Thank You, Mama - Ayoa

THANK YOU, MAMA Ayoa [Intro — solo piano, intimate and unpolished] (Female – Ayoa) Before I knew what love could cost You paid the price for me Before I knew how strong you were You made strength look easy This one is for you, Mama [Verse 1] (Female – Ayoa) You made a meal from almost nothing Turned the little into plenty Gave me the biggest piece and said “Don’t worry, baby, I ate already” You hid the worry in your smile So I could sleep without a fear And every time the world felt heavy Your arms made it disappear [Pre-Chorus] (Female – Ayoa) All the things I called ordinary Were miracles you made daily Only now I understand How love can live inside two tired hands [Chorus] (Female – Ayoa with soft female harmonies) Thank you, Mama I love you, Mama Every prayer you whispered still follows me Thank you, Mama I hear you, Mama In the woman I became, you live in me For every tear you hid And every dream you gave Thank you, Mama I will love you always [Verse 2 — gentle reggae drums and warm bass enter] (Female – Ayoa) You never cleared each stone before me You taught my feet to find their ground And when I couldn’t see the way ahead Your voice became my guiding sound You let me make my own mistakes But never let me face them all alone You gave me somewhere I could leave And still be certain I had home [Pre-Chorus] (Female – Ayoa) I thought strength meant never crying Then I watched you love through your hardest nights You carried pain without passing it down And built me wings while standing your ground [Chorus] (Female – Ayoa with female harmonies) Thank you, Mama I love you, Mama Every prayer you whispered still follows me Thank you, Mama I hear you, Mama In the woman I became, you live in me For every tear you hid And every dream you gave Thank you, Mama I will love you always [Blues Guitar Solo — expressive electric guitar over piano and roots rhythm] (Female – Ayoa, emotional ad-libs) Oh, Mama… I understand now All the love you gave Mmm… [Bridge — piano, cello and female choir] (Female – Ayoa) For every mama by blood or by choosing Who kept giving love while her own heart was bruising For the ones beside us and the ones beyond sight Your love keeps turning on the light Some wear crowns that no one sees Build whole worlds on tired knees Every child who learned to rise First saw courage in a mother’s eyes [Breakdown — solo piano] (Female – Ayoa) For every thank-you I forgot to say I hope your heart still heard it anyway For every time I thought I knew Mama, I know now… It was always you [Final Chorus — full roots band, blues guitar and soaring female choir] (Female – Ayoa with full female harmonies) Thank you, Mama I love you, Mama Every prayer you whispered still follows me Thank you, Mama I hear you, Mama In the woman I became, you live in me For every tear you hid And every dream you gave Thank you, Mama I will love you always Thank you, Mama I love you, Mama Whether near or somewhere I cannot see Thank you, Mama Forever, Mama Every piece of you keeps living on in me [Outro — piano and gentle acoustic guitar] (Female – Ayoa) For every thank-you I forgot to say I hope your heart Still heard it anyway Thank you, Mama I love you, Mama Always [whisper] Ben, Ben, Bennie pon di riddim Mmmmmhhhhhh