In regards to the meaning of this song:
Before a live performance on the EP Five Stories Falling, Geoff states “It’s about the last time I went to visit my grandmother in Columbus, and I saw that she was dying and it was the last time I was going to see her. It is about realizing how young you are, but how quickly you can go.”
That’s the thing about Geoff and his sublime poetry, you think it’s about one thing, but really it’s about something entirely different. But the lyrics are still universal and omnipresent, ubiquitous, even. So relatable. That’s one thing I love about this band. I also love their live performances, raw energy and Geoff’s beautiful, imperfectly perfect vocals. His voice soothes my aching soul.
Young mothers
That's right
I feel ya (hey)
I know how it is
(MAMA's JUST A LIL' GIRL)
Don't nobody understand
I feel ya
[Verse 1: Tupac]
She was ..
Born A heavy set girl with pig tails and curls
A heart full of gold
Still it won't change the world
Though she could never understand why
Some underhanded plans, witnessed a man die
Was only 15
Should have been a beauty queen
Still see here crying by the caskets when here parents got killed
Little girl don't cry
'Coz even though they died
You can best believe they watching over thee from the sky
Never asked for this misery
But look at what you gettin'
It's a blessing in disguise
When you find out your pregnant
No money, no home
And even though you all alone
You'se got to do this on your own
So baby go on
I wish you luck
And if you need me, call
Just come to me and let me feed you all
I can understand
The way it feels when you fighting the world
Facing all this drama
When mama's just A little girl
[Chorus]
Mama
Don't know why
Mama's just a little girl
Livin' as she is aint right
Time ain't on her side
Mama's just a little girl
(Mama's just a little girl)
She gotta hold her head up high
[Verse 2: Tupac]
At 16 what a beautiful thing
The very essence of a jet black ebony queen
And who could tell she would get pregnant at an early age
She didn't listen, had sex
Watch her belly raise (hey)
Got violated by someone she dated
If this is fate I hate to see the seed she created
So we wait, though it takes time to build the body and the mind
She reclines 9 months
Then finally its time
What do we find?
A little grown boy a mind with a tortured soul
Addicted to a life of crime at no time of the growing stage
He learned his values on the streets at an early age
Watch for police
Don't come home (why)
'Coz mammas acting crazy
At the hospital
'Bout to have another baby
Like the rose from concrete
Grown within
Blessed with twins
How the hell can mamma raise 3 men
So we began a closest family
Such insanity
A happy home
For one act inhumanity
Plus mammas said the seed was corrupted
Used the rubber belly
Begging us to breathe if she love us
Now mamma sits quiet
Sipping peppermint schnapps
Turned the house into a spot and made her watch for cops (hey)
How could mamma bring a thug like me into this world?
She ain't the cause of all the drama
Cause mommas just a little girl
[Chorus]
Mama
Don't know why
Mama's just a little girl
Livin' as she is aint right
Time ain't on her side
Cause mama's just a little girl
(Mama's just a little girl)
She gotta hold her head up high
(How could she raise us)
[Verse 3: Tupac]
Now
Would she remain in the same spot?
The gunshots rang, they came from the cane spot
Now look here
I see her clutching her son
In her arms she hurt
Her heart bleeding as she watched her seed die in the dirt
Fulfill prophecy
But who could stop the grief?
I walk around trying to hold the world up on top me
Probably be an innocent man
But still I'm the victim of a curse
What could be worse?
Nothing but pain
Since my birth, taught me functions at the pen
Cause everybody's in paying back society
I'm guilty of a life of sin
I watched the drama occur
My eyes blurred 'fore I jet it
I wonder why we all have to die for we get it
Though we shed tears
So many peers I done buried
Worried and scared
Knowing I'ma see the cemetery
Must be prepared in this cold world
No-one cares
No it ain't fair
But we all there
And do our share
In this land of underhanded schemes and plans
Vivid dreams of a nigga having g's in hand
Mamma told me not to be a punk
Fuck what you talking about coward
What you niggas want?
(hey)
They ain't a thing I wouldn't do for my mamma in this world
Cause you know I ain't mad at cha
You' just a little girl
See mammas just a little girl
(hey hey)
[Chorus]
[Repeat until fade]
Mama
don't know why
Mama's just a little girl
Given that she is or not
time ain't on here side
mama's just a little girl
(mama's just a little girl)
she gotta hold her head up high
[Tupac Talking]
They ask us why we mutilate each other like we do
And wonder why we hold such little worth for human life
Facing all this drama
But to ask us why we to turn from bad to worse
Is to ignore from which we came
You see you wouldn't ask why the rose that grew from the concrete had damaged petals
On the contrary
We would all celebrate its tenacity
We would all love its will to reach the sun
Well
We are the roses (echo)
This is the concrete (echo)
And these are my damaged petals (echo)
Don't ask me why (echo)
Thank god nigga (echo)
Ask me how (echo)
(hahaha)
You see, mama's just a little girl
That's right
I feel ya (hey)
I know how it is
(MAMA's JUST A LIL' GIRL)
Don't nobody understand
I feel ya
[Verse 1: Tupac]
She was ..
