Songs for Mama-A Mother's Day Playlist

The annals of popular music are well stocked with songs about Mother. As Mother's Day fast approaches, the following are choice selections for a playlist, some which are probably familiar, and other which will be pleasant revelations to the listener.

Butterfly by Corinne Bailey-Rae.

Corinne brings you into her childhood through a picture on her mother's mantelpiece, and shows through a series of small conversations what gave the little girl "scared to get her fingers burned" the courage to spread her wings.

Mama Didn't Raise No Fool by SwingOut Sister.

"Suddenly it becomes plain to see/That's The Way Its was meant to be." An epiphany for a person coming of age, parlayed through the dulcet tones of Corinne Drewrey. The narrative is intensely personal, looking back on a tumultuous childhood and a broken home, each jarring event sprinkled with teaching moments. Sometimes the best food comes from a pressure cooker.

Mama Liked The Roses by Elvis Presley.

For each mother's child, there are sensory touchstones that remind of us of moments and characteristics we hold dear. For Elvis, it was Sunday Bells and Gardens.

So Alone by Men At Large.

From a group better known for their size than their catalog, this hidden gem will resonate for those whose mothers are dearly departed.

Dear Mama byTupac.

Maybe the most popular ode to a mother ever made, it is more than a tribute to his mother Assata Shakur. There's a verse in that song for everyone if they merely close their eyes and listen with their heart. A Magnum Opus from a man who transcended his genre, it's the perfect song to let a mother know she is "appreciated."

A Letter From A Soldier by Connie Francis.

Made during the Vietnam era, this heart-rending ballad from a soldier to his mother could be from Fallujah as much as Saigon. Mother is a symbol of the comforts of home, which motivated soldiers to valiantly protect themselves and those beside them.

Mama Told Not To Come by Three Dog Night.

"A cautionary tale about the perils of being hard headed" could be the sub-title. The lyrics have long been parsed and debated ("are they anti-drug or just about a bad trip?"), but it conveys one essential truth. When you choose unwisely, and things go awry, all you can see is your mother wagging her finger at you.

Mama Tried by Merle Haggard.

This song by Country music's outlaw could serve as the companion piece to "Mama Told Me Not To Come." A well-paced, unpretentious convict's lamentation on why he should have listened.

Mama I'm Coming Home by Ozzy Osbourne.

Any man who's been saved from the darkside by a good woman can relate to Ozzy's ode to his wife Sharon.

Mama He's Crazy by The Judds.

"Now I'm convinced he's Heaven sent/And must be out of his mind." Mother and Daughter duo Naomi and Wynonna Judd mastered the conversational style of songwriting, and it's no surprise this was their first # 1, and their signature song. Every mother and daughter has had this talk in some form, about how scary true love is.