Mama (My Chemical Romance song)

"Mama" is a song by the American rock band My Chemical Romance, released as the ninth track from their third studio album, The Black Parade (2006).

A "goth cabaret" song featuring actress Liza Minnelli, "Mama" was conceived after lead guitarist Ray Toro was bet that he could not write a polka in the band's style.

"Mama" was written by band members Bob Bryar, Frank Iero, Ray Toro, Gerard Way, and Mikey Way, and was produced by the group alongside Rob Cavallo.

[4] Later, the band played "Mama" for Rob Cavallo, who responded toward the song enthusiastically and agreed to produce The Black Parade.

[7] During this period, Gerard Way wanted a "voice to ... talk back" to him in the song, and began searching for a guest vocalist who was a motherly figure, a "survivor", and "rooted in theater".

[14] The song ends with a section reminiscent of a "pirate shanty", featuring vocal performances by the Way brothers' parents and Frank Iero's mother.

[24] Framed as a letter, "Mama" sees The Patient plead his mother for forgiveness over his inadequacies as a son, while "bluntly pointing out her failures in raising him".

[24][25] However, My Chemical Romance biographer Tom Bryant suggested that "Mama" also had a more personal meaning for the band, writing that the song "was actually about alienation on tour and, deep down, sometimes just needing your mother".

[34] Margaret Farrell of Stereogum called "Mama" one of the band's 10 best songs, commending it as "one of the most theatrically intriguing MCR tracks to date".

[35] Bryant, also writing for Louder Sound, and Cassie Whitt of Loudwire ranked "Mama" as the fifth- and tenth-best song in the band's discography respectively, both praising its riskiness.

[17][36] Andy Belt of PopMatters ranked the song as the band's eleventh-best due to its lyrics and chorus evocative of "vintage MCR".