woman back, at the same time pushed nature away. We made it submit to human needs, we produce more than we need, we have doctors and medicine so our lifes have greatly improved.

    But is everthing ok? the title of this song seems to hint that there is a price we pay for all of this. And that we have hurt the planet and ourselves in the process, thus "We share our Mothers Health"

    sbtoon September 10, 2007   Link
  • +4
    General Comment

    Oh yea, and the male vocals challenge the female verses.

    "Say you like it Say you need it When you don't Looking better Shining brighter Than you do "

    Rather condescending - almost oppressing.

    Political power is usually in the hands of men.

    anaisconceon January 04, 2007   Link
  • +3
    General Comment

    I think it's about selling your belives, opinions and culture for what you think will be a better life. But the morale is that you we're better of before. You shouldn't try to sell your soul to the devil, be happy with what you have been born into... You could link it to when cristianity made it's first apperance in Sweden.

    "We came down from the north Blue hands and a torch"

    From Sweden/Scandinavia, norse/viking. Cold and dark winters.

    "Red wine and food for free A possibility"

    Applying that you could get it, if you only did...

    "We share our mothers' health It is what we've been dealt"

    We're born into poverty, riches, culture etc. We share the same faith as our parents.

    "What's in it for me? Fine Then I'll agree"

    I'll do what you want as long as I get a better life myself. I don't want to be as my parents...

    "Say you like it Say you need it When you don't"

    You're stuck with the deal you made, and your new master is controling you. But you're having regrets.

    "Looking better Shining brighter Than you do"

    I'm better than you/My life is better than yours

    bugoffon March 12, 2007   Link
  • +3
    General Comment

    To me this song is obviously about consumerism or more so, over consumerism with ties to the late eighth to early eleventh century Scandinavian explorers/warriors who raided and colonized wide areas of Europe. These particular lyrics are relevant today when keeping in mind the definition of consumerism (the equation of personal happiness with consumption and the purchase of material possessions) that is the standard form modern happiness. maybe

    mikemilleringon October 01, 2009   Link
  • +2
    General Comment

    Hmmm, i find the given explenations very good...

    My own interpretation before reading these was that is symbolizes how humanity lost its respect for mother earth with poluting it and destroying the nature.

    We share our mothers health would mean we share the health of the planet we live on.

    But i think the things stated above me here are more logical or maybe these should be integrated in one.

    teqfreakon January 06, 2007   Link
  • +2
    General Comment

    I think it's about Swedish socialism.

    Red wine and food for free.

    flyphoenixxon April 28, 2007   Link
  • +2
    Song Meaning

    Though I'm not an expert on song meanings, this song I think I can try a thought.

    The first time I heard this song, I had no idea what it was about. But after seeing the video and listening to the lyrics I found that this to be an example of how we act directly reflects the status of the planet. "We came down from the north" might not necessarily represent truly moving from the north but actually represent the birth of humanity. "Blue hands and a torch" may simply be representing life of all people. "Red wine and food for free A possibility" might be a symbol of all mother earth has given us since the beginning. "We share our mothers' health" would describe that what we do effects the planet as well. "What's in it for me? Fine Then I'll agree" this phrase immediately brought on the idea of a trait every human being has, wants.

    "Trees there will be Apples, fruits maybe You know what I fear The end is always near" this statement seems to describe that the earth HAS indeed given us what we need to live. but when peoples greed is present, not all can continue on.

    When the male's voice comes in, I didn't think that it was contradicting the first, but only supporting "it further. Say you like it Say you need it When you don't" would mean that over time, humans have gotten greedier. this has caused events to happen that have not only harmed humans, but their earth as well. "Looking better Shining brighter Than you do" would refer to the superficial bliss that humans have gained by destroying the earth. But as the earth dies, humans die.

    So "We share our mothers' health"

    randomvisitoron February 25, 2011   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    I'm pretty sure it's mainly about the artist's homeland Sweden ["we came down from the north"].

    "we share our mother's health" is refering to the welfare legacy of the country which they also question in the song.

    Badoneon October 16, 2006   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    This song is about their mother dying, they are brother and sister and wrote it just after her death.

    jacs5on September 05, 2007   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    just a thought on "We share our mother's health"-

    Every child is born with passive immunity. That is, antibodies from the mother are passed to the unborn baby through the placenta. Also, breast milk contains antibodies. That immunity decreases trough time, but that is why We share our mother's health!...

    I just thought it was a neat chorus, never imagined the sociocultural implications of such lyrics,'couse I thought there was none! ;)

    wingedoneon November 06, 2008   Link

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