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Mama Says (You Can’t Back Down) Lyrics by Tom Snow

Footloose (Original Broadway Cast Recording)

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Willard
Everything I ever learned
That gets me through the worst
I learned at my Mama's knee
Now, anytime I'm turned around
I turn to Mama first
And you'd be wise
To memorize
What Mama says to me
Now, Mama ain't been wrong yet. And I'm living proof
Jeter
Take that for what it's worth
Willard
Mama says
Don't use a toaster while standing in the shower
Now who an argue with that?
Mama says
Don't hold your breath for longer than an hour
The woman knows where it's at!
And Mama says it doesn't matter
If you're a king or you're a clown
Once you drive up a mountain
You can't back down
Bickle
You can't back down, Ren!
Willard
Now, Ren, you've not yet had the pleasure of meeting my Mama
But these boys here have. C'mon and help me out, fellas
Jeter, Garvin & Bickle
Mama says
Willard
Don't drink hot coffee lying down in bed
Don't even give it a thought
Jeter, Garvin & Bickle
It's a mess
Mama says
Willard
Never eat anything bigger than your head
Is she a whiz or what?
Jeter, Garvin & Bickle
Oh yes!
Willard
And Mama says it doesn't matter
If you're a king or you're a clown
Once you drive up a mountain
You can't back down
Once you drive up a mountain
You can't back down
Mama makes a lot of sense
If you know how to listen
She is clear and concise
Daddy says, "I love her, son
But she's got marbles missin'"
But I say, "Hey! It's free advice
And what d'you expect at that price?"
Jeter, Garvin & Bickle
Mama says
Willard
What you believe in is all you really own
And I believe that she's right
Jeter, Garvin & Bickle
Mama says
Willard
If you've got doubts, well, then, boy, you're not alone
Just means you're ready to fight
And Mama says it doesn't matter
If you're a king or you're a clown
Once you drive up a mountain
You can't back down, down, down, down
You can turn up the heat
Bickle
You can turn up the road
Willard
You can carry a beat
Garvin
You can carry a load
Willard
You can throw a bit
Jeter
You can throw a punch
Willard
You can bring up a child
Ren
You can bring up your lunch!
A one, two, three!
All
And Mama says it doesn't matter
Willard
If you drive a hard bargain or drive around town
All
Once you drive up a mountain
You can't back down
Once you drive up a mountain
You can't back down!
Willard
I thought of one more thing
Mama says
Don't buy a chandelier unless you've got a ceiling
I don't know what that's about
Mama says
Don't chew on tin foil unless you like that feeling
Somehow she figured that out
Willard, Garvin, Bickle & Jeter
And Mama says it doesn't matter
If you're a king or you're a clown
Once you drive up a mountain
Willard
Remember, boy
Everyone's countin' on you
All
Once you drive up a mountain
You can't back down!
Willard
That's my Mama!
Credits
Tom Snow

Tom Snow

About “Mama Says (You Can’t Back Down)” by Tom Snow

Read the complete lyrics to "Mama Says (You Can’t Back Down)" by Tom Snow from the album "Footloose (Original Broadway Cast Recording)". On Lyrks you can follow along with the full text, explore the artist's discography, and discover related songs. The track is often categorized under Musicals, Pop.

"Mama Says (You Can’t Back Down)" is performed by Tom Snow. from the album "Footloose (Original Broadway Cast Recording)" This page provides the full lyric text for fans who want to sing along, study the songwriting, or compare versions across releases. Lyrks organizes lyrics by artist and song slug so you can bookmark and share a stable URL. Music lyrics help listeners connect with emotion, narrative, and rhythm in a track. Whether you are learning English, researching a favorite chorus, or preparing for karaoke, having accurate line breaks and section labels (verse, chorus, bridge) makes the experience easier. We link to the official artist profile on Lyrks where available, including biography snippets, top songs, and chart placements when we have that data. If you enjoy "Mama Says (You Can’t Back Down)", explore more songs by Tom Snow using the links below. Chart and trending pages on Lyrks highlight what listeners are searching for this week. For copyright or correction requests, see our DMCA and contact pages.

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Frequently asked questions

"Mama Says (You Can’t Back Down)" is credited to Tom Snow. Songwriting credits may include additional writers listed on the release; check the credits section on this page for linked collaborators.

"Mama Says (You Can’t Back Down)" appears on "Footloose (Original Broadway Cast Recording)".

Visit the Tom Snow artist page at /artist/tom-snow for biography, popular tracks, and links to more lyric pages.