Up Against the Wall, Redneck Mother

A Few Thoughts About What Anna Jarvis Wrought

Well, shit. It’s Mother’s Day.

Today, my mother and I are gonna lounge and likely watch terrible movies, because that’s just what she wants to do, and dammit she’s my mother and she can do whatever the hell she wants.

Mother’s Day, like Valentine’s Day, can feel complicated. The coercion to forget all the complexities of our relationship with our mothers (as with Valentine’s) can seem a bit too manipulative; on Valentine’s you can quickly learn that your relationship is a toxic pit compared to what everyone else’s seems to be, and that’s the same with Mother’s Day. It’s almost like a day to shame you if your family isn’t the kind you're ready to sing praise for from the rooftops. History of our modern American holiday dates back to the turn of the 20th century, and the woman who pushed for it to become a holiday, Anna Jarvis eventually tried to get it cancelled due to her disgust at how it had been commercialized.

Maybe, instead of celebrating individual mothers, we can go back to the roots; celebrate the mother goddesses, celebrate the earth that brings all of us life (and death).

Anyway, without further ado, here’s a few songs about mothers.

Loop - Mother Sky

Troy Hess - Please Don’t Go Topless, Mother

Hugh Masakela - Mama

The Pharcyde - Ya Mama

Bang - Mother

Stereolab - Cybele’s Reverie

Thin Lizzy - Philomena