BARRY LEVINE: Moms inspiration for a number of hit songs

Mother’s Day is one of the most meaningful days of the year when those fortunate enough to still have their mothers pause to honor them in a plethora of ways. Some might give their mothers chocolates or roses or a piece of jewelry or a greeting card or simply a telephone call to say, “Mom, I love you. Thanks for everything you’ve done for me.”

For those of us whose mothers have died, I only hope that they left you with nothing but wonderful memories.

In honor of Mother’s Day, which has been celebrated in this country since 1908, here are some of the songs that have the word mother or a derivative of the word in the title.

“Mama” — Written by Cesare Andrea Bixio with Italian lyrics by Bixio Cherubin in 1941, Harold Barlow and Phil Brito wrote the English lyrics five years later. Connie Francis recorded the song in 1959 for her album “Connie Francis Sings Italian Favorites,” and it was released as a single in 1960. Francis’ version reached No. 8.

“Mother” – Ex-Beatle John Lennon wrote and recorded this 1970 song about the relationship he had with his mother and father. His father left when he was an infant. Although he had a good relationship with his mother, she did not live with him. She was killed in a car accident when he was 17. The song peaked at No. 43.

“Mama Said” – Written by Luther Dixon and Willie Denson, this was the fourth of the Shirelles’ 12 Top 40 hits, climbing to No. 4 in 1961. The song was inspired by Van Morrison’s “Days Like This.”

“Mama Tried” — Written and record by Merle Haggard, the tune was released in 1968. It was the title track for his album. In the song, Haggard focused on the pain and suffering he caused his mother by being incarcerated in 1957 at San Quentin Prison in California. “Mama Tried” became one of his cornerstone songs.

“Mama Can’t Buy You Love” — Elton John’s song rose to No. 9 in August 1979 and was his first Top 10 hit in three years. LeRoy Bell and Casey James wrote the song. The RIAA certified the song Gold on Aug. 17, 1979.

“Mama Look A Boo Boo” — Harry Belafonte is one of the most successful Jamaican-American pop stars in history. Dubbed the “King of Calypso” for popularizing Caribbean music, Belafonte is best-known for singing “The Banana Boat Song,” with its signature tag line “Day-O.” “Mama Look A Boo Boo” was the 91-year-old Belafonte’s second-most successful single, jumping to No. 11.

“Mama Sang a Song” – Unquestionably known more for his acting ability than his singing skill, Walter Brennan had his third and last Top 40 tune when “Mama Sang a Song” reached No. 38. One of three actors to win three Oscars, Brennan won the accolade for “Come and Get It” in 1936, “Kentucky” in 1938 and “The Westerner” in 1940. All were for best supporting actor.

“Sometimes I feel Like a Motherless Child” – The traditional Negro spiritual dates to the era of slavery in the U.S. The song is an expression of pain and despair as it conveys the hopelessness of a child who has been torn from her/his parents. Civil rights activist and All-American football player Paul Robeson recorded the song on his 1945 album “Spirituals.”

“Mama Didn’t Lie” – This was Jan Bradley’s only Top 40 hit, reaching No. 14 in 1963. The song was written by Curtis Mayfield of the Impressions.

“Your Mother Should Know” – Never released as a single, the song was on The Beatles’ 1967 album “Magical Mystery Tour,” which climbed to No. 1. Beatles John Lennon and Paul McCartney wrote the song.

“Mother and Child Reunion” – Written and performed by Paul Simon on his 1972 album, “Paul Simon,” the song was released as a single in February 1972, reaching No. 4. It was one of the first songs by a white musician to feature prominent elements of reggae.

“Mama Told Me Not to Come” – This 1970 tune was the first of three No.1 hits by Three Dog Night. The song was written by Randy Newman, a prolific writer and singer, who recorded 12 albums. His biggest single was “Short People” in 1977.

“Mama Liked the Roses” – Even Elvis Presley, “The King of Rock ‘n’ Roll,” had a song with mama in the title. “Mama Liked the Roses,” which failed to chart, was on the flip side of his 1970 song “The Wonder of You.” Presley made the recording, in large part, because of his strong relationship with his mother. It was written by John Christopher, who also penned Willie Nelson’s Top 5 hit “Always on My Mind.”

“Mama, Teach Me to Dance” – Eydie Gorme recorded this song in 1956, begging her mother to teach her to dance. The song managed to reach No. 36 on the charts.

“Mother’s Little Helper” – The Rolling Stones’ song was released in 1966 and first appeared on the group’s 1966 album “Aftermath.” It was released as a single that same year and peaked at No. 8.

“Mama Mia” – The song was recorded in 1975 by ABBA, the Swedish pop group, and written by Benny Andersson, Björn Ulvaeus and Stig Anderson. The song’s title is derived from Italian, where it is used in situations of surprise, anguish or excitement.

“Mama’s Pearl” — The Jackson 5’s 1971 hit recording was written by The Corporation, a songwriting team led by Berry Gordy Jr. that had helped the group score four consecutive No. 1 singles. It was one of six straight Top 5 singles for the legendary Motown group. “Mama’s Pearl” peaked at No. 2.

“Mother-in-Law” – Written by Allen Toussaint and recorded by Ernie K-Doe, this 1961 song hit the top of the charts, supplanting “Travelin’ Man” by Ricky Nelson. This was Doe’s only Top 40 hit. It was, perhaps, the only song negatively written about a mother.

This week in rock history: The Rolling Stones released “Paint It Black” on May 13, 1966. The single hit No. 1. This was one of the first rock records to use a sitar. … Bo Diddley’s song “Bo Diddley” debuted on the R&B chart on May 14, 1955, where it stayed for 18 weeks, climbing to No. 1. The song was his most successful record and introduced what would be known as the Bo Diddley beat. … The winners of the fifth annual Grammy Awards were announced on May 15, 1963. Record of the Year was Tony Bennett’s “I Left My Heart in San Francisco.” Peter, Paul & Mary’s “If I Had a Hammer” won Best Performance by a Vocal Group and Best Folk Recording. … Mary Wells, 21, led the Pop chart with the Smokey Robinson-written “My Guy” on May 16, 1964. The record was Wells’ ninth Top 40 entry and would prove to be her highest charting single. … Bob Dylan, Joan Baez, Pete Seeger, The Weavers and Peter, Paul & Mary were the featured acts at the first Monterey Folk Festival in Monterey, Calif., on May 17, 1963. … After hitting No. 22 the previous year with “Twistin’ Matilda,” Jimmy Soul reached No. 1 with “If You Wanna Be Happy,” a song about the benefits of marrying an ugly woman, on May 18, 1963. … Roger Miller’s No. 4 smash “King of the Road” was awarded a Gold record on May 19, 1964. The song was inspired by a sign in Chicago that read “Trailers for Sale or Rent.”

Barry “The Old Rocker” Levine is an entertainment writer for The Albany Herald. He can be reached at [email protected].