The song lyrics were written by the band Van Halen, as they were asked to write a song for the 1979 movie "Over the Edge" starring Matt Dillon. The movie (and the lyrics, although more obliquely) are about bored, rebellious youth with nothing better to do than get into trouble. If you see the movie, these lyrics will make more sense. It's a great movie if you grew up in the 70s/80s you'll definitely remember some of these characters from your own life. Fun fact, after writing the song, Van Halen decided not to let the movie use it.
Times have changed and times are strange
Here I come, but I ain't the same
Mama, I'm coming home
Times gone by, seems to be
You could have been a better friend to me
Mama, I'm coming home
You took me in and you drove me out
Yeah, you had me hypnotized, yeah
Lost and found and turned around
By the fire in your eyes
You made me cry, you told me lies
But I can't stand to say goodbye
Mama, I'm coming home
I could be right, I could be wrong
It hurts so bad, it's been so long
Mama, I'm coming home
Selfish love, yeah, we're both alone
The ride before the fall, yeah
But I'm gonna take this heart of stone
I just got to have it all
I've seen your face a hundred times
Every day we've been apart
I don't care about the sunshine, yeah
'Cause mama, mama, I'm coming home
I'm coming home
You took me in and you drove me out
Yeah, you had me hypnotized, yeah
Lost and found and turned around
By the fire in your eyes
I've seen your face a thousand times
Every day we've been apart
I don't care about the sunshine, yeah
'Cause mama, mama, I'm coming home
I'm coming home
I'm coming home
I'm coming home
Here I come, but I ain't the same
Mama, I'm coming home
Times gone by, seems to be
You could have been a better friend to me
Mama, I'm coming home
You took me in and you drove me out
Yeah, you had me hypnotized, yeah
Lost and found and turned around
By the fire in your eyes
You made me cry, you told me lies
But I can't stand to say goodbye
Mama, I'm coming home
I could be right, I could be wrong
It hurts so bad, it's been so long
Mama, I'm coming home
Selfish love, yeah, we're both alone
The ride before the fall, yeah
But I'm gonna take this heart of stone
I just got to have it all
I've seen your face a hundred times
Every day we've been apart
I don't care about the sunshine, yeah
'Cause mama, mama, I'm coming home
I'm coming home
You took me in and you drove me out
Yeah, you had me hypnotized, yeah
Lost and found and turned around
By the fire in your eyes
I've seen your face a thousand times
Every day we've been apart
I don't care about the sunshine, yeah
'Cause mama, mama, I'm coming home
I'm coming home
I'm coming home
I'm coming home
Lyrics submitted by zekey baby
Mama, I'm Coming Home Lyrics as written by Zakk Wylde John Osbourne
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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this song refers to ozzy on tour and when he is about to come home to sharon he would call her and say Mama I'm Coming Home
actually i think this song is about ozzy's drug problems. this is the anthem-type song he sings as he's encountering the light at the end of his tunnel. all the things ozzygurly said, about how ozzy says "you could have been a better friend to me" is talking about how the drugs had such a tight grip on him. "here i come but i ain't the same" - this time he's sober. "mama, i'm comin home" though, i think IS referring to sharon, because a new, clean (har har) ozzy is coming to her.
it has to do with alot, and the phrase mama im coming home does come from the fact that he called sharon near the end of a tour and said it to her on the phone...just like zazu said, hell ozzy said it himself.
great song...Zakk Wylde's Black Label Society does a great cover of this song
I don't normally write on these things, but since it was all seeming a little unresolved still, I thought I'd take a shot at it...
I checked out songfacts.com/detail.php with their meaning on the song, since it says "facts", I thought maybe they know a few things (don't mean it rude, I honestly mean "think", I believe they've been wrong a few times about some small details, but generally have good ideas, anyways)...
They said, yes, that it was written about Sharon. But, I do find it interesting to note that they they felt to mention about how she was the incentive for him to come off of the drugs and, how, if he hadn't gotten sober then they said "he probably would have died"... And since others have mentioned another interview in which Ozzy mentioned that it was about him coming off of drugs and coming to his wife, then I'm inclined to believe them... You know, it doesn't have to be all or nothing... Maybe it can mean both? :) For a matter of peacekeeping's sake?
Anyways, I really like the double- meaning idea, where he's talking about getting clean and coming home to his wife and about his relationship with his wife at the same time. Since he didn't fully write the song himself, then I say that, if I was the creative one behind this song then I would have been creating a bit of double meaning, without care for reader interpretation. Always having a little bit of question in one's head, keeps one interested (in the artist and the song, I say...).
I have to do another one of those "if Ozzy's reading" kinda things and say, I LOVE that song, what a beautiful voice, it's such a WILD song as they all are, I love expecting the unpredictable...
Right-o. That's what it's all about. But wouldn't this be a great movie scene--check it out--a soldier on his way back from a war that is now over in a faraway land, looking out an airplane window with this song playing--Perfect. Why didn't I go to film school?
@jdeeregirloh this thought is what made me look this song up on here
This is the first Ozzy song I ever heard. I love it! But even so...(and this is just my opinion) I don't agree with zazu000 on his interpretation of the song. Why would he say things about Sharon like: You made me cry, you told me lies but, I can't stand to say goodbye and you could've been a better friend to me? Think about it...
Great song though!
well i agree with slaphappy completely! but i take it in a different meaning, personally. my mom treated me like that but i feel the same way the song describes because i've left and just recently i've come back and she's still doing it..BUT i think ozzy meant something else and i agree that it's about drug problems that ozzy has had.
I ALWAYS THOUGHT IT WAS OZZY'S FIGHT BETWEEN GOOD AND EVIL (DRUGS, LIFE ON THE ROAD, NOT BEING A GOOD BOY) THE WRECKLESS LIFESTYLE HE WAS LEADING WAS CALLING TO HIM: AN OLD FRIEND, SOMETHING HE KNEW SO WELL WAS SAYING TO HIM, " I AM HERE FOR YOU" EVEN THOUGH IT WAS KILLING HIM. HE WANTED TO TURN IT ALL ARROUND BUT THE LURE WAS SO STRONG. "MAMMA" REFERES TO WHAT HIS MOTHER MUST THINK ABOUT THE WAY HE WAS LIVING. HE WANTED TO GO BACK HOME. SCARED? LONELY? NEEDING REAL LOVE?...
This would have to be one of the greatest Ozzy Osborne songs ever !!!!!