“Life In Song” #13: “Mama’s Boy” was inspired by a kid named Billy who got on the bus every morning with the most studied attitude of “cool”. He was one of the tough kids at school who over the years had made my life miserable. I was a classic bully target for most of my school days. But I started imagining that when this tough kid was at home his mother didn’t see him as a punk, he was probably her little Billy. So I kind of spun the character out from there… As far as I know this is the first time I’ve recorded this song. This is the final song I wrote in 1977 so it completes my first full year as a singer/songwriter. So while it’s not one of my personal favorites, it is at least PRESERVED and a full part of the Life In Song Project! Enjoy :o)
Oh, and one more thing, in case you’re thinking of having children…don’t name any of your kids “Billy”. It’s only one letter away from “Bully”. Just a suggestion…
PLEASE! Use headphones or decent speakers to listen to this instead of your tinny little computer speakers. It’s recorded in crystal clear digital sound and the headphones really make a difference!
Video:
Audio:
To get a downloadable mp3 file for your personal use Get Your Back Stage Pass! (it’s free for a limited time) and you get unlimited downloads of the entire Life in Song Project.
Lyrics:
Mama’s Boy | Song #13 | December 1977
He slurps his soggy cereal
And shoves off for school
Moving slow is his rule
The yellow bus beats him to the stop
But decides to wait
He gets on as if his dignity’s at stake…
Refrain:
Ooooo His mother loves him
Ooooo his mother loves him
When he’s deposited at school
He goes in cool…
It’s a personal rule to never look like a fool
And as he’s walking down the hall
He thinks bathroom stall
Obscenities on to the wall…
Refrain:
He never carries books because
They would spoil his looks
Ooo he’s so cool
His clothes are made from faded denim
If they rip no one’s allowed to mend them
Only an act of god (or dad) can end them…
Refrain:
He’s the owner of a Marvel comics switchblade
He tests it out on the lunch his mom made
Ooo it really makes the grade
He’s a classic example of over achieving
He takes advanced basket weaving
At the end of his 12 year in school….
He won’t be leaving
Refrain:
Tuning: Standard
“Mama’s Boy” by Mark Shepard is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License
.
Get Your Back Stage Pass! (it’s free for a limited time) and you get unlimited downloads of the entire Life in Song Project