Mother Songs

In compiling a list of mother/mommy/mama songs, I listened to each, and of course encountered some that I felt best left off such a list. Of course, I was aiming for love and fuzzy, and not angst or sexual. I think I’ve successfully narrowed it down to the fuzzy ones, with one or two just thrown in for the fun of it (Fountains of Wayne). Now certainly some of these would be appropriate for a mother/son dance at let’s say a wedding or other event, while others are a bit too up-beat for a slow dance application. Mostly, I tried to think of my own mother, and which songs best expressed how I loved her. Hopefully this list comes in handy for those of you looking for a way to tell your mother you love her in a song, because there is very little in this world that is stronger or more true than a mothers love. Here’s to all you moms out there, thanks, and to my mom… I love you.

“Loves Me Like a Rock” by Paul Simon

I don’t think there could be any truer sentiment than this song, particularly the line “She get on her knees and hugs me”, which of course lends to sad days, scraped knees, bee stings and all the little kid things a mommy is best for, but can still be applied to all the times in our lives when, although we might be as tall as mom and she doesn’t need to get on her knees to hug us, she still metaphorically does.

“The Perfect Fan” by The Backstreet Boys

And what really is a mom anyway? Someone to put your crayon artwork where everyone can see it? Someone who builds you up after the kids at school said something mean. Someone to say “You can” when you’ve stopped believing in yourself. A mom really can be “the perfect fan”.

“In My Life” by The Beatles

Although it’s the only song on my list that may not have been meant for mom, I think it says everything – at least for me – about what a mother means, and no matter who comes and goes from our lives, it seems that mother, or the ‘idea’ of mother, always remains the same… In my life, all my life.

“I Wish” by Stevie Wonder

Okay, so this is the oddest pick on my list, but if you listen to the lyrics, it brings back memories of so many mischievous things we did as kids, and although the ultimate goal was to ‘get away with it’, in the end, we miss that cat and mouse game of being bad and pulling the wool over mom’s eyes, and how, like Stevie, I wish those days would come back once more.

“A Song For Mama” by Boyz II Men

They might have been on the Motown label, but they were Philadelphia boys, and Boyz II Men didn’t mince words with either the title or the lyrics of this song. It comes as no surprise that this is one of the most popular mother/son slow dance songs at weddings and bar mitzvahs. Like The Backstreet Boys “The Perfect Fan”, this slow number speaks directly to mama, letting her know exactly how significant she is in our lives.

“Mother” by Pink Floyd

“Mother, why is the grass green?” and “Mother, why is the sky blue?” were probably more atypical questions we asked of our mothers, but although Pink Floyd asks deeper and more poignant questions, we are always looking to mother for approval. “Mother” concludes with all of the sentiments we turn to our mothers for. Hush now baby baby don’t you cry, but be careful, because Mama will always find out where you’ve been. The duality of mom, and why you’ll always be baby to your mommy. Yup, that’s a Pink Floyd song.

“Stacy’s Mom” by Fountains Of Wayne

Okay, okay, I know, this one has a totally different message than all the rest, but there’s nothing wrong with throwing one in there just for fun. I think everyone can get a chuckle out of this one, and not just those of us who knew a mother like this but those mothers who are this mother. It’s the 2000’s version of Mrs. Robinson, which can probably be appreciated by just about everyone… except maybe Stacy 🙁

“I’ll Always Love My Mama” by The Intruders

Another Philadelphia band that says it loud and says it proud. This is truly the sound of Philadelphia, and like “Mama” by Boyz II Men doesn’t mess around with metaphor or innuendo, but just comes right out and says it. I will always love my mama, and that’s that.

-Craig