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Mama's Got the Blues

from The Jaybird Said by Mokai

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    Don't miss out on this rare road-trip worthy CD.

    This album captures Mokai's diverse musical moods. The collection ranges from acoustic tracks with folk-blues fingerpicking by Mokai, to full band rock Americana. Upright bass and fiddle, scorching Hammond b3 and virtuosity by top session players. Toe-tapping blues and serene folk, shades of country and bluegrass. Everything you need for a road trip.

    Producer James Nash, called by Guitar Player one of "50 Transcendent Acoustic Guitarists," delivers mind-blowing acoustic and electric lead and slide. Singing backup vocals and adding mandolin, Nash, who engineered the sessions, creates a beautiful mood for the whole album.

    The collection includes both a song for single mothers and a song about Hank Williams. Other highlights include a wild acoustic instrumental piece and a special recording of a song by Woody Guthrie.

    Includes unlimited streaming of The Jaybird Said via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.     ... more
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about

The first single "Mamas Got the Blues" from the album "The Jaybird Said".
Rock Americana from guitarist/singer/songwriter Mokai, featuring guitarist/producer James Nash and keyboardist Julie Wolf.

Mokai had this to say about “Mama’s Got the Blues” which features James Nash on guitar and Julie Wolf (Indigo Girls, Ani Di Franco) on Piano and Hammond B3… "The song grew out of seeing the challenges faced by working single mothers in this country. I’m in awe of how they pull it off. Each line in the song is an image from the life of a mother I know."

lyrics

She's been a working girl since she was a teen.
She's been a waitress and a salesgirl and everything in between.

A couple of decades, she’s got a couple of kids, well – that's a lot of life,
Whether or not you're somebody's wife.


Oh, Mama's Got the Blues.
She's been working all week, on her feet, wearing out her shoes.
Oh, Mama's Got the Blues.
She's got so much to juggle – it's a daily struggle,
Ain't it the truth, Ain't it the truth.


Her boy came home with a tooth knocked out from a schoolyard fight.
Her teenage daughter came home way too late last night.

Her boss is riding her; he won't get off of her case.
One of these days she's gonna lose it and tell him right to his face.


She remembers when she was younger and didn't have a care.
Hanging with her friends, doing something new with her hair.

It's been so long she can't recall the last time she had fun.
It's so hard to relax when her working day is done.


I wonder about a society that don't take care of it's own.
It's a hard enough job to raise a child all alone.

It don't help when they make it so hard to get the basic things you need.
In such a wealthy country – blinded by greed.


Mama's Got the Blues © 2019 Mokai

credits

from The Jaybird Said, released August 23, 2019
Words and music by Mokai
Vocals: Mokai
Acoustic guitar: Mokai
Background Vocals: James Nash
Electric guitar: James Nash
Piano: Julie Wolf
Hammond B3: Julie Wolf
Acoustic bass: Joe Kyle Jr.
Drums: Jeremy Hoenig

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Mokai San Francisco, California

Mokai adds a dose of contemporary attitude to roots music. He's known for his authentic folk-blues picking and eclectic originals.
His guitar style and technique were mentioned in the January 2013 issue of Acoustic Guitar Magazine.
His roots sound and original guitar style echoes his deep connection to the playing of seminal folk artist like Big Bill Broonzy and Dave Van Ronk. ... more

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