The Mother’s Day Mixtape

The many roles a mother plays makes fitting all of our thank you’s into one day a year an impossible task. From nurturer, to chef, to chaperone, to friend; mothers play an essential role in our lives and more than a few rock-n-roll stars have paid tribute to that with their music. Here are some of the best mom songs from artists new and old.

Thin Lizzy – Philomena

This poignant slice of Irish rock that Phil Lynott penned for his mother takes on even more weight since he passed. When he sings, “If you see my mother, Tell her I’m keeping fine”, there isn’t a heart cold enough not to shiver just a little at the thought of Phil looking down at his mother who is still out there going to shows and keeping his legacy alive.

 

Kacey Musgraves – Mother

Last year’s acclaimed Golden Hours has so many memorable tracks that the gentle “Mother” might not catch your attention immediately. But with each passing listen, “Mother” jumps out as one of Musgraves’ most unguarded moments over three brilliant albums. Like a mother’s love, it sometimes takes time to realize the impact a song can have.

 

Scissor Sisters – Take Your Mama

We might not always conform to the vision our mother’s had for us but when the time comes to show our true colours, it should be as fun as Scissor Sister Jake Shears has with his mother in this song. This iconic performance at the Brit Awards only adds to the over-the-top effervescence of this song.

 

Queen – Tie Your Mother Down

“Maybe he was in one of his vicious moods,” said Freddie Mercury of Brian May who wrote this rather alarming song for Queen. Taking the Loggins & Messina song “Your Mama Don’t Dance” to murderous lengths, the song will stop at nothing to get alone with a special someone. What might have come across as a tad cruel becomes a legendary rocker once Freddie gets ahold of it. Even if Brian May did tie someone’s mother down, I can see Mercury stopping by to untie her for tea and a chat.

 

Aerosmith – Mama Kin

The story goes that Steven Tyler got a tattoo of this song before it was a hit because he was so confident in it. Turns out, he was right, His mama raised a good boy full of confidence and he hasn’t stopped rocking the world since this song exploded in 1972.

 

John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band – Mother

The loss of his mother haunted John Lennon his entire life. Turning his own pain into a universal anthem for all of us, Lennon proves yet again why he will always be one of the most important voices in the rock-n-roll canon.