Only Mama Knows (song)

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Album This song officially appears on the Memory Almost Full Official album.

Timeline This song has been officially released in 2007

Only Love Remains

Only One

Master release

Memory Almost Full

By Paul McCartney

Related sessions

This song has been recorded during the following studio sessions

"Memory Almost Full" first sessions

End of February 2004

"Memory Almost Full" sessions #5

January - February 2007

Related interviews

David Kahne talks about Memory Almost Full

Jun 01, 2007

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Song facts

“Only Mama Knows” is a song from Paul McCartney’s 2007 album, “Memory Almost Full“.

This really is like a short story. I’ve done that in the past, not always writing from a personal perspective. It’s good, because you use your imagination more, and that’s something I enjoy. I wrote about Eleanor Rigby, but I don’t know a woman who picks up rice in a church, and nor do I know anyone stranded in the transit lounge of an airport, as in Only Mama Knows. But I like to get into those imaginary stories, then follow them through and become that character. The lead character in this song is someone who was left by his mother, doesn’t know why she left him and doesn’t know if he’ll ever see his father’s face. It’s interesting because it takes you out of yourself. You can become an alter ego. It doesn’t have to be Paul McCartney singing it – it can be this other guy singing. It’s good to do; it lets you have another vocal approach, another emotional approach.
Paul McCartney – interview with Mail On Sunday, May 12, 2008

Last updated on January 19, 2021

The book "The Lyrics: 1956 to the Present", published in 2021, covers Paul McCartney's early Liverpool days, the Beatles, Wings, and solo careers, by pairing the lyrics of 154 of his songs with first-person commentaries of the circumstances in which they were written, the people and places that inspired them, and what he thinks of them now.

"Only Mama Knows" is one of the 154 songs covered.

Lyrics

Well I was found in the transit lounge
Of a dirty airport town
What was I doing on the road to ruin
Well my mama laid me down
My mama laid me down

Round my hand was a plastic band
With a picture of my face
I was crying left to die
This God forsaken place
This God forsaken place

Only Mama knows why she laid me down
In this God forsaken town
She was running to, what she ran from
Though I always wondered I never knew
Only Mama knows
Only Mama knows

I'm passing through, I'm on my way
I'm on the road, no ETA.
I'm passing through, no fixed abode
And that is why I need to try
To hold on. I've gotta hold on, gotta hold on

Was it planned as a one night stand
Or did she live in disgrace
Well I never will I ever see my father's face see
my father's face

Only Mama knows why she laid me down
In this God forsaken town
She was running to, what she ran from
Though I always wondered I never knew
Only Mama knows
Only Mama knows

Only Mama knows why she laid me down
In this God forsaken town
She was running to, what she ran from
Though I always wondered I never knew
Only Mama knows
Only Mama knows
I've gotta hold on. I've gotta hold on.
You've gotta hold on

Officially appears on

Ever Present Past (iTunes download)

Download

3:45 • Studio version • L1

Memory Almost Full - 2CD limited edition bonus disc

Official album • Released in 2007

4:18 • Studio version • A

Paul McCartney :: Backing vocals, Bass, Mellotron, Vocals

Rusty Anderson :: Backing vocals, Electric guitar

Abe Laboriel Jr. :: Backing vocals, Drums

David Kahne :: Mixing engineer, Producer

Paul Wickens :: Backing vocals, Keyboards, Piano, Synthesizer

Brian Ray :: Backing vocals, Electric guitar

Geoff Emerick :: Recording engineer

Eddie Klein :: Assistant recording engineer

Millennia Ensemble :: Strings

Mirek Stiles :: Orchestra assistant recording engineer

Jamie Kirkham :: Assistant recording engineer

Andrew Dudman :: Orchestra recording engineering

Joby Talbot :: Orchestra conductor, String arrangement

Andy Wallace :: Mixing engineer

Adam Noble :: Recording engineer

Session Recording:: End of February 2004

Studio :: EMI Studios, Abbey Road

Session Overdubs:: January - February 2007

Studio :: Hog Hill Studio, Rye, UK

Credits & recording details courtesy of Luca Perasi • Buy Paul McCartney: Music Is Ideas. The Stories Behind the Songs (Vol. 1) 1970-1989 on Amazon

Memory Almost Full

Official album • Released in 2007

4:18 • Studio version • A

Paul McCartney :: Backing vocals, Bass, Mellotron, Vocals

Rusty Anderson :: Backing vocals, Electric guitar

Abe Laboriel Jr. :: Backing vocals, Drums

David Kahne :: Mixing engineer, Producer

Paul Wickens :: Backing vocals, Keyboards, Piano, Synthesizer

Brian Ray :: Backing vocals, Electric guitar

Geoff Emerick :: Recording engineer

Eddie Klein :: Assistant recording engineer

Millennia Ensemble :: Strings

Mirek Stiles :: Orchestra assistant recording engineer

Jamie Kirkham :: Assistant recording engineer

Andrew Dudman :: Orchestra recording engineering

Joby Talbot :: Orchestra conductor, String arrangement

Andy Wallace :: Mixing engineer

Adam Noble :: Recording engineer

Session Recording:: End of February 2004

Studio :: EMI Studios, Abbey Road

Session Overdubs:: January - February 2007

Studio :: Hog Hill Studio, Rye, UK

Credits & recording details courtesy of Luca Perasi • Buy Paul McCartney: Music Is Ideas. The Stories Behind the Songs (Vol. 1) 1970-1989 on Amazon

iTunes Festival: London

EP • Released in 2007

3:49 • Live • L2

Concert From "iTunes Festival" in London, United Kingdom on Jul 05, 2007

Ever Present Past

CD Single • Released in 2007

3:49 • Live • L1

Concert From the concert in Los Angeles, USA on Jun 27, 2007

Amoeba's Secret

EP • Released in 2009

3:48 • Live • L1

Performed by :
Paul McCartney • Rusty Anderson • Abe Laboriel Jr. • Brian Ray • Dave Arch

Darrell Thorp :: Recording engineer

Concert From the concert in Los Angeles, USA on Jun 27, 2007

Good Evening New York City

Official live • Released in 2009

3:39 • Live • L3 • Could have been record on 17, 18 or 21 July 2009

Paul McCartney :: Executive producer

Performed by :
Paul McCartney • Rusty Anderson • Abe Laboriel Jr. • Paul Wickens • Brian Ray

Geoff Emerick :: Audio mixing

Paul Hicks :: Audio mixing

Jonas Westling :: Additional engineering

Richard Lancaster :: Additional engineering

John Henry :: Recording engineer

Concert From the concert in New York, USA on Jul 17, 2009

Live In Los Angeles

Official live • Released in 2010

3:32 • Live • L1

Performed by :
Paul McCartney • Rusty Anderson • Abe Laboriel Jr. • Brian Ray • Dave Arch

Darrell Thorp :: Recording engineer

Concert From the concert in Los Angeles, USA on Jun 27, 2007

Pure McCartney

Official album • Released in 2016

4:18 • Studio version • A

Paul McCartney :: Backing vocals, Bass, Mellotron, Vocals

Rusty Anderson :: Backing vocals, Electric guitar

Abe Laboriel Jr. :: Backing vocals, Drums

David Kahne :: Mixing engineer, Producer

Paul Wickens :: Backing vocals, Keyboards, Piano, Synthesizer

Brian Ray :: Backing vocals, Electric guitar

Geoff Emerick :: Recording engineer

Eddie Klein :: Assistant recording engineer

Millennia Ensemble :: Strings

Mirek Stiles :: Orchestra assistant recording engineer

Jamie Kirkham :: Assistant recording engineer

Andrew Dudman :: Orchestra recording engineering

Joby Talbot :: Orchestra conductor, String arrangement

Andy Wallace :: Mixing engineer

Adam Noble :: Recording engineer

Session Recording:: End of February 2004

Studio :: EMI Studios, Abbey Road

Session Overdubs:: January - February 2007

Studio :: Hog Hill Studio, Rye, UK

Credits & recording details courtesy of Luca Perasi • Buy Paul McCartney: Music Is Ideas. The Stories Behind the Songs (Vol. 1) 1970-1989 on Amazon

Pure McCartney (Deluxe)

Official album • Released in 2016

4:18 • Studio version • A

Paul McCartney :: Backing vocals, Bass, Mellotron, Vocals

Rusty Anderson :: Backing vocals, Electric guitar

Abe Laboriel Jr. :: Backing vocals, Drums

David Kahne :: Mixing engineer, Producer

Paul Wickens :: Backing vocals, Keyboards, Piano, Synthesizer

Brian Ray :: Backing vocals, Electric guitar

Geoff Emerick :: Recording engineer

Eddie Klein :: Assistant recording engineer

Millennia Ensemble :: Strings

Mirek Stiles :: Orchestra assistant recording engineer

Jamie Kirkham :: Assistant recording engineer

Andrew Dudman :: Orchestra recording engineering

Joby Talbot :: Orchestra conductor, String arrangement

Andy Wallace :: Mixing engineer

Adam Noble :: Recording engineer

Session Recording:: End of February 2004

Studio :: EMI Studios, Abbey Road

Session Overdubs:: January - February 2007

Studio :: Hog Hill Studio, Rye, UK

Credits & recording details courtesy of Luca Perasi • Buy Paul McCartney: Music Is Ideas. The Stories Behind the Songs (Vol. 1) 1970-1989 on Amazon

See all official recordings containing “Only Mama Knows”