The book that inspired Genesis song ‘Mama’
Following their 1980 album Duke, Genesis significantly shifted their songwriting approach. Moving away from the practice of individual members contributing separate musical fragments and concepts, the band transitioned to a collaborative studio dynamic where they crafted and developed ideas together.
In 1983, the group released their self-titled twelfth studio album, which featured the album’s lead single ‘Mama’, recognisable mostly for the harsh-sounding riff created by Mark Rutherford and Phil Collins’ reverb-filled voice. In the chorus, he can also be heard laughing maniacally to give off a sinister-sounding effect.
During the song’s creation, the band’s keyboardist, Tony Banks, infused Rutherford’s drum machine sounds with his own chord progressions. Inspired by the music, Collins began improvising lyrics that ultimately settled on the evocative title “Mama” for the track. Initially met with puzzlement over its narrative, ‘Mama’ evolved to become their most successful UK single at that time.
Lyrically, the track delves into the story of a young man consumed by an infatuation with a disinterested prostitute, whom he refers to as “Mama”. Echoing Oedipal undertones, the song’s inspiration stems from a novel Phil Collins encountered, David Niven’s The Moon’s A Balloon. The book portrays a similar narrative of an enamoured young man fixated on an older prostitute, unreciprocated in her feelings towards him.
“I don’t know if you’ve read that book, he’s very young, just come out of cadet college or whatever, and he meets this quite, you know, 45-year-old prostitute who he has a fantastic time with,” Collins explained on 1983’s Three Into One. “He’s special to her, but it definitely can’t go any further than what it is, and that’s really what the song is about, with sinister overtones.”
Niven’s memoir is celebrated for its candid and engaging storytelling, offering a glimpse into the glamorous yet tumultuous world of the film industry. In ‘Mama’, Collins captures the essence of obsession in the desperate words: “In the heat and the steam of the city / It’s got me running and I just can’t brake / So say you’ll help me, mama / ‘Cause it’s getting so hard.”
Like the anecdotes in the book and in true Genesis fashion, ‘Mama’ unfurls with a slow and atmospheric buildup, gradually intensifying as it progresses. Unlike many of their other songs, ‘Mama’ remains a highly influential piece within Genesis’ discography, showcasing the band’s versatility in exploring different musical styles.
