For Mama
Jerry Vale Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴She said, my son, I beg of you
I have a wish that must come true
The last thing you can do for Mama

Please promise me that you will stay
And take my place while I'm away
And give the children love each day
I had to cry, what could I say

How hard I tried to find a word
I prayed she would not see me cry
So much to say that should be heard
But only time to say goodbye to Mama

They say in time that you forget
Yet still today, my eyes are wet
I tell myself to smile for Mama

Now soon there'll be another spring
And I will start remembering
The way she loved to hear us sing
Her favorite song, Ave Maria

Ave Maria

The children have all grown up now
I kept my promise to Mama
I cannot guide them anymore
I've done my best, all for Mama

Ave Maria

Still it seems so very small
For all she did for me

Overall Meaning

"For Mama" by Jerry Vale is a heartwarming and emotional tribute to the singer's mother. The song begins with the poignant request of a mother asking her son to stay behind and take her place while she is away, to continue giving her children love each day. The son is moved and overcome with emotion, finding it difficult to find the right words to express his love and gratitude for his mother. As the years pass, the son remembers his promise and fulfills it, watching his children grow up and keeping the memory of Mama alive. Despite the passage of time, the son's eyes are still wet with tears as he reflects on the love and sacrifice of his mother.

The lyrics of the song are full of love, longing, and gratitude for a mother's selflessness and devotion. The son's emotional struggle to find the right words to express his feelings is a universal experience that many people can relate to. The song is a tribute to the enduring bond between mother and child, and the endless love that a mother has for her children.

* "For Mama" was originally written in 1970 by Italian songwriters Tony Renis and Mogol for the Sanremo Music Festival in Italy.
* The song was first recorded by Italian singer Lucio Battisti in 1970, and later covered by many other artists, including Jerry Vale, who recorded it in 1979.
* Jerry Vale's version of "For Mama" was a hit in the US, reaching #26 on the Adult Contemporary chart.
* The song has been covered by many other artists, including Barbara Mandrell, Engelbert Humperdinck, and Connie Francis.
* The song's Italian lyrics, "Mamma," were translated into English by Gilbert Becaud and Louis Amade.
* The song has been used in several films, including "The Godfather Part III," where it plays during the death scene of Michael Corleone's daughter, Mary.
* In 1975, Czech singer Helena Vondráčková recorded a version of the song with Czech lyrics called "Díky, mami."
* The song has been translated into several languages, including Spanish, German, and French.
* "For Mama" has become a popular song at weddings, especially for the mother and son dance.
* The song's popularity has endured over the years, and it continues to be a beloved tribute to mothers everywhere.

Chords:

Verse: C - G - Am - F
Chorus: F - G - C

Line by Line Meaning

She said, my son, I beg of you
My mother requested my presence with a great plea

I have a wish that must come true
My mother had a request that she wanted fulfilled

The last thing you can do for Mama
This was a final request that my mother had made of me

Please promise me that you will stay
My mother asked that I stay behind to fulfill her request

And take my place while I'm away
She wanted me to take over her role while she was gone

And give the children love each day
My mother wanted me to make sure that the children received love every day

I had to cry, what could I say
The request from my mother brought tears to my eyes

How hard I tried to find a word
I struggled to find words to express my feelings

I prayed she would not see me cry
I hoped my mother would not see me cry

So much to say that should be heard
There were many things that I wanted to say to my mother

But only time to say goodbye to Mama
I only had time to say goodbye to my mother

They say in time that you forget
People say that with time, you forget

Yet still today, my eyes are wet
However, even now, my eyes still fill with tears

I tell myself to smile for Mama
I try to make myself smile for my mother

Now soon there'll be another spring
Soon another spring will come

And I will start remembering
I will begin to remember things about my mother again

The way she loved to hear us sing
My mother loved to hear us sing

Her favorite song, Ave Maria
Her favorite song was Ave Maria

The children have all grown up now
The children have now all become adults

I kept my promise to Mama
I fulfilled my promise to my mother

I cannot guide them anymore
I am no longer able to guide them

I've done my best, all for Mama
I gave my best, all for my mother

Still it seems so very small
Even with all that I have done, it still seems insignificant

For all she did for me
Compared to all that my mother has done for me

Contributed by Hunter Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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