Songs About Mom

Jim and Greg celebrate Mother’s Day with their favorite Songs About Mom.

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Adam "MCA" Yauch, one of the three founding members of the Beastie Boys, died last week after a three year battle with throat cancer. As Greg notes, the Beastie Boys didn't just transform hip hop. Yauch also transformed himself. After releasing two best-selling albums, License to Ill and Paul’s Boutique, Yauch noticed how the group's (sometimes jokey, sometimes offensive) lyrics affected people. He began to incorporate his own political and spiritual views into the Beasties' music, without being too preachy. A great example of this is the 1994 track "Sure Shot."

Songs About Mom

Throughout the year Jim and Greg like to mark special occasions by playing the best and most appropriate music to celebrate. There has been Valentine’s Day and Father’s Day, but shockingly, they've never tackled Mother’s Day...until now. Pop music is full of tunes inspired by Mom, and here are some of our hosts' favorites.

Jim

  • The Smashing Pumpkins, "For Martha"
  • The dB’s, "Happenstance"
  • Macy Gray, "I Want to Be Your Mother’s Son-in-Law"
  • The Rolling Stones, "Have You Seen Your Mother, Baby, Standing in the Shadows"

Greg

  • John Lennon, "Mother"
  • Jay-Z, "December 4th"
  • Shangri-La’s, "I Can Never Go Home Anymore"
  • Kate Bush, "This Woman’s Work"

00:33:38 Listeners

We always get great suggestions from you listeners out there. Here are more Mother’s Day selections.

  • Eric from Chicago: Paul Simon, "Kodachrome"
  • Lorraine from Los Angeles: Kanye West, "Hey Mama"
  • Dave from Clarendon Hills, IL: Liz Phair, "Only Son"
  • Josh from Chicago: Justin Townes Earle, "Mama’s Eyes"

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