Malvina Reynolds: Song Lyrics and Poems  

Babies

Notes: words and music by Malvina Reynolds; copyright 1973 Schroder Music Company, renewed 2001.

There's the Life Force, you know,
And it breaks you and mends you,
It shakes you and bends you,
It takes you and sends you,
The way that it wants you to go.
It's when you are young
And you're free and you're strong,
And then love comes along. I know.
I was once in love long ago.

Chorus:
Oh love is a trap to make you have babies,
Whether you want them or not.
Love is a trap to make you keep babies,
Whether you know how to keep them
Or feed them or raise them or need them or what.

So babies are darling, babies are sweet,
Babies get wet and need something to eat,
Babies need love or they wither and pine,
Babies need you or they'll die on the vine,
Babies need all of you all of the time.

(Chorus)

So please to consider the matter a lot,
Before you melt down and fall back on the cot,
That love is a trap to make you have babies
Whether you want them or not.
Love is a beautiful, natural snare.

Malvina Reynolds songbook(s) in which the music to this song appears:
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Malvina Reynolds recording(s) on which this song is performed:
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