☝️ Key Points
- The song lyrics describe the physical and emotional pains of a war veteran.
- The protagonist longs for his family and asks them to bake a cake and slaughter a chicken.
- The war veteran feels abandoned by his girlfriend, but the bottle helps him not to forget her.
- The song lyrics criticize war as a waste of time.
Interpretation
The song lyrics 'Mama Bake a Pie (daddy Kill a Chicken)' by
Bobby Bare is about a war veteran returning home. It describes the physical and emotional pains he suffered during the war.
In the lyrics, people's attention is drawn to the protagonist as he is pushed on a ramp towards the airplane. He has survived the war, but the pain remains. He politely thanks for the support but notes that he can now save money as he can no longer walk and therefore doesn't need to buy shoes anymore.
The war veteran hides a bottle under a blanket over his battered legs. The stewardess notices him and asks if he was scared. He replies that he is Superman and couldn't find a phone booth in time. He mocks that soldiers often make funny remarks to cope with the situation.
The protagonist longs for his family and asks his mother to bake a pie and his father to kill a chicken. He will arrive home on Wednesday night at 11:35. He expects his mother to cry and his father to tell him how well he has been treated. His uncle will be drunk and say they do great things with wood.
The war veteran receives a farewell letter from his girlfriend wishing him luck and saying she couldn't wait. The bottle under the blanket feels like an old friend to him. He knows she will visit him, but he doesn't believe she will ever look at his legs. She will talk about the weather and the dress she wore at the 4th of July parade.
The protagonist loves his girlfriend, and the bottle helps him not to forget her. He reads in the newspaper that war is a waste of time.
Overall, the song lyrics describe the physical and emotional burdens of a war veteran and his longing for home and his loved one.