Mama dei Genesis, primo singolo estratto dall’album eponimo del 1983.

Per scrivere la canzone Phil Collins si ispirò al libro The Moon’s A Balloon, di David Niven, dove un ragazzo si innamora di una prostituta più grande di lui che però non lo ricambia. Questo è anche più o meno il significato della canzone.

Per quanto mi riguarda, sarà l’introduzione al sintetizzatore di Tony Banks, sarà la sinistra risata di Phil Collins, sarà per motivi anagrafici… ma questa è in assoluto una delle mie canzoni preferite di sempre. Dovesse stilare una mia top ten Mama non mancherebbe di sicuro.

Il testo di Mama

I can’t see you, mama
But I can hardly wait
To touch and to feel you, mama
I just can’t keep away
In the heat and the steam of the city
it’s got me running and I just can’t brake
So say you’ll help me, mama
‘Cause it’s getting so hard, ooh

Now I can’t keep you, mama
But I know you’re always there
You listen, you teach me, mama
And I know inside you care
So get down, down here beside me
Ooh, you ain’t going nowhere
No, I won’t hurt you, mama
But it’s getting so hard, ooh

Ha ha ha, ha ha ha, awh
Ha ha ha, ha ha ha, awh

Can’t you see me here, mama
Mama, mama, mama, please?
Can’t you feel my heart?
Can’t you feel my heart?
Can’t you feel my heart, ooh?
Now listen to me, mama
Mama, mama
You’re taking away my last chance
Don’t take it away
Can’t you feel my heart?

ha ha ha,ha ha ha awh

It’s hot, too hot for me, mama
But I can hardly wait
My eyes, they’re burning, mama
And I can feel my body shake
Don’t stop! Don’t stop me, mama
Ooh, make the pain, make it go away, hey
No, I won’t hurt you, mama
But it’s getting so hard, ooh

Now I can’t see you, mama
But I know you’re always there
You taunt, you tease me, mama
But I never, never, never can keep away
It’s the heat and the steam of the city
Ooh, got me running and I just can’t brake
So stay, don’t leave me, mama
‘Cause it’s getting so hard, ooh

Don’t go, no no don’t go
No no no, don’t go don’t go
no dont let me go don’t go