Born A heavy set girl with pig tails and curls
A heart full of gold
Still it won't change the world
Though she could never understand why
Some underhanded plans, witnessed a man die
Was only 15
Should have been a beauty queen
Still see here crying by the caskets when here parents got killed
Little girl don't cry
'Coz even though they died
You can best believe they watching over thee from the sky
Never asked for this misery
But look at what you gettin'
It's a blessing in disguise
When you find out your pregnant
No money, no home
And even though you all alone
You'se got to do this on your own
So baby go on
I wish you luck
And if you need me, call
Just come to me and let me feed you all
I can understand
The way it feels when you fighting the world
Facing all this drama
When mama's just A little girl
[Chorus]
Mama
Don't know why
Mama's just a little girl
Livin' as she is aint right
Time ain't on her side
Mama's just a little girl
(Mama's just a little girl)
She gotta hold her head up high
[Verse 2: Tupac]
At 16 what a beautiful thing
The very essence of a jet black ebony queen
And who could tell she would get pregnant at an early age
She didn't listen, had sex
Watch her belly raise (hey)
Got violated by someone she dated
If this is fate I hate to see the seed she created
So we wait, though it takes time to build the body and the mind
She reclines 9 months
Then finally its time
What do we find?
A little grown boy a mind with a tortured soul
Addicted to a life of crime at no time of the growing stage
He learned his values on the streets at an early age
Watch for police
Don't come home (why)
'Coz mammas acting crazy
At the hospital
'Bout to have another baby
Like the rose from concrete
Grown within
Blessed with twins
How the hell can mamma raise 3 men
So we began a closest family
Such insanity
A happy home
For one act inhumanity
Plus mammas said the seed was corrupted
Used the rubber belly
Begging us to breathe if she love us
Now mamma sits quiet
Sipping peppermint schnapps
Turned the house into a spot and made her watch for cops (hey)
How could mamma bring a thug like me into this world?
She ain't the cause of all the drama
Cause mommas just a little girl
[Chorus]
Mama
Don't know why
Mama's just a little girl
Livin' as she is aint right
Time ain't on her side
Cause mama's just a little girl
(Mama's just a little girl)
She gotta hold her head up high
(How could she raise us)
[Verse 3: Tupac]
Now
Would she remain in the same spot?
The gunshots rang, they came from the cane spot
Now look here
I see her clutching her son
In her arms she hurt
Her heart bleeding as she watched her seed die in the dirt
Fulfill prophecy
But who could stop the grief?
I walk around trying to hold the world up on top me
Probably be an innocent man
But still I'm the victim of a curse
What could be worse?
Nothing but pain
Since my birth, taught me functions at the pen
Cause everybody's in paying back society
I'm guilty of a life of sin
I watched the drama occur
My eyes blurred 'fore I jet it
I wonder why we all have to die for we get it
Though we shed tears
So many peers I done buried
Worried and scared
Knowing I'ma see the cemetery
Must be prepared in this cold world
No-one cares
No it ain't fair
But we all there
And do our share
In this land of underhanded schemes and plans
Vivid dreams of a nigga having g's in hand
Mamma told me not to be a punk
Fuck what you talking about coward
What you niggas want?
(hey)
They ain't a thing I wouldn't do for my mamma in this world
Cause you know I ain't mad at cha
You' just a little girl
See mammas just a little girl
(hey hey)
[Chorus]
[Repeat until fade]
Mama
don't know why
Mama's just a little girl
Given that she is or not
time ain't on here side
mama's just a little girl
(mama's just a little girl)
she gotta hold her head up high
[Tupac Talking]
They ask us why we mutilate each other like we do
And wonder why we hold such little worth for human life
Facing all this drama
But to ask us why we to turn from bad to worse
Is to ignore from which we came
You see you wouldn't ask why the rose that grew from the concrete had damaged petals
On the contrary
We would all celebrate its tenacity
We would all love its will to reach the sun
Well
We are the roses (echo)
This is the concrete (echo)
And these are my damaged petals (echo)
Don't ask me why (echo)
Thank god nigga (echo)
Ask me how (echo)
(hahaha)
You see, mama's just a little girl
Lyrics submitted by Avatar-rock
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