Meaning of 'Some Mother's Son'

by The Kinks

Interpretation

The lyrics of the song "Some Mother's Son" by The Kinks deal with the horrors of war and the impact on the mothers whose sons die in combat. The lyrics describe the grief and loss these mothers experience.

The song begins with the lines "Some mother's son lies in a field / Someone has killed some mother's son today". Here, the sad reality is portrayed that somewhere a soldier lies in a field and a mother has lost her son. It is emphasized that this loss was caused by the hand of another human being, a soldier.

Throughout the song, the story of two soldiers in a trench is told. One of the soldiers dreams of childhood games when suddenly his friend calls his name and is killed in the next moment: "A second later he is dead". This illustrates the sudden and tragic nature of death in war.

The lyrics also emphasize that all dead soldiers look the same: "But all dead soldiers look the same". This highlights the anonymity of death in war and how the individual identity of soldiers is often lost.

The perspective of the mothers who wait for their children who will not come home from school is also shown. The lyrics describe the desperate attempts of the mothers to be strong and brave while crying inside: "Somewhere someone is crying / Someone is trying to be so brave".

The lyrics end by saying that the memory of the lost son remains in the hearts of the mothers: "Some mothers memory remains". This emphasizes the lasting impact of death in war on the survivors.

Overall, the lyrics of the song "Some Mother's Son" by "The Kinks" address the grief, loss, and impact of war on the mothers whose sons died in combat. It calls for reflection on the consequences of war and violence, and not forgetting the victims.