I was born from love
And my poor mother worked the mines
I was raised on the Good Book Jesus
Till I read between the lines
Now I don't believe

I wanna to see the morning
Going down the stoney end
I never wanted to go
Down the stoney end
Mama, let me start all over
Cradle me, Mama, cradle me again

And I can still remember him
With love light in his eyes
But the light flickered out and parted

As the sun began to rise
Now I don't believe
I want to see the morning
Going down the stoney end
That I never wanted to go
Down the stoney end

Mama, let me start all over
Cradle me, Mama, cradle me again
(Cradle me, Mama, cradle me again
Mama, cradle me again)

Never mind the forecast
'Cause the sky has lost control
'Cause the furry and the broken thunders

Come to match my raging soul
Now I don't believe
I wanna to see the morning
Going down the stoney end

I never wanted to go
Down the stoney and
Mama, let me start all over
Cradle me, Mama, cradle me again
(Going down the stoney end
I never wanted to go
I never wanted to go)

I never wanted to go
Mama
I never wanted to go

(Going down the stoney end
I never wanted to go
I never wanted to go)


Lyrics submitted by elixir808, edited by Gr33nman

Stoney End Lyrics as written by Laura Nyro

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC

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Stoney End song meanings
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4 Comments

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  • +1
    General Comment

    I think the first part of the song is about her losing faith in something, or maybe rebelling against something she shouldn't had. Either way she learned the hard way that she was wrong she went down "The Stoney End" and even though she did something wrong her mother was there to pick up the pieces and make her ok again.

    The second part of the song is about her losing her virginity and falling in love with a man she thought she knew. Then he left her broken and sad, so she went back to her mother and her mother made everythng alright again.

    The last verse is a little hrd for me to understand. I think maybe she's talking about her experiences in her life and how she's learned from them and how she's taken the hard way around but her mother was always there for her.

    It's a homage to mothers basically! LOL! I love this song and Barbra. I can' believe I'm the first to comment about it. I think everyone can relate to this song, I mean, all of our mothers or mother figures have always saved our butts at some point in our lives! LOL!

    dustinatoron July 28, 2008   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    It's been said that this song is about Laura's struggle with her lesbianism.

    Anyway, I have become addicted to this song. Streisand whails in the middle in a way she never has.

    eddieshitswilliamson June 29, 2010   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    I think the song is in essence about wanting a second chance - having lost faith and lost love, having had every step thats led to this point turn out to be a bad decision - the writer feels they are on a downward spiral, a damn slippery slope if you will. I think she is asking for a do-over because she can't see how to fix it, she's got no options left and so is "going down the stoney end". She'd love nothing more than to be a baby in her mothers arms again - there would be no worries for her and her mother would take care of her once more, giving her a chance to do it all over and get it right this time. Thats how I interpret the song anyway...

    Pajamyon June 17, 2013   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    I swear at certain times she's singing the phrase "cradle me" it sounds like she's saying "crader me" a little too blatantly. Probably her accent but it's always bugged me.

    dylaniteon May 22, 2023   Link

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