If I was your mother
Would you let me hold your hand
Would you say you were my baby
Would you always be my friend
If I was your mother
Could I teach you what’s right
Could I tell you stories, maybe tuck you in
And kiss you sweet goodnight
Oh, tell me what I’ve got to do
To make my life mean more to you
I could get so close it’s true
If I was your mother
Would you always believe me
Because I’d wake up in the middle of the night
Just to see if you need me
Tell me there’s no other
With whom you’re sharing your secrets
And would you tell me ’bout the boys
You been bringing home to meet me
Oh, tell me what I’ve got to do
To make my life mean more to you
I could get so close it’s true
If I was your
Tell me who I’ve got to be
To make you a part of me
No one else you’d ever need
If I was your
Mother, mother
If I was your
Mother, mother
When love is blood, you’re never on trial
It don’t get deeper than a mother and child
Oh baby, I got to get that close to you
Tell me what I’ve got to do
To make my life mean more to you
I could get so close it’s true
If I was yours
Tell me who I gotta be
To make you a part of me
There’s no one else you’d ever need
If I was your
Mother, mother
If I was your
Mother, mother, yeah
Mother, mother
If I was your
Mother, mother
(If I was your mother, mother)
(If I was your mother, mother)
(If I was your mother, mother)
(If I was your mother)
(If I was your mother, mother)
(If I was your mother)
Exploring Parental Metaphors in Bon Jovi’s “If I Was Your Mother”
In “If I Was Your Mother,” Bon Jovi delves into the complexities of love and longing through the lens of a parental metaphor. The song’s narrator expresses a deep desire for closeness and unconditional acceptance, pondering whether being as nurturing and irreplaceable as a mother could bridge the emotional gap with a loved one. The repeated questioning—”If I was your mother”—underscores feelings of vulnerability and a yearning for intimacy that transcends romantic norms. The lyrics beautifully juxtapose the security of maternal love with the uncertainties of adult relationships, highlighting the universal human need for connection and reassurance.
Song Credits
- Artist: Bon Jovi
- Songwriters: Jon Bon Jovi, Richie Sambora
- Release Year: 1992
- Label: Mercury Records