[ mother ] (What the hell is wrong with ya? I send you to school You won't do your homework You won't clean up your room I'm sick of cleanin up behind you What the hell is wrong with ya? I wish you'd get your a** outta here and get a job!) [ Bobby Womack ] Mother Mother, mother Why do you hurt me like you do? I can't understand it, mother [ VERSE 1 ] Can't seem to get life straight, but I'm strivin Fastin every day cause of money, but I'm survivin I'm havin problems tryin to concentrate Cause of this devil, this cold-blooded white man Mama, I know that she don't hear me though She said, "Pack yo sh**, n***a, your broke a** gotta go" And now I'm runnin after lost time Tryin to clean up around the house, cause I'ma try and keep mine They say us youth all defective Careless and wreckless They want our a** up out of Texas And now I'm feelin somethin missin Farrakhan said he care, and so I'm listenin Tryin to decide who's right or wrong I need to get myself together, cause I know I'm not gon' last long A co-defendant age 23 Blamin the world for my problems, but never takin a look at me [ Bobby Womack ] You me going round in circles Just like a seesaw goin up and down (Mama said I'm goin in circles But she don't know me, gee) You got me going round in circles All around and round Like a seesaw going up and down [ VERSE 2 ] As a kid I used to ride in the backseat Seen the Fruit in the street, she wouldn't even buy a paper A little baby wasn't breast-fed She stuck a cold-a** bottle in my mouth and laid me in the bed Mama, I needed you to bond with But you were busy fussin and fightin that fool we were livin with Now that I'm grown you say I'm trippin out Well, I'm trippin too, you made this monster, gotta feed him too Jackin and bangin, my life's in a warzone In the streets, cause you know mama wasn't at home And daddy, I can't find him I'm ashamed of him, walkin 12 paces behind him He beat the sh** out of my mommy dear I had to raise on up outta there and left mommy live in fear She asked me why I'm in the game, they can't see She said I'm goin in circles, but you don't know me, gee [ Bobby Womack ] You me going round in circles Round and round and round And I can't seem to come down You got me going in circles Going up and down, all around (Mama said I'm goin in circles, but she don't know me, gee)