"What's Your Mama's Name?" is a country song recorded by George Jones in 1972. The song tells a poignant story of a young man who comes to Memphis in search of a lost love interest he hasn't seen in many years. The song depicts a series of encounters between the young man and different people, as he tries to gather information about his lost love. He starts by asking about a rose that used to blossom in his world, referring to the girl he is searching for. However, people ignore his questions until one day, he reaches out to a little green-eyed girl who seems to hold the answers. The song then takes us back in time, revealing that twenty years ago, the young man had asked a question to a little green-eyed girl, only to end up in jail. He had offered her candy if she would tell him about his lost love. This incident underlines the desperation and longing he feels to find this person who has been missing from his life. Years later, when an old man passes away, a faded letter is discovered in his coat. The letter reveals the truth that the young man has a daughter with his lost love interest. The girl's eyes are described as "Wilson green," indicating that she takes after her mother, whose last name is Wilson. The song carries a sense of mystery, heartbreak, and the longing for connection. It explores the consequences of choices made in the past and the impact they can have on the present. Ultimately, the young man's search for his lost love and his daughter reflects the universal theme of the importance of family and understanding our roots.
