“Mother is the name for God in the lips and hearts of little children.” ~William Makepeace Thackeray

Moms. They give us life. They care for and nurture us as we grow. They give us wings and set us free. They love us unconditionally.

As Mother’s Day approaches, here are a few songs that pay homage to moms.

Some may consider the songs below are a bit of an eclectic mix, as one typically doesn’t expect to see Snatam Kaur and Youth Brigade on the same playlist.

Do not adjust your media players! This just happens sometimes, when music is curated by a punk rocker turned yogi.

However, despite all our many differences (musically or otherwise), every one of came from our mother.

Let’s remember to honor, love and celebrate our moms, this Mother’s Day and every day.

Snatam Kaur – Mother’s Blessing.

The first time I ever heard this song was in a Kundalini yoga class, and I just had to find out what it was, it was so beautiful!

“Retoño mio, esta es la bendición de tu madre.”
(Oh my child this is your mother’s blessing.)

Etta James – Tell Mama

Mom’s kiss our boo-boos. They give us shoulders to cry on. They listen to our problems and somehow know exactly what to do to make everything better again.

“Tell Mama, all about it,
Tell Mama, what you need
Tell Mama, what you want
And I’ll make everything all right.”

Roy Orbison – Mama

You knew there was gonna be a Roy Orbison song on here, right? This is a super sweet song, about a boy calling his mother after his heart has been broken. At the end of the song, he reminds his mother, “Yes, I’ll always be your baby through all the years.”

Bonus: Sprechen sie deutsch? Check out this version.

Wanda Jackson – Fujiyama Mama

This is a fun, tongue-in-cheek little ditty, given to us by the “Queen of Rockibilly.”

“Cause I’m a Fujiyama mama and I’m just about to blow my top!”

Youth Brigade – Punk Rock Mom

This jam starts out from the point of view of a girl who doesn’t want to “settle down” but wants to be a “punk-rock mom.” Toward the end, there’s a bit of a shift as Shawn Stern points out:

“Not much is better than being a mother, and have let yours know that you love her?
Did you ever think about what you would do, without the mother that birthed and cared for you?”

Bob Dylan – It’s Alright Ma (I’m Only Bleeding)

Like much of Dylan’s work, this song communicates Dylan’s outrage toward political issues such as commercialism, consumerism, and warmongering. However, throughout the song, Dylan communicates with his mother.

“An’ though the rules of the road have been lodged
It’s only people’s games that you got to dodge
And it’s alright, Ma, I can make it.”

Jill Haworth (From Caberet) – Don’t Tell Mama

I had to include this one for a bit of fun! After all, we’ve all had a few secrets we’ve kept from mom at one time or another, right?

“Hush up! Don’t tell Mama.
Shush up! Don’t tell Mama…
Don’t tell Mama,whatever you do!”

Wiskey Biscuit – Mom Song

I had almost forgotten about this song, but a couple of lines floated through my head as I start typing up this post! This was a local, L.A. based band I discovered in college, and this song was always one of my favorites.

“And that ain’t the way I was taught to believe, my mama taught me well.”

Kanya West – Hey Mama

However you feel about Kanye (love or loathe) these words will bring tears to your eyes.

“Forrest Gump mama said, Life is like a box of chocolates.
My mama told me, Go to school, get your doctorate,
Somethin to fall back on, you could profit with.
(But still supported me when I did the opposite.)”

Happy Mother’s Day, to all the very special ladies in our lives!

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Editor: Catherine Monkman

Photos: Wikimedia Commons, Valics Lehel/Pixoto