the joy of a child, in a 70-minute cd

December 3, 2005 6:03 PM

Songs about motherhood?

A good friend is about to give birth, and I'd like to give her a mix CD of songs about motherhood. Positive songs preferably! It may be possible to stretch it to songs about parenting. I'm thinking about songs such as Lauren Hill's "To Zion". What are your thoughts?

posted by chronic sublime to Media & Arts (36 answers total)

"Pink and Blue" by the Mountain Goats is a baby-related song I really like. It's from their album All Hail West Texas, which is great in general.
posted by ITheCosmos at 6:23 PM on December 3, 2005

two about parenthood/babies that come to mind: "Isn't She Lovely" by Stevie Wonder and "Beautiful Boy, Darling Boy" by John Lennon.
posted by helios at 6:29 PM on December 3, 2005

"The one who knows" by Dar Williams is a lovely song.
posted by Biblio at 6:31 PM on December 3, 2005

Golly, the Mountain Goats must be getting more popular than I thought they were - first suggestion in the thread! Mercy sakes! I second that suggestion, it was the first that popped into my mind.
posted by bubukaba at 6:38 PM on December 3, 2005

I'm by no means an expert in this field, but: "Lions and Tigers" and "Sympathy" by Sleater-Kinney have convinced me that Corin Tucker is the coolest mom on the planet.
posted by chrominance at 6:38 PM on December 3, 2005

Sweet Honey in the Rock sing a version of a Kahlil Gibran poem, "On Children," whose message is one every parent should probably hear often:

Your children are not your children.
They are the sons and daughters of Life's longing for itself.
They come through you but not from you,
And though they are with you yet they belong not to you...

It's on their 2-cd best-of and the "Breaths" and "Good News" albums.
posted by mediareport at 6:42 PM on December 3, 2005

"Teach Your Children Well"? Crosby, Stills, & Nash.

"When I Was a Boy," Dar Williams (more about being a kid, but still awesome and cute)
posted by booksandlibretti at 6:54 PM on December 3, 2005

Although celebrating children in general more than specifically motherhood, everything on the very sweet CD Welcoming Children Into the World is excellent.
posted by nanojath at 7:01 PM on December 3, 2005

Brian Eno - Put a Straw Under Baby from Taking Tiger Mountain (By Strategy)
posted by Espy Gillespie at 7:01 PM on December 3, 2005

i'm keeping you by tanya donelly is reportedly a song about the birth of her daughter (you landed here / from inner space / you landed with that screwed up look on your face / i wanted you from way back when / i wanted you for years then years again / i'm keeping you so settle in). the rest of the album (beautysleep) has some similar songs.
posted by crush-onastick at 7:09 PM on December 3, 2005

If I got such a CD, the Beatles' "Lady Madonna" would make me smile.
posted by Miko at 7:09 PM on December 3, 2005

Gracie, by Ben Folds, is lovely.
posted by padraigin at 7:18 PM on December 3, 2005

The GF wants me to recommend "This Woman's Work" by Kate Bush. It's a good song, but maybe next time she'll pony up her own five bucks.

As for me I like the Throwing Muses' "University" -- it's a short instrumental with her children's voices in it. Very evocative in all the right ways.
posted by Heminator at 7:24 PM on December 3, 2005

I did the same thing for a friend recently, though mine had a more general babies-and-mothers theme. Mine included:

"Song for Momma", Boys 2 Men
"Mama Said", Shirelles
"God Bless The Child", Billie Holiday
"Mama Got Her Boobs Out", Bob and Tom
"Didn't Leave Nobody