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Why, Mama?

from Words, Words, Words by Sam Steffen

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lyrics

Who, mama, who is that great giant yonder
Who stands twenty times taller than any tree?
My child, my child, yonder’s America
They call her the Statue of Liberty

What, mama, what is that big giant tower
That starts on the ground and disappears in the air?
My child, my child, that’s just a skyscraper
You’ll probably be seeing them round here everywhere

What, mama, what is that long silver bullet
That’s snaking around on that bridge up above
My child, my child, that’s only the subway
We’ll be riding on that train soon enough

Where, mama, where did you say we were going?
How long must we wait in this subway station?
My child, my child, we’re heading to Manhattan
To the US Office of Immigration

Who, mama, who is that ragged man sleeping
There on the curb, who’s just skin and bone?
My child, my child, it’s only a hobo
Don’t point your finger, just leave him alone

Who, mama, who is that finely dressed person
Who’s fat as a king, and only short of a crown
My child, my child, that’s a rich, wealthy banker
Get out of his way or he’ll mow you right down

Why, mama, why are some people so hungry
Meanwhile there’s others that look rich in their clothes?
My child, my child, I don’t know the reason
I don’t have an answer, God only knows

Who, mama, who is that man with the night-stick
And why is that other man being beaten by him?
My child, my child, that’s only the police
In America they arrest you for having dark skin

Where, mama, where, mama—where will they take him?
will they take him to a doctor to treat his wounds and his sores?
My child, my child, they’re taking him to prison
In America that’s what they do with their poor

Ain’t mama, ain’t, mama—ain’t this a free country?
Aren’t people here given value and worth?
My child, my child—it’s only for some folks—
There’s more prisoners here than anyplace on the earth

Why, mama, why, mama—why did we come here?
What in the world did we leave our home for?
My child, my child—it just wasn’t safe there
Our country’s is facing genocide and war

Here mama, here mama, here is the building
I will wait for you here, steadfast and strong
My child, my child, I’ll just be a minute
I will go and come back—it shouldn’t take long

Why mama, why, mama—why are you crying?
Where did they tell you that we may reside?
My child, my child, they gave me no answer
But that our request to live here has been denied

Why, mama, why can’t we live in America?
Are there too many people? Is there not enough land?
My child, my child, it’s the people in charge here
They hate and they fear what they don’t understand

When, mama, when will we be accepted?
When will this hatred be brought to a close?
My child, my child—I don’t have an answer
I don’t have an answer, God only knows

credits

from Words, Words, Words, released September 29, 2018

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Sam Steffen Boise, Idaho

Sam Steffen is a Pennsylvania-bred, Boise-based singer-songwriter whose songs are the torch-wood for a new generation of folk music that has learned from the best stuff in the tradition and aims in spite of everything to keep the human spirit alive and kicking. A versatile musician and skilled finger-picker, Sam is at heart a story-teller, and a prolific one. ... more

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