Saturday, 30 March 2019

Mother's Day: The Highest Charting Mom-themed Songs in the UK, part 1

Hello again! For Mother's Day (it's actually Mother's Day in the UK on Sunday, unlike many other countries), the UK Official Charts Company delved into the archive of every song that ever charted in the UK to see which mum-related tunes made it to the upper reaches. So, let’s all toast our mothers and play every song that made the UK Top 40 that has a variation of “mother” in its title. Let’s go!


Position: #76
Title: The Mother We Share
Artist: CHVRCHES
Chart Peak: #38
Year: 2013


Position: #75
Title: I Got It From My Mama
Artist: will.i.am
Chart Peak: # 38
Year: 2007


Position: #74
Title: Take Your Mama For A Ride
Artist: Lulu
Chart Peak: #37
Year: 1975


Position: #73
Title: Help Me Mama
Artist: Lemonescent
Chart Peak: #36
Year: 2003


Position: #72
Title: Mamy Blue
Artist: Pop Tops
Chart Peak: #35
Year: 1971


Position: #71
Title: It's Just Porn Mum
Artist: Trucks
Chart Peak: #35
Year: 2002


Position: #70
Title: My Mammy
Artist: Happenings
Chart Peak: #34
Year: 1967


Position: #69
Title: The Young Offender's Mum
Artist: Carter U.S.M.
Chart Peak: #34
Year: 1995


Position: #68
Title: Mum's Gone to Iceland
Artist: Bennet
Chart Peak: #34
Year: 1997


Position: #67
Title: She's A Bad Mama Jama
Artist: Carl Carlton
Chart Peak: #34
Year: 1981


Position: #66
Title: A Song For Mama
Artist: Boyz II Men
Chart Peak: #34
Year: 1997


Position: #65
Title: Mama's Boy
Artist: Suzi Quatro
Chart Peak: #34
Year: 1980


Position: #64
Title: On Mother Kellys Doorstep
Artist: Danny La Rue
Chart Peak: #33
Year: 1968


Position: #63
Title: Hey Mama
Artist: Joe Brown
Chart Peak: #33
Year: 1973


Position: #62
Title: I'll Always Love My Momma
Artist: The Intruders
Chart Peak: #32
Year: 1974


Position: #61
Title: Mamy Blue
Artist: Roger Whittaker
Chart Peak: #31
Year: 1971


Position: #60
Title: Tie Your Mother Down
Artist: Queen
Chart Peak: #31
Year: 1977


Position: #59
Title: Inna City Mamma
Artist: Neneh Cherry
Chart Peak: #31
Year: 1989


Position: #58
Title: Your Mamma Won't Like Me
Artist: Suzi Quatro
Chart Peak: #31
Year: 1975


Position: #57
Title: Ya Mama
Artist: Fatboy Slim
Chart Peak: #30
Year: 2001


Position: #56
Title: Mother-In-Law
Artist: Ernie K. Doe
Chart Peak: #29
Year: 1961


Position: #55
Title: Papa Loves Mama
Artist: Joan Regan
Chart Peak: #29
Year: 1960


Position: #54
Title: Mama
Artist: 6ix9ine ft. Kanye West & Nicki Minaj
Chart Peak: #29
Year: 2018


Position: #53
Title: My Mum Is One In A Million
Artist: Children Of Tansley School
Chart Peak: #27
Year: 1981


Position: #52
Title: Dear Mama
Artist: 2Pac
Chart Peak: #27
Year: 1999


Position: #51
Title: Mother Universe
Artist: The Soup Dragons
Chart Peak: #26
Year: 1990


Position: #50
Title: Mama Said
Artist: Carleen Anderson
Chart Peak: #26
Year: 1994


Position: #49
Title: Mama's Pearl
Artist: Jackson 5
Chart Peak: #25
Year: 1971


Position: #48
Title: For Mama
Artist: Matt Monroe
Chart Peak: #23
Year: 1964


Position: #47
Title: Hey Mama
Artist: Frankie Vaughan
Chart Peak: #21
Year: 1963


Position: #46
Title: Mama Never Told Me
Artist: Sister Sledge
Chart Peak: #20
Year: 1975


Position: #45
Title: Mama Said
Artist: Metallica
Chart Peak: #19
Year: 1996


Position: #44
Title: Mama
Artist: Kim Appleby
Chart Peak: #19
Year: 1991


Position: #43
Title: Mother (Are You Ready To Play)
Artist: M Factor
Chart Peak: #18
Year: 2002


Position: #42
Title: Take Your Mama
Artist: Scissor Sisters
Chart Peak: #17
Year: 2004


Position: #41
Title: Rag Mama Rag
Artist: The Band
Chart Peak: #16
Year: 1970


Position: #40
Title: Pistol Packin' Mama
Artist: Gene Vincent
Chart Peak: #15
Year: 1960


Position: #39
Title: Your Mother's Got A Penis
Artist: Goldie Lookin Chain
Chart Peak: #14
Year: 2004


Position: #38
Title: Mother's Talk
Artist: Tears For Fears
Chart Peak: #14
Year: 1984


Position: #37
Title: Mama Gave Birth To The Soul Children
Artist: Queen Latifah feat. De La Soul
Chart Peak: #14
Year: 1990


Position: #36
Title: Never Turn Your Back On Mother Earth
Artist: Sparks
Chart Peak: #13
Year: 1974


Position: #35
Title: Tie Your Mother Down (a double-A-side, along with No-One But You)
Artist: Queen
Chart Peak: #13
Year: 1998

Since we’ve already heard this a while back, let’s listen to some other “mother” songs that weren’t hits in the UK but are definitely worth a listen. Let’s begin by some that are not in English.

Mamãe Eu Quero was a Brazilian hit originally co-written and recorded by Jararaca in 1937. It was, however, Carmen Miranda who made the song an international hit 3 years later:


Oscar winner Μάνος Χατζιδάκις (Manos Hatzidakis) wrote Μανούλα μου (My Little Mother). The song was sung by many but the original version was by Λάκης Παππάς (Lakis Pappas):


Moving on to Italy, in 1971, Gigliola Cinquetti had a hit with Mamma Mia Dammi Cento Lire:


At that same year, Albano had a hit with Mamma Rosa:


We end our short tour of non-English speaking “mother” songs with a song from France. In 1977, France Gall recorded Si Maman Si:


Back to the English-speaking songs – let’s listen to some of my favorites. One of the most moving George Michael songs, esp. for us gays, is My Mother Had A Brother:


One of John Lennon’s most raw and heartbreaking songs was Mother:


His partner-in-crime, Paul McCartney penned Mother Nature’s Son for the Beatles’ White Album:


It was a hit in the US by John Denver:


Pink Floyd’s Mother is cynical and thought-provoking:


Bob Dylan’s It’s Alright Ma (I’m Only Bleeding) is one of his most powerful songs:


The Rolling Stones Mother’s Little Helper was a top 10 hit in the US:


Finally for today, since we’ve listened to both the Beatles and the Stones, here’s a song by another of the greatest British groups of the 60s: it’s the Kinks with Mindless Child Of Motherhood:


The rest of the songs will appear in a day or so – do come back to hear the biggest hits on the lists, as well as more important “mother” songs that weren’t released as singles. Until then!

2 comments:

  1. Hello John dear! So many songs for mother! But i was touched by the music of Manos Hatjidakis and the lyrics and the perform of Lakis Pappas! A lot...
    Thank you for all the work you did!!!
    ♥♥♥♥

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hello, dear Εφη and thanks for your lovely comment! I wish you a very happy April!!!

      Delete

Note: only a member of this blog may post a comment.