John Lennon - Mother [HiQ]

Mother is a song by British musician John Lennon, first released on his 1970 album John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band. An edited version of the song was issued as a single in the United States on Apple Records, catalogue 1827, about three weeks after the album. The single edit of this song runs about fifteen seconds shorter than the album version, cutting out the beginning tolling bells as well as some of Lennon's more guttural screams that intensify the ending of the song. The b-side features "Why" by Yoko Ono, and a variant on the single edit first appeared on album for the 1975 compilation Shaved Fish.

Though the song is called "Mother", it is actually a cry to both of his parents, who abandoned him in his childhood - father Alf Lennon left the family when John was an infant, and mother Julia, who didn't live with her son although they had a good relationship, was hit by a car and killed on the street by an allegedly drunk-driving off-duty policeman, when John was 17. Lennon bemoans the loss of his parents singing lyrics such as "Mother, you had me/but I never had you"; "Father, you left me/but I never left you"; "I needed you/you didn't need me"; and "Mama, don't go/Daddy come home". He touched that subject before in his Beatle song "Yer Blues", which contains the lyric "My mother was of the sky/my father was of the earth".

Other songs Lennon wrote for his mother are "Julia" and "My Mummy's Dead", and also mentions her in "I'm the Greatest". "Mother" begins with the sound of a church bell ringing ominously, signifying death. On the third verse, Lennon talks to the "children", presumably his own son Julian, saying "don't do what I have done".

Lennon was inspired to write the song by a period of using primal therapy, which works on the assumption that the patient has several defences which must be stripped down to reveal the "real person". Lennon's wife Yoko Ono worked on this with Dr. Arthur Janov, originally at their home at Tittenhurst Park for a period of three weeks and then at the Primal Institute, California where they remained for four months. Lennon described the therapy as "something more important to me than The Beatles."

Although Lennon said that "Mother" was the song that "seemed to catch in my head," he had doubts about its commercial appeal and he considered issuing "Love" as a single instead. "Love" was eventually released as a single in 1982.

Barbra Streisand recorded "Mother" (as well as Lennon's "Love") on her 1971 album Barbra Joan Streisand and was a single as well. The song was also featured on the live album Live in New York City by Lennon, but released by Yoko Ono after his death. Other songs born out of this period of therapy include "Working Class Hero" and "Isolation". Shigesato Itoi, creator of the Mother video game series, stated in an interview that this song was in large part the inspiration for his naming of the series. Mia Martini recorded in 1972 this song in Italian, with the title literally translated as "Madre". Maynard Ferguson recorded the song on his 1972 album M.F. Horn Two. Shelby Lynne covered this song for her 2001 album Love, Shelby, with the added resonance of her tragic family history. (Lynne's father, an abusive alcoholic, shot and killed her mother and then himself when Lynne was 17.) Christina Aguilera covered the song in 2007 for the benefit album Instant Karma: The Amnesty International Campaign to Save Darfur, and Emmanuel Jal's version was available on that album as an iTunes exclusive bonus track.

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[FRE1991DDIE]

One of his most passionate songs.

[MrJuno6]

My favourite John song. Great post..

[1958peter1958]

I cried when first heard this in the record store it is just imotional you can tell. well hell I had just lost mother only a few weeks before thats all I've got to say on this issue. other than cant a man aged 43 then cry for his parents? You only have them once think about it Have total respect thats all its easy if you try...

[xena1154]

Can not imagine- but there are mothers not wanting their one children; without LOVE; so John me without knowing you knowing your music; your moments with yoko ( Yoko - sorry not sure how to write) there are still humans loving; wanting you- this song brings HOPE to many children; I`M sure

[metalheadrocker44]

music should be like this not like now pity RIP John Lennon \../ God \../

[Amiles666]

I love his screams at the end!

[charlieslol]

I love this.

[mac3079b]

Beautiful Song.

[TheCliffPhilShow]

Excellent!