Mommy Daddy You and I Lyrics

Lyric discussion by TimMiltz 

Cover art for Mommy Daddy You and I lyrics by Talking Heads

This song popped in my head the other evening.

It somewhat was catalyst for me to think in shock - oh my - this song is about adoption- they're giving up their child.

However reading the lyrics today, twice, I am thinking this is POV of an African American slave family, and they are heading north either pre or post abolition - likely post.

Baltimore IS a big part of Byrne's home I think - I remember that line about what's that smell- it's ONLY the river and I did smell that river one day but ANYWAY - I have a hunch Baltimore here is a clue - this family is heading North POSSIBLY the underground railroad - first lines 'conductor says' - certainly plants train in my view.

So that's my take- a song about a former slave family moving north to be free.

Eh- I also thought Steve Miller's Jungle Love was about 'Jelly Fish Island' this island in the Pacific, that one was a FAR FAR reach but they DO use mango's to treat the stings from this rare lake where millions of Jelly Fish exist, and there IS that line about I brought you a crate of mango's. Again FAR REACH on Jungle Love, LIKELY far reach on this one.

HOWEVER Jelly Fish Island is a very neat place- and there IS A tide such that all the jelly fish come in and out - I even researched to see if Steve Miller visited Jelly Fish Island !

@TimMiltz Regarding Steve Miller's Jungle Love I actually DO think he wrote the song TO a jelly fish- 'met you on somebodies Island' - STING ? written on the back of skin - oh yeah - AND the natives call jelly fish stings Jungle Love. Ok so I made that part up but don't believe EVERYTHING you read HOWEVER, this song HAS a choo choo in it - train ? I'm going with underground railroad.

Grandfathers clothes ? eh - still carrying the identity the grandfather had - and let's face it Lincoln was still pro slavery- he just didn't want the...

uh oh that's PAPAYA - crate of PAPAYAS !

Wasn't an edit- not that I am adverse to replying to myself now.