The word you learn to love The disapproval that you hate that's Mother from Mother They teach you to respect... Makes you always want to please Mother Mother The one who keeps you warm The one who keeps you warm And shelters you from harm And shelters you from harm Watch out she'll stunt your mind She'll open up your mind 'Til you emulate her kind To make you good and make you kind Is that Mother? Mother Downstairs I don't know Downstairs I don't know If it's the springs in her bed Why I feel safe in my bed Or her joints I hear When I know I'm alone Creaking overhead She must be watching overhead Mother Mother She'll twist the words you speak She'll kiss and say goodbye If she thinks you're near escape If you want to go away Mother Mother So she clutches at her brood So she gathers up her brood And sits across its face And smiles into their face She sucks up all its energy She beams down vital energy And smothers their last breath She gave us out first breath Oh Mother Mother The thing you grow to hate The love you won't forget