(Rock) [12", 45 RPM] [24/96] Genesis - Mama [1983, UK, MAMA 1-12] - 1983, FLAC (tracks)

"Mama" was the first single from Genesis' 1983 self-titled album. It is recognizable for its harsh drum machine introduction composed by Mike Rutherford, which leads into minimalist synthesizer lines in minor keys and finally Phil Collins' reverb-laden voice. It remains the band's most successful single in the UK, reaching No.4 on the UK Singles Chart. It also made the top 10 in Switzerland, Austria, Norway, Ireland and the Netherlands. It was less popular in the United States, only reaching No.73 on the Billboard Hot 100. A 1992 re-release of the single managed to scrape into the Top 40 in Germany.
A live drum kit, modified with the "gated reverb" effect, is used in the final verse.
The song resurfaced in 2007 as part of the Turn It On Again tour, albeit transposed down a tone to account for the deepening of Phil Collins' voice as he grew older.
The song's theme involves a young man's longing for a particular prostitute. On the DVD The Genesis Songbook, the band and producer Hugh Padgham revealed that the inspiration for Collins's laugh came from rap music pioneer Grandmaster Flash's song "The Message".