Mama's Song – English Lyrics

• By: Carrie Underwood
• Album: Play On

Lyrics & Translation

Dive into the tender emotions of Carrie Underwood's "Mama's Song." This beautiful country ballad offers a chance to explore English vocabulary related to family, love, and life transitions, as it beautifully captures the universal feeling of a child reassuring their parent while moving towards independence. The song's clear narrative and heartfelt lyrics make it a perfect choice for understanding emotional expression in English music.

[English]

- You just don't think, when your child is small,

that in just a few years it's gonna be completely different.

And you look back and say, "Where did that time go?"

Goes by fast.

(bright music)

♪ Mama, you taught me to do the right things ♪

♪ So now you have to let your baby fly ♪

♪ You've given me everything that I will need ♪

♪ To make it through this crazy thing called life ♪

♪ And I know you watched me grow up ♪

♪ And only want what's best for me ♪

♪ And I think I found the answer to your prayers ♪

♪ And he is good, so good ♪

♪ He treats your little girl like a real man should ♪

♪ He is good, so good ♪

♪ He makes promises he keeps ♪

♪ No, he's never gonna leave ♪

♪ So don't you worry about me ♪

♪ Don't you worry about me ♪

♪ Mama, there's no way you'll ever lose me ♪

♪ Giving me away is not goodbye ♪

♪ As you watch me walk down to my future ♪

♪ I hope tears of joy are in your eyes ♪

♪ 'Cause he is good, so good ♪

♪ And he treats your little girl like a real man should ♪

♪ He is good, so good ♪

♪ He makes promises he keeps ♪

♪ No, he's never gonna leave ♪

♪ So don't you worry about me ♪

♪ Don't you worry about me ♪

♪ And when I watch my baby grow up ♪

♪ I'll only want what's best for her ♪

♪ And I hope she'll find the answer to my prayers ♪

♪ And that she'll say ♪

♪ He is good ♪

♪ So good ♪

♪ And he treats your little girl like a real man should ♪

♪ He is good, so good ♪

♪ He makes promises he keeps ♪

♪ No, he's never gonna leave ♪

♪ So don't you worry about me ♪

♪ Don't you worry about me ♪

♪ Mama, don't you worry about me ♪

♪ Don't you worry about me ♪

(gentle music)

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
taught /tɔːt/ A2	verb - past tense of teach: to give instruction
right /raɪt/ A1	adjective - morally good, justified, or acceptable.
baby /ˈbeɪbi/ A1	noun - a very young child
fly /flaɪ/ A2	verb - to move through the air
everything /ˈevriθɪŋ/ A2	noun - all things; all the things of a group or set
need /niːd/ A1	verb - require (something) because it is essential or very important
crazy /ˈkreɪzi/ B1	adjective - mentally deranged; mad
grow /ɡroʊ/ A1	verb - to increase in size or develop
best /best/ A2	adjective - of the most excellent or desirable type or quality
prayers /preərz/ B1	noun - a solemn request for help or expression of thanks addressed to God or another deity.
good /ɡʊd/ A1	adjective - to be desired or approved of
man /mæn/ A1	noun - an adult male human being
promises /ˈprɒmɪsɪz/ B1	noun - assurances that one will do something or that a particular thing will happen. verb - assure someone that one will definitely do, give, or arrange something; undertake or declare something
worry /ˈwʌri/ A2	verb - to feel or show anxiety and concern about actual or potential problems
lose /luːz/ A1	verb - be deprived of or cease to have or retain (something).
future /ˈfjuːtʃər/ A2	noun - the time that is to come
tears /tɪərz/ A2	noun - drops of clear salty liquid secreted from glands in the eye
gentle /ˈdʒentl/ B1	adjective - having or showing a mild, kind, or tender temperament or character.

Key Grammar Structures

• Mama, you taught me to do the right things

  ➔ Infinitive as object of verb

  ➔ The verb "taught" takes an infinitive phrase "to do the right things" as its object. This structure highlights the action that was taught.

• So now you have to let your baby fly

  ➔ Modal verb + bare infinitive

  ➔ "Have to" is a modal verb expressing obligation. It's followed by the bare infinitive "let". "Let" is a causative verb here, followed by object "your baby" and bare infinitive "fly".

• You've given me everything that I will need

  ➔ Relative clause with "that"

  ➔ "That I will need" is a relative clause modifying "everything". The relative pronoun "that" introduces the clause and acts as the object of the verb "need".

• To make it through this crazy thing called life

  ➔ Infinitive of purpose

  ➔ "To make it through" is an infinitive phrase expressing the purpose of receiving everything. It explains why the speaker was given everything.

• And I think I found the answer to your prayers

  ➔ Noun phrase as object of a verb

  ➔ The noun phrase "the answer to your prayers" functions as the direct object of the verb "found".

• He treats your little girl like a real man should

  ➔ Subjunctive mood (implied)

  ➔ The phrase "...like a real man should" implies a subjunctive mood. The full sentence could be "...like a real man should treat her." The implied "treat her" is omitted for brevity, but the expectation of how a real man *should* behave hints at the subjunctive.

• Giving me away is not goodbye

  ➔ Gerund phrase as subject

  ➔ "Giving me away" is a gerund phrase acting as the subject of the sentence. A gerund is a verb form ending in -ing that functions as a noun.

• As you watch me walk down to my future

  ➔ Verb of perception + bare infinitive

  ➔ "Watch" is a verb of perception. It is followed by the object "me" and the bare infinitive "walk". This structure describes witnessing an action in progress.