Sunday is Mother’s Day. Like opinions, well you know, everyone has one. Or at least had one.
The subject of mothers has a long history in Country Music. I was not raised on Country music at home in Detroit. Is that redundant? When I was growing up Tim Roberts had not moved to Detroit yet to make WYCD one of the city’s most popular stations.
It wasn’t until I got into radio and heard “No Charge” by Melba Montgomery that I understood how the lyrics of country music could move listeners so powerfully. I knew nothing about songwriter Harlan Howard but would come to learn that very few could make words come to life as forcefully as he did. The combination of Harlan’s words and Melba’s performance ended in her strongest chart position and opened my eyes. The song was released in 1974 so most of you are not familiar with the song. Look it up in Spotify. I did. It’s there.
Oh by the way, as coincidence would have it, Harlan was also born in Detroit. I am not going to do a list of songs about mothers but if I mention a few titles maybe you’ll take a moment and think fondly of your mother. Some of the older titles are the most impactful. “Coat of Many Colors” by Dolly Parton is a special song that tells two stories (which is Dolly’s genius), but the mother’s love for her daughter and her love for her mother is the message that shines through to me.
Talk about sad songs. Country music’s most irreverent songster recorded one of the most powerful mother-son songs. “The Baby” by Blake Shelton gets me every time. In 1968, Merle Haggard did the semi-autobiographical “Mama Tried.” Yeah there was some truth to the song, which made it real for both Merle and the listener, and fortunately he was not sentenced to life without parole. It was an important lesson in how mamas can lead a kid to church but cannot make them dip into the holy water.
The circle of life is best presented by Jamie O’Neal in “Somebody’s Hero.” As we age and become the responsible parties in this mother/daughter/son relationship, the lessons learned by our mother’s hand come to life in death. We need to provide guidance and love as examples to our children so they know how important their mother is before it gets too late to show appreciation. Brad Paisley, our reigning poet laureate, sings “She’s Everything.”
Those of you are fortunate enough to be able to call your mom today and wish them a great day, please do so. If you’re like me, who lost my mother when I was in my teens, remember what Brad sings, as everyday passes, I only love her more.
To all of you celebrating today, Happy Mother’s Day.
(The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of MusicRow.)
