Lyrics
My mama done told me
Advice or wisdom passed down from the speaker's mother
When I was in pig tails
A reference to the speaker's childhood
My mama done told me
Reiteration of the advice received from the mother
"Honey, a man's gonna sweet talk
Warning about men using charming words and gestures
And give you the big eye
Men using flirtatious behavior
But when that sweet talkin's done
Implying the superficiality of sweet talk
A man is a two-face, a worrisome thing
Men can have a deceptive nature
Who'll leave you to sing
Leaving one alone in difficult times
The blues in the night
Feeling of melancholy or sadness
Now the rain is a-fallin'
Setting the scene with rain falling
Hear the train a-callin'
Sound of a train in the distance
My mama done told me
Recalling the mother's advice in the current context
Hear that lonesome whistle
Loneliness emphasized by the sound of a train whistle
Blowin' 'cross the trestle
Train sound echoing across the bridge
My mama done told' me
Reaffirmation of maternal guidance
Ol' clickety-clack's a-echoin' back
Describing the train's rhythmic sound
The blues in the night
Association of train sounds with the feeling of blues
The evenin' breeze'll start the trees to cryin'
Nature's response to melancholy with crying trees and hidden moonlight
And the moon will hide it's light
Symbolism of the moon concealing its brightness
When you get the blues in the night
Experiencing sadness and melancholy
Take my word, the mockingbird'll the sing
Metaphorically comparing the mockingbird's song to a sad melody
The saddest kind of song
Understanding and expressing sorrow
He knows things are wrong and he's right
Recognition of the mockingbird's correctness in sensing distress
And from Natchez to Mobil
Mentioning various locations
From Memphis to St. Joe
Reference to specific cities along with geographical diversity
Wherever the four winds blow
Indication of widespread experiences
I've been in some big towns
Reflecting on experiences in big cities
And heard me some big talk
Hearing boastful talk in metropolitan areas
But there is one thing that I know
Stating a certainty despite experiences
A man is a two-face, a worrisome thing
Reiteration of the unsettling nature of men
Who'll leave you to sing
Leaving one alone in moments of hardship
The blues in the night
Expression of melancholic emotions
From Natchez to Mobil
Repeating the mention of different locations
From Memphis to St. Joe
Reiterating specific cities
Wherever the four winds blow
Emphasizing diverse experiences
I've been in some big towns
Reflection on encounters in urban areas
And heard a lot of talking
Hearing abundant conversations
But there is one thing that I know
Stating a known truth despite observations
A man is a two-face, a worrisome thing
Reiteration of men's unreliable nature
Who'll leave you to sing
Leaving one alone to endure sorrowful moments
The blues in the night
Expressing the recurring theme of experiencing sadness and melancholy
Talking about the blues in the night
Reiteration of discussing the melancholic feelings
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