Gold Mother is track nine of the James album of the same name.
It is a tribute to mothers everywhere and is based on Tim’s experience of the birth of his own child Ben with James’ ex-manager Martine.
The track features backing vocals by the Inspiral Carpets who had supported James in 1989. The track was also remixed by Warp of Sheffield.
At live shows, the song would often be accompanied by a stage invasion.
Details
LyricsListenReleaseAvailable OnGigsGuitar Tabs
Heart of gold, heart of gold, heart of gold
One body in my mother's belly (in my mother's body)
Chinese dolls, box in boxes (box in boxes)
How do you sail the ship from the bottle?
How do you sail the ship from the bottle?
Heart of gold heart of gold heart of gold
Gold, gold, gold mother, gold, gold, gold mother
Gold, gold, gold mother, gold, gold, gold mother
I can see the head now
Between her legs now
Purple headed alien
Water logged old man
In the blood silence
Passed onto keepers
In the blood silence
Silence, silence
Silence, blood silence, blood silence
Heart of gold, heart of gold, heart of gold, heart of gold, heart of gold
Cry for me mother, cry for me my mother
Cry for me mother, cry for me my mother
My feet and hands won't work
My feet and hands won't work
In my baby's body
My brand new baby's body
My brand new baby's body
I'll suck my fingers red
I'll suck my fingers red
In my baby's body
In my brand new baby's body
In my brand new baby's body
In my brand new baby's body
Body, body, body, body
Mother, mother
In my brand new baby's body (repeat twice)
My body, my body, my body, my body
I can see the head now
Between her legs now
Purple headed alien
Water logged old man
In the blood silence
In the blood silence
Silence
Silence
Silence
Shut up, shut up, shut up, shut up, shut up
In the bright lights and harsh sounds, there's a man
In green ceremonial robes and mask, dipping a straw through your nose
Mouthwash of meconium lungs full of meconium
Heart full of meconium
Meconium, meconium, meconium, meconium
Chinese dolls in boxes (repeat twice)
I'll go out the same way I came in (repeat twice)
Chinese dolls in boxes, chinese dolls box in boxes
Box in boxes
I'll suck, I'll suck
I'll suck my fingers red, I'll suck my fingers red
I'll suck my baby's body
Baby's body, baby's body, baby's body
My baby's body
Heart of gold (x16)
Mother, mother
Gold mother (x7)
Smother, smother
Mother (x6)
Bend, hold, push, kick (x8)
And everything you touch is a being
And everything you love is a woman
And everything you touch (no man can bear a child)
Turns to gold
As precious as
As rich as
As dear as
As strong as
As hard as
Gold
Mother
Past the boundaries of all pain
You journey to the edge of death in search of a child
Gold mother there's only one
She's my mother courage
Mother courage (x4)
Gold mother and she's mine
She's all mine
Shut up let's hear it
Shut up (x9)
One body in my mother's belly (in my mother's body)
Chinese dolls, box in boxes (box in boxes)
How do you sail the ship from the bottle?
How do you sail the ship from the bottle?
Heart of gold heart of gold heart of gold
Gold, gold, gold mother, gold, gold, gold mother
Gold, gold, gold mother, gold, gold, gold mother
I can see the head now
Between her legs now
Purple headed alien
Water logged old man
In the blood silence
Passed onto keepers
In the blood silence
Silence, silence
Silence, blood silence, blood silence
Heart of gold, heart of gold, heart of gold, heart of gold, heart of gold
Cry for me mother, cry for me my mother
Cry for me mother, cry for me my mother
My feet and hands won't work
My feet and hands won't work
In my baby's body
My brand new baby's body
My brand new baby's body
I'll suck my fingers red
I'll suck my fingers red
In my baby's body
In my brand new baby's body
In my brand new baby's body
In my brand new baby's body
Body, body, body, body
Mother, mother
In my brand new baby's body (repeat twice)
My body, my body, my body, my body
I can see the head now
Between her legs now
Purple headed alien
Water logged old man
In the blood silence
In the blood silence
Silence
Silence
Silence
Shut up, shut up, shut up, shut up, shut up
In the bright lights and harsh sounds, there's a man
In green ceremonial robes and mask, dipping a straw through your nose
Mouthwash of meconium lungs full of meconium
Heart full of meconium
Meconium, meconium, meconium, meconium
Chinese dolls in boxes (repeat twice)
I'll go out the same way I came in (repeat twice)
Chinese dolls in boxes, chinese dolls box in boxes
Box in boxes
I'll suck, I'll suck
I'll suck my fingers red, I'll suck my fingers red
I'll suck my baby's body
Baby's body, baby's body, baby's body
My baby's body
Heart of gold (x16)
Mother, mother
Gold mother (x7)
Smother, smother
Mother (x6)
Bend, hold, push, kick (x8)
And everything you touch is a being
And everything you love is a woman
And everything you touch (no man can bear a child)
Turns to gold
As precious as
As rich as
As dear as
As strong as
As hard as
Gold
Mother
Past the boundaries of all pain
You journey to the edge of death in search of a child
Gold mother there's only one
She's my mother courage
Mother courage (x4)
Gold mother and she's mine
She's all mine
Shut up let's hear it
Shut up (x9)
Song: | Gold Mother |
Released: | 4th June 1990 |
Main Associated Album (or Single): | Gold Mother |
First Heard Live: | Nottingham Trent Poly – 17th June 1989 |
- Gold Mother (white label) :Promo, Album, 1990
- Jouvenance – French promo :Promo, Album, 1990
- Gold Mother (Japan) :Studio, Album, 1990
- Gold Mother :Studio, Album, 1990
- Come Home (Flood Mix) :Studio, Single, 1990
- James (USA Promo) :Studio, Album, 1991
- James (USA, Canada) :Compilation, Album, 1991
- James (Japan) :Compilation, Album, 1991
- In A Field Of Their Own – Highlights Of Glastonbury 1992 :Compilation (non James), Album, 1992
- Gold Mother (reissue CDR) :Promo, Album, 2001
- Gold Mother (Simply Vinyl white label) :Promo, Album, 2002
- The Collection :Compilation, Album, 2004
- The Gathering Sound :Compilation, Box Set, 2012
- 1990 Singles & B-Sides :Compilation, Album, 2023
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- Warrington Parr Hall – 29th June 2022
- Bath Racecourse – 3rd June 2022
- Porto Sala M.Ou.Co – 19th April 2022
- London The SSE Arena Wembley – 4th December 2021
- Manchester AO Arena – 3rd December 2021
- Dublin 3arena – 1st December 2021
- Cardiff Motorpoint Arena – 28th November 2021
- Leeds First Direct Arena – 25th November 2021
- Wolverhampton KK Steel Mill – 23rd November 2021
- Los Angeles Music Box At The Henry Fonda Theatre – 13th October 2010
- Seattle Showbox At The Market – 9th October 2010
- Chicago Vic Theatre – 2nd October 2010
- Expofacic Festival, Cantanhede – 1st August 2009
- Thessaloniki Earth Theatre – 17th July 2009
- Thessaloniki Earth Theatre – 16th July 2009
- Manchester Central (G-Mex) – 20th December 2008
- Manchester Central (G-Mex) – 19th December 2008
- Birmingham NIA – 13th December 2008
- Glasgow SECC – 12th December 2008
- Leeds O2 Academy – 11th December 2008
- Anaheim House Of Blues – 5th October 2008
- Chelmsford V Festival – 19th August 2007
- Stafford V Festival – 18th August 2007
- Belladrum Tartan Heart Festival – 11th August 2007
- Edinburgh Corn Exchange – 10th August 2007
- Sudoeste Festival, Zambujeira – 5th August 2007
- Positivus Festival, Salacgriva, Latvia – 28th July 2007
- Athens Olympic Stadium Fly Beeyond Festival – 18th July 2007
- Barcelona Summercase Festival – 14th July 2007
- Oxegen Festival, Punchestown, Ireland – 8th July 2007
- T In The Park – 7th July 2007
- Glasgow Oran Mor – 6th July 2007
- London Hoxton Bar And Grill – 25th June 2007
- Manchester MEN Arena – 28th April 2007
- London Brixton Academy – 27th April 2007
- London Brixton Academy – 26th April 2007
- Birmingham Academy – 24th April 2007
- Newcastle Academy – 23rd April 2007
- Glasgow Academy – 21st April 2007
- Glasgow Academy – 20th April 2007
- Carlisle Sands Centre – 18th April 2007
- Dublin Olympia – 17th April 2007
- London Nambucca – 12th April 2007
- Lisbon Pavilhao dos Belenenses – 27th November 1993
- Paris, Casino de Paris – 23rd November 1993
- Marseille Theatre du Moulin – 19th November 1993
- Besancon Montjoye – 16th November 1993
- Frankfurt Music Hall – 13th November 1993
- Cologne Live Music Hall – 12th November 1993
- Los Angeles Roxy – 28th October 1993
- San Francisco WOMAD – 19th September 1993
- Los Angeles WOMAD – 18th September 1993
- Buckeye Lake Centre, Thornville, OH – 10th September 1993
- Bad Mergentheim Schlosshof – 18th July 1993
- Milan Assago Forum – 13th July 1993
- Morlaix Tamaris Festival – 18th July 1992
- Leysin Festival – 10th July 1992
- Alton Towers – 4th July 1992
- Stockholm Moderna Museet – 27th June 1992
- Glastonbury Festival – 26th June 1992
- Bern Stufenbau – 4th May 1992
- Frankfurt Live Music Hall – 3rd May 1992
- Hamburg Grosse Freiheit 36 – 29th April 1992
- Paris Bataclan – 23rd April 1992
- Manchester Polytechnic – 8th February 1992
- Warrington Parr Hall (evening) – 20th December 1991
- Rennes Transmusicalles – 7th December 1991
- Belfast Ulster Hall – 14th November 1991
- Glasgow Barrowlands – 6th November 1991
- Cambridge Corn Exchange – 29th October 1991
- London Brixton Academy – 25th October 1991
- London Brixton Academy – 24th October 1991
- Portsmouth Guildhall – 22nd October 1991
- Oxford Apollo – 20th October 1991
- Leicester De Montfort Hall – 9th October 1991
- Nottingham Royal Concert Hall – 8th October 1991
- London Marquee Club – 4th July 1989
- London Marquee Club – 3rd July 1989
- Nottingham Trent Poly – 17th June 1989
Unavailable