This week’s theme for Song Lyric Sunday is ‘parenting’ and more specifically the parent/child relationship. I seem to recall a similar theme quite a while ago, for which I deployed probably my personal favourite example of this subject.
I suppose I could choose to stick with the Grateful Dead and ‘Mama Tried’, but for a change of pace and a bit of variety, I instead opted for Paul Simon’s reggae-tinged take on the subject. I must confess to a brief sinking feeling when I read Jim’s post introducing this topic and got to “This week I will be writing about the Paul Simon song…”. Fortunately, I chose a different one.
No I would not give you false hope
On this strange and mournful day
But the mother and child reunion
Is only a motion away, oh, little darling of mine
I can’t for the life of me
Remember a sadder day
I know they say let it be
But it just don’t work out that way
And the course of a lifetime runs
Over and over again
No I would not give you false hope
On this strange and mournful day
But the mother and child reunion
Is only a motion away, oh, little darling of mine
I just can’t believe It’s so
Though it seems strange to say
I never been laid so low
In such a mysterious way
And the course of a lifetime runs
Over and over again
But I would not give you false hope
On this strange and mournful day
When the mother and child reunion
Is only a motion away
Written by Paul Simon
the only deadhead in the hameau 
I’ve always liked this one, and played the album to bits in my uni days. Good choice!
what an epic choice love it …. especially being a mum of three sons 💜💜
Mama Tried is a Merle Haggard song, but I can see why you attributed it to the grateful Dead. Paul Simon went to a Chinese restaurant where they had a dish called Mother and Child Reunion and that is what gave him the idea to write this song.
It’s a great song Jim. Reggae like it used to be!
I almost went with this today 🙂 I am happy someone picked it.
Such a great song I’ve liked for a long time. I thought about posting this one, too. I’m glad you did. 🙂