Mama Said – English Lyrics

• By: The Shirelles

Lyrics & Translation

Dive into the timeless sound of The Shirelles with "Mama Said," a 1961 girl group classic that beautifully captures the universal experience of growing up and facing life's uncertainties. Through its relatable lyrics and the group's signature sweet harmonies, you can explore expressions of hope, perseverance, and the enduring wisdom passed down from mothers. This song offers a fantastic entry point into the heartfelt storytelling and vocal styles of early 1960s American pop and R&B, making it perfect for understanding everyday English phrases and emotional nuances.

[English]

Mama said there'll be days like this

There'll be days like this, mama said (mama said, mama said)

Mama said there'll be days like this

There'll be days like this, my mama said (mama said, mama said)

I went walking the other day

And everything was going fine

I met a little boy named Billy Joe

And then almost lost my mind

Mama said there'll be days like this

There'll be days like this, my mama said (mama said, mama said)

Mama said there'll be days like this

There'll be days like this, my mama said

My eyes were wide open

But all that I can see is

The chapel bells a-tollin'

For everyone but-a me

But I don't worry 'cause

Mama said there'll be days like this

There'll be days like this, my mama said (mama said, mama said)

Mama said there'll be days like this

There'll be days like this, my mama said

And then she said someone will look at me

Like I'm looking at you, one day

And then I might find I don't want you any-a-way

So I don't worry 'cause

Mama said there'll be days like this

There'll be days like this, my mama said (mama said, mama said)

Mama said there'll be days like this

There'll be days like this, my mama said

(Mama said, mama said, hey, hey) don't you worry

(Mama said, mama said, hey, hey) don't you worry, now

(Mama said, mama said, hey, hey) mama said there'll be days like this

(Mama said, mama said, hey, hey) there'll be days like this, mama said

(Mama said, mama said, hey, hey) mama said there'll be days like this

(Mama said, mama said, hey, hey) there'll be-a days like.‥

...

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
mama /ˈmɑː.mə/ A1	noun - mother
days /deɪz/ A1	noun - plural of day, a period of 24 hours
walking /ˈwɔː.kɪŋ/ A1	verb - the action of moving at a regular and fairly slow pace by lifting and setting down each foot in turn.
fine /faɪn/ A2	adjective - of high quality; good
boy /bɔɪ/ A1	noun - a male child or young man
mind /maɪnd/ A2	noun - the element of a person that enables them to be aware of the world and their experiences, to think, and to feel; the faculty of consciousness and thought
eyes /aɪz/ A1	noun - organs that detect light
wide /waɪd/ A2	adjective - of great or more than average width
open /ˈoʊ.pən/ A2	adjective - having no covering or barrier
chapel /ˈtʃæp.əl/ B1	noun - a small building for Christian worship, typically in a school, hospital, or prison
bells /bɛlz/ A2	noun - a hollow metallic device that makes a ringing sound when struck
worry /ˈwɜː.ri/ A2	verb - to feel or show anxiety and concern about actual or potential problems
someone /ˈsʌm.wʌn/ A1	noun - some person; somebody
look /lʊk/ A1	verb - to direct one's gaze towards someone or something or in a specified direction
find /faɪnd/ A1	verb - to discover or perceive

Key Grammar Structures

• Mama said there'll be days like this

  ➔ Future tense with "will be"

  ➔ Uses "will be" to predict future occurrences. "There'll" is a contraction of "there will". This line express that difficult times are inevitable, using simple future tense.

• I went walking the other day

  ➔ Simple Past tense

  ➔ "Went" is the past tense of "go", used to describe a completed action in the past. "The other day" specifies when the walking occurred.

• And everything was going fine

  ➔ Past Continuous tense

  ➔ "Was going" is the past continuous form, indicating an action in progress at a specific time in the past. It implies a state that was happening.

• But all that I can see is The chapel bells a-tollin'

  ➔ Present Simple with "can" (ability), Reduced relative clause (a-tollin')

  ➔ "Can see" indicates the ability to see. "A-tollin'" is an archaic or folksy form of "are tolling", representing a present participle acting as an adjective modifying "chapel bells". It's also grammatically, reduced relative clause.

• For everyone but-a me

  ➔ Preposition "for" expressing purpose/recipient, informal contraction

  ➔ "For" indicates who the chapel bells are tolling *for*. "But-a me" is an informal and emphatic way of saying "except me".

• And then she said someone will look at me

  ➔ Future tense with "will", indirect speech

  ➔ "Will look" indicates a future action. This sentence reports what "she" (Mama) said, using indirect speech. There isn't a change of tense usually found in reported speech as the original utterance is already in the future.

• Like I'm looking at you, one day

  ➔ Present Continuous used for hypothetical/future situations, adverbial phrase "one day"

  ➔ "I'm looking" is present continuous, but here it's used to describe a hypothetical future situation, a feeling or attraction that might happen later. "One day" is an adverbial phrase indicating an unspecified time in the future.

• And then I might find I don't want you any-a-way

  ➔ Modal verb "might" (possibility), negative present simple ("don't want"), informal adverbial phrase "any-a-way"

  ➔ "Might find" indicates a possibility, not a certainty. "Don't want" is the negative form of present simple, expressing a lack of desire. "Any-a-way" is a folksy way of saying "anyway" with added emphasis, indicating "regardless".