Oh, Mama
Love's Journey Through Life: Oh, Mama by Aoife O'DonovanLyrics
When I was a barmaid, you were my mead
Recalling a past role as a barmaid, expressing a connection with the listener (referred to as "you") as a source of comfort, akin to mead.
When I was a brave knight, you were my steed
Metaphorically describing the listener as a supportive figure during a phase of bravery, playing the role of a steed.
When I was so lonesome I wanted to cry
Reflecting on a period of intense loneliness, expressing a desire to cry, and acknowledging the presence of the listener during that vulnerable moment.
You came to me in the night
Describing a comforting visitation from the listener during a night of emotional distress.
You cried, 'oh Mama, sing me a love song'
The speaker recalls a moment when they cried out to the listener ("Mama") for comfort, requesting a love song and bourbon while feeling emotionally low.
Pour me some bourbon and lay me down low
Desire for solace and the soothing effect of bourbon, emphasizing a need to be laid down low, possibly seeking escape from emotional turmoil.
And ooh baby, my poor heart is breaking
Expressing emotional pain and heartbreak, with a plea for comfort and understanding.
I feel the ground shaking right under my feet
Sensing instability or turmoil, with the ground metaphorically shaking beneath the speaker's feet, possibly indicating emotional upheaval.
Just put me to sleep
An earnest request to be put to sleep, possibly seeking respite from emotional distress.
When I was a sailor, you were my land
Depicting a role reversal where the speaker becomes a sailor, and the listener becomes a stable point of reference, akin to land.
Always receding nowhere to stand
Highlighting a sense of instability and lack of a fixed position, with nowhere to stand, possibly alluding to a transient or unsettled period.
And when I fell over, you were the whale
Describing the listener as a supportive force, like a whale, helping the speaker in times of falling or failure.
You picked me up on your tail
Depicting a comforting gesture from the listener, picking up the speaker metaphorically using the whale's tail.
You cried, 'oh Mama, sing me a love song'
Repetition of the cry for comfort from "Mama," along with a desire for a love song and bourbon in times of emotional need.
Pour me some bourbon and lay me down low
Reiteration of the desire for bourbon and a plea to be laid down low, emphasizing the need for solace.
And ooh baby, my poor heart is breaking
Continued expression of heartbreak and emotional pain, seeking comfort and understanding from the listener.
I feel the ground shaking right under my feet
Perception of the ground shaking beneath, hinting at emotional instability or upheaval.
Just put me to sleep
Repetition of the plea to be put to sleep, possibly indicating a yearning for relief from emotional distress.
When I was a farmer, you were my rain
Switching roles again, where the speaker becomes a farmer, and the listener becomes essential as rain for nurturing.
When I was your lover, you were my pain
Describing the listener as both a lover and a source of pain, acknowledging the complexities of the relationship.
When all the fireflies that
Referring to fireflies trapped in jars, possibly symbolizing captured moments, and acknowledging their release under the stars.
We trapped in jars
Continuation of the imagery of fireflies escaping, suggesting a sense of liberation or letting go.
Escaped last night under the stars
Describing the escape of fireflies under the stars, possibly symbolizing a release from constraints or embracing freedom.
You cried, 'oh Mama, sing me a love song'
Reiteration of the cry for comfort from "Mama," accompanied by a desire for a love song and bourbon, portraying emotional vulnerability.
Pour me some bourbon and lay me down low
Repetition of the desire for bourbon and the need to be laid down low, emphasizing the seeking of solace.
And ooh baby, my poor heart is breaking
Continued expression of heartbreak and emotional pain, seeking comfort and understanding from the listener.
I feel the ground shaking right under my feet
Perception of the ground shaking beneath, hinting at emotional instability or upheaval.
Just put me to sleep
Repetition of the plea to be put to sleep, possibly indicating a yearning for relief from emotional distress.
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