"Me and Your Mama" is a single by American singer Donald Glover, under his stage name Childish Gambino. It was released on November 10, 2016 worldwide, and is the first single from his third studio album "Awaken, My Love!"[1]

"Me and Your Mama"
Single by Childish Gambino
from the album "Awaken, My Love!"
ReleasedNovember 10, 2016 (2016-11-10)
Recorded2016
Genre
Length6:19
LabelGlassnote
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)Ludwig Göransson
Childish Gambino singles chronology
"Together"
(2016)
"Me and Your Mama"
(2016)
"Redbone"
(2016)

It was noted by Billy Gill of A Nation of Billions and Graham Moore of Exeposé for Glover's powerful vocals[2][3] and the melodic, hypnotizing instrumentals throughout the song.

The song was debuted live at Bonnaroo Music Festival on June 13, 2015.[4][5]

Composition

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The song begins with a lullaby-esque Rhodes piano before suddenly entering the first of three sections this song contains.

This first section consists of a high-pitched psychedelic synth that plays throughout the first section. A simple drum pattern also plays, consisting of high hats, 808s and a bass synth. This section plays for the first two minutes of the song, all the while a harmony of a choir repeat "I'm in love when we're smoking that la la la la la". This first section acts as a juxtaposition to the main portion. Shortly before the second—and main—section, the 808s become significantly louder and the high hats play much quicker, implying that the song is about to enter the second section.

This new section now includes a fuzzy guitar, drums, synths, a choir backing Gambino's lead vocal. A demon-like laughter appears occasionally in the background as well. Glover sings about how he is desperately in love, and essentially cannot live without the woman he's singing about. Despite her flaws, she has an unbounded "hold" on him.

Glover ends his rant abruptly, as the song goes into its last section. The instrumentation is even more fragile than the first, including light guitar strumming, tambourines and shakers, delicately played drums, a Minimoog bass and singers. This section is the lengthiest in contrast with the rest of the song.

Charts

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Chart (2016) Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[6] 75
Canada (Canadian Hot 100)[7] 52
New Zealand Heatseekers (RMNZ)[8] 4
US Billboard Hot 100[9] 68
US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)[10] 28

Personnel

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  • Childish Gambino – vocals, percussion
  • Ludwig Göransson – bass, guitars, synths
  • Chris Hartz – drums
  • Ray Suen – guitars
  • Brent Jones and the Bestlife Singers – choir
  • Lynette Williams – B3 organ
  • Zac Rae – moog synthesizer, B3 organ
  • Per Gunnar Juliusson – Rhodes, piano
  • Thomas Drayton – bass
  • bLAck pARty – drum programming
  • Şerban Ghenea - Mix

Certifications

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Region Certification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[11] Gold 35,000
Canada (Music Canada)[12] Gold 40,000
United Kingdom (BPI)[13] Gold 400,000

Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

References

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  1. ^ Hear Childish Gambino's Grooving New Song 'Me and Your Mama' – Rolling Stone
  2. ^ Gill, Billy. "Childish Gambino Channels The Force On 'Me And Your Mama'". A Nation of Billions. Retrieved June 25, 2017.
  3. ^ Moore, Graham (12 December 2016). "Album Review: Childish Gambino – "Awaken, My Love!"". Exeposé. Retrieved June 25, 2017. ("The lengthy and dreamy intro to ‘Me and Your Mama’ – introducing the gospel-like sound which weaves throughout the album – gives way to powerful vocals, the likes of which we’ve never quite seen before from Gambino.")
  4. ^ "Childish Gambino Setlist at Bonnaroo 2015". setlist.fm. Retrieved 2021-11-24.
  5. ^ Childish Gambino Debuts A New Song at Bonnaroo 2015, 14 June 2015, retrieved 2021-11-24
  6. ^ "ARIA CHART WATCH #395". auspOp. November 19, 2016. Archived from the original on November 19, 2016. Retrieved November 19, 2016.
  7. ^ "Childish Gambino Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved November 23, 2016.
  8. ^ "NZ Heatseekers Singles Chart". Recorded Music NZ. November 21, 2016. Retrieved November 18, 2016.
  9. ^ "Childish Gambino Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved December 13, 2016.
  10. ^ "Childish Gambino Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved November 23, 2016.
  11. ^ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2021 Singles" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved April 25, 2021.
  12. ^ "Canadian single certifications – Childish Gambino – Me and Your Mama". Music Canada.
  13. ^ "British single certifications – Childish Gambino – Me and Your Mama". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved October 1, 2023.
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