Music Video

A Letter From Harry's Mother Lyrics

OST: Suffs

Song Lyrics

A Letter From Harry's Mother Song Lyrics

Dear Harry,

I've never sent a telegram before.
I drove all the way to town in a downpour,
So I sure hope this reaches you in time for your vote today.
I'm real proud you hold that office, and Son,
There's something I must say.

Your father gave his life in the Great War three years ago.
I know I'll be kicked out of Muckman County for saying so.
I hate this president for making him go,
And I wish I'd had the right to vote him out.

Now, I know I'm just an old farmer, milking cows in Tennessee,
But I read the paper and I've seen the women marching to be free.
They made me think that maybe I could hop a train to Washington DC and march too.
Only I was home raising you, so I did my best to teach you what I knew.
Now your own little girl is nearly three.
What do you want her future to be?
Will you vote for her, my son?
Let your mama know she raised a good one.
And oh, I made that meatloaf you like, so come on home when you're done.
Burn, burn for Christ sakes, burn!
We did it with lots of love.

Mama

June, 12th 2024

Genre: Musical Theater

Lyricist: Shaina Taub

Composers: Shaina Taub

Released in 2024

"A Letter from Harry’s Mother"

Here’s another one that never changed in all these years, except the ending! This is a real moment from history that was just too specific and compelling to pass up. I always felt passionate about including it because while this show is about the extraordinary women of the time who dedicated their lives to the fight, at the final moment, who pushed it over the edge to victory? An ordinary wife and mother in rural Tennessee, who raised her son to be a feminist.

Dramatically, it would be much better to have my protagonist take the final action to win the vote, but it felt more important to me to show that the moms out there raising their kids to be socially conscious are as important to the struggle as any full-time activist. And dramatically, it has the element of surprise, which is very helpful this late in the show. I tried to write this for guitar. And thank god, Michael Starobin was able to beautifully orchestrate it that way, and our great guitarist Beth Callen soulfully plays it every night. Musically, I was inspired by Brandi Carlile’s "The Mother," which had come out the year I wrote this. I wanted this song to sound simple, folksy, like nothing we’ve heard yet all night.

Dramatically, I was inspired by that moment in Ratatouille where we go into Anton Ego’s head after he takes the bit of ratatouille, and he’s transported back to his mother’s kitchen, and it returns him to his humanity. I wanted this song to feel like that for Harry Burn. But this damn ending was so hard to crack. When do we let the audience know the vote is won and they can clap? Initially, it ended on Harry Burn’s “aye,” because that’s how we know, he votes yes! But, it felt like such a womp womp to not properly end the song itself.

And also, I wanted his mother, Phoebe, to get the glory of ending the dramatic beat. This was a rare moment where going back to the history books actually served me. While for this letter, I didn’t use a word of the original text of it for the song, I noticed when re-visiting it, she signed it off, “With lots of love, Mama.” What a universal, evergreen sign-off! And to end the song on the word “Mama” when the opening plea of Suffs was to "Let Mother Vote"…. That symmetry appealed to me. Immediately I was like, "Oh thank god, there it is, there’s the ending." And god, how can I describe Emily Skinner’s rendition of this…. Every night we’re all up there on the bridge in a freeze in the dark, and we’re all just standing in awe of her. I’m so glad it’s permanently captured on this record.

Artist Information

Shaina Taub is a celebrated performer and songwriter known for her work in musical theater. She has a knack for blending contemporary sounds with traditional musical elements. Shaina's previous works include notable contributions to Off-Broadway productions and various public theater projects. Her style often features insightful, witty lyrics, and she is praised for her unique vocal delivery. With her latest musical, Suffs, she continues to explore themes of social justice and historical movements.

Annotations and Meaning of "A Letter From Harry's Mother"

This song is a heartfelt plea from a mother to her son, urging him to vote in favor of the Woman's Suffrage Amendment.

Dear Harry,

I've never sent a telegram before.

I drove all the way to town in a downpour,

So I sure hope this reaches you in time for your vote today.

The opening lines set a personal and emotional tone. The mother explains the effort she made to ensure her message reaches her son, highlighting the urgency and importance of the vote.

Your father gave his life in the Great War three years ago.

I know I'll be kicked out of Muckman County for saying so.

I hate this president for making him go,

And I wish I'd had the right to vote him out.

These lines reveal the mother's personal loss and frustration with the lack of political power. She resents the president for her husband's death in the war and wishes she had the right to vote against him.

Now, I know I'm just an old farmer, milking cows in Tennessee,

But I read the paper and I've seen the women marching to be free.

They made me think that maybe I could hop a train to Washington DC and march too.

Only I was home raising you, so I did my best to teach you what I knew.

Here, the mother expresses solidarity with the suffrage movement and reflects on her own constraints. She admires the women marching for their rights but stayed home to raise her son, instilling in him the values she believes in.

Now your own little girl is nearly three.

What do you want her future to be?

Will you vote for her, my son?

Let your mama know she raised a good one.

This part of the letter connects the political issue to a personal one, asking Harry to consider the future of his own daughter. The mother appeals to Harry's sense of duty as a parent and the values she taught him.

And oh, I made that meatloaf you like, so come on home when you're done.

Burn, burn for Christ sakes, burn!

We did it with lots of love.

Ending on a personal note, the mother mentions a familiar comfort, showing her love and care. Her passionate plea for Harry to "burn" reflects her deep desire for him to vote in favor of women's suffrage, symbolizing a vote for progress and equality.

The song text blends personal history with political advocacy, making the stakes of the vote deeply personal.

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