M-O-T-H-E-R
(A Word That Means The World To Me)
From the Bobby Breen recording
Lyrics by Howard Johnson, melody by Theodore Morse
Copyright 1915, Leo Feist, Inc. Renewed 1943.


I've been around the world, you bet,
But never went to school,
Hard knocks are all I seem to get,
Perhaps, I've been a fool;

But still, some educated folks,
Supposed to be so swell,
Would fail, if they were called upon,
A simple word to spell.

Now, if you'd like to put me to a test,
There's one dear name that I can spell the best;
       "M" is for the million things she gave me,
       "O" means only that she's growing old,
       "T" is for the tears were shed to save me,
       "H" is for her heart of purest gold,
       "E" is for her eyes, with love-light shining,
       "R" means right, and right, she'll always be,
       Put them all together, they spell "MOTHER,"
       A word that means the world to me.

When I was but a baby,
Long before I learned to walk,
While lying in my cradle,
I would try my best to talk;

It wasn't long, before I spoke,
And all the neighbors heard,
My folks were very proud of me,
For "MOTHER" was the word.

Although I never lay a claim to fame,
I'm satisfied that I can spell the name;
       "M" is for the mercy she possesses,
       "O" means that I owe her all I own,
       "T" is for her tender sweet caresses,
       "H" is for her hands that made a home:
       "E" means everything she's done to help me,
       "R" means real and regular, you see,
       Put them all together, they spell "MOTHER,"
       A word that means the world to me.