Gold Mother

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)