Analysis Of Mama Said By Lukas Graham

It is not unusual for an artist to treat their songs as if they were pages of a diary, where they can find solace between the lines and confide in them to hold their past experiences. Lukas Graham is no exception. In the song “Mama Said” Graham revisits his childhood, recalling memories that guide him in all that he is accomplishing today. Reveling in the fact that he does the impossible of accomplishing his dreams and not letting life define his happiness and success, he recalls the lessons he is taught and the advice that his parents and friends give him, when growing up poor and ridiculed.
Graham does not let the poor life that he leads, as a child, taint his happiness and the good in him. Growing up, he is more than aware of how much less he has compared to those around him. His …show more content…
In these early years of his childhood, social class is a difficulty that Graham encounters, causing him to be in a state of distress. His worries diminish as his “mama [says] that it [is] quite alright” because “[their] kind of people [have] a bed for the night / and it [is] okay.” The words of comfort that Graham receives from his mother helps him look at their financial situation in a different perspective. This effectively causes him to feel reassured. The fact that he is not as financially privileged as others leads to him being teased, so his father offers him advice: “ never listen to the ones / pointing nasty fingers and making fun.” Graham receives the encouragement from his father that he needs, in order to feel better and disregard those who are attempting to belittle him. So, “when [he’s] in doubt and struggling / [home] [is] where [he’ll] go” where “an old friend can give advice.” He returns home to not only his family but long time friends, who give him guidance in any situation. This guidance is what prompts him to believe in himself when nobody else