Pop Stand: Mother’s Day

Mama mia and more

My mom, Lucy, and me, 1948. Photo by Nell Spence Damon

If you need a soundtrack for celebrating Mothers Day, I doubt you can find a better playlist than this one which, all modesty aside, I put together off the top of my head.

I’m dedicating this Pop Stand edition to my mother, Lucile Damon “Lucy” Holston, in part because she is responsible for my eclectic musical tastes. She grew up on Glenn Miller and Bing Crosby but didn’t recoil from Elvis or the Beatles when they reconfigured pop.

Far from it.

How many of you had a mom who played your copy of The Kinks Greatest Hits when you weren’t home?

So, this one goes out to Lucy. Miss you, hon.

Ma (He’s Making Eyes at Me) — Judy Garland

That’s Alright, Mama — Elvis Presley

Mama Said — The Shirelles

Mama Tried — Merle Haggard

Mother Earth — Memphis Slim

Mama — Roy Orbison

Mama Told Me Not to Come — Randy Newman

I Wish I Was Your Mother — Mott the Hoople

Stacey’s Mom — Fountains of Wayne

Mother — Lennon

Mamma Mia! — Abba

Tell Mama — Etta James

Bonus:

Be Kind to Your Web-Footed Friends — Mitch Miller

Because it includes the immortal line “For that duck my be somebody’s mother.”