My mama don't understand
She's impossible to the core
Now she says that she's gettin' married
He's a friend of a friend of the boy next door

He's got all of the best intentions
Half of a school degree
But when he does his song and dancin'
They know they can be happy as the shows on TV

She needs a change, she wants a life
Where she can grow and they can thrive
Some kind of space of her own

A different view
Another slant
Another way
Another chance
To get on with her life

(Mama she don't understand)
Mama she don't
She don't even know
She don't know
She don't understand
She's gotta know
If she can cut life on her own
But like the man says
"You can never go home again"

You gotta come see the new place
Mom, you're gonna feel right at home
Could you just front that deposit
Mama, we'll pay you back when the welfare check comes
Nothin's gone as expected
No one knows all the trouble we've seen
But we'll pull ourselves together
It's the two of us now
Of course, baby makes three

A little luck
An even break
We'll find a way
To have our cake
And even eat a piece or two

We'll show you how
We're winnin' now
We'll live it up
Can't keep 'em down
Woh-wa-no-no-no-no
Woh-wa-no-no-no-no
Woh-wa-no-no-no-no
Woh-wa-no-no-no-no

She don't understand me
She don't understand me

So mama, please understand
(Mama, please understand)
If it's possible, we implore
Could we just move in these few things
We won't get in the way
And we'll sleep on the floor
Cuz, times have been getting tougher
(Times have been getting tough)
It's an unfriendly world outside
They say things will pick up by summer
Can we borrow the car
Will you watch little Clyde
Thanks a lot

Woh-wa-no-no-no-no
Mama don't understand
Woh-wa-no-no-no-no
Mama don't understand me
Woo-wa-doo
Woo-wa-doo-ooo
Woh-wa-no-no-no-no
Mama don't understand
Woh-wa-no-no-no-no
Mama don't understand me
(Mama don't understand me)
Woo-wa-doo
Woo-wa-doo-ooo
(Mama don't understand me, no)

Woh-wa-no-no-no-no
Mama don't understand
Woh-wa-no-no-no-no
She don't understand me
(Mama don't understand me)
Woo-wa-doo
Woo-wa-doo-ooo
(Mama, she don't understand me, yeah)