Only Mama Knows
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- Album This song officially appears on the Memory Almost Full Official album.
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
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
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
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
EP • Released in 2007
3:49 • Live • L2
Concert From "iTunes Festival" in London, United Kingdom on Jul 05, 2007
CD Single • Released in 2007
3:49 • Live • L1
Concert From the concert in Los Angeles, USA on Jun 27, 2007
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
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
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
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
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
Bootlegs
Live At The Institute Of Contemporary Arts
Unofficial live • Released in 2007
4:00 • Live
Concert From "iTunes Festival" in London, United Kingdom on Jul 05, 2007
Unofficial live • Released in 2007
4:15 • Live
Concert From the concert in Los Angeles, USA on Jun 27, 2007
Unofficial live • Released in 2007
1:13 • Live
Concert From the concert in Los Angeles, USA on Jun 27, 2007
Unofficial live • Released in 2007
4:41 • Live
Concert From the concert in New York City, USA on Jun 13, 2007
Unofficial live • Released in 2007
3:25 • Live
Concert From "Later... with Jools Holland" in London, United Kingdom on Jun 08, 2007
Latest concerts where Only Mama Knows has been played
London • The O2 Arena • United Kingdom
Dec 22, 2009 • Part of Good Evening Europe Tour
Dec 20, 2009 • Part of Good Evening Europe Tour
Cologne • Köln Arena • Germany
Dec 17, 2009 • Part of Good Evening Europe Tour
Cologne • Köln Arena • Germany
Dec 16, 2009 • Part of Good Evening Europe Tour
Paris • Palais Omnisports de Paris-Bercy • France
Dec 10, 2009 • Part of Good Evening Europe Tour