Mothers Day - A Celebration of Mothers Around the World
This year, Mothers Day falls on the Sunday 6th of March. To show some appreciation and often neglected gratitude to all the mothers out there, we put together a list of 10 songs written about mothers. Enjoy some good old Rock N Roll vibes on the rollercoaster of sentiments these well-known Rockstars cultivated towards mothers. While you may not have the opportunity to write a super famous Rock N Roll hit to honour your mother, you can still show some appreciation by a simple thank you, flowers or even sharing this playlist with her. Happy Mothers Day!
10. Metallica - Mama Said
We’re opening our list with James Hetfield’s heartfelt letter to his late mother. In this song he is trying to resolve the troubling relationship which still seems to be an active part of his present life, even though his mother died when he was only sixteen. Since this is not a typical Metallica song, it was never included in their live set-list, except a solo version performed by Hetfield on an acoustic guitar.
9. Three Dog Night– Mama Told Me Not to Come
A song originally written in 1966 by Randy Newman for Eric Burdon became a pop culture phenomenon after being covered by The Three Dog Night in the 1970 and Stereophonics in the 2000. Newman’s inspiration for the song emerged from his own impressions of the Los Angeles music scene of the late sixties, abundant with all sorts of pleasurable experiences most mothers wouldn’t approve of.
8. U2 – Mothers of the Disappeared
One of U2’s earliest engagements in activism was dedicated to the mothers of the “displaced” victims of Argentinean and Chilean dictatorships. The song was released in 1987 after Bono’s visit to Nicaragua and El Salvador, where he witnessed the grief of women who lost their children without a trace.
7. Ozzy Osbourne– Mama I’m Coming Home
You may be surprised to learn that “Mama” in the title of Ozzy Osbourne’s rock ballad is not his own mother, but rather a mother of his children, Sharon Osbourne. The song marks his retirement from an intense rock career and a more dedicated engagement in his family life.
6. Paul Simon – Mother and Child Reunion
This semi-sweet, semi-nostalgic number brings a dash of reggae to our rock and roll playlist. While the song itself was inspired by the death of Paul Simon’s family dog, its title originated from a Chinese restaurant name on the menu for a chicken and egg dish.
5. Pink Floyd - Mother
Another rock ballad written as a dialogue between Pink (narrated by Roger Waters) and his mother (narrated by David Gilmour) tells a story of a young man struggling with his overprotective mother and her efforts to build a wall around him. As a part of the historic album The Wall, this song represent a formative point of the album’s conceptual theme.
4. Aerosmith - Mama Kin
Aerosmith’s first single ever from 1972 emphasises the importance of “Keepin’ touch with Mama Kin” even while leading a wild lifestyle of a rockstar. This video of a fiery live performance from 2014 proves the guys remained true rockstars even 4 decades after the single’s initial release. Assured of its success, Stephen Tyler tattooed the title on his upper arm, but only the short version “Ma Kin”, due to the thinness of his arms at the time.
3. The Beatles – Your Mother Should Know
This little sixties’ gem remained under the radar until its first live performance by Paul McCartney in 2013. The official video shows young John, George, Ringo and Paul as they come down the stairs wearing white tuxedos performing their quirky synchronised dance in a true Beatles fashion.
2. The Rolling Stones – Mother’s Little Helper
What better way of honouring mothers’ hard work in a rock and roll manner than adding some drugs to the story? Mother’s Little Helper thematises a sudden popularity of diazepam among the housewives in the sixties, helping them go through their tiring days.
1. Thin Lizzy – Philomena
On the 25th of December 1985 Philomena Lynott found her son unconscious as a result of heroin dependency she wasn’t aware of. After being hospitalised, Phil Lynott passed away on 4th of January 1986 at the age of 36. Phil’s affection of his mother is probably best summed up in the following few lines of this beautiful mother’s day hymn:
And if you see my mother
Tell her I’m keeping fine
Will you tell her that I love her
And I’ll try and write sometime
So why not take your mother on a tour this Mothers Day? Click here to book your tour now!
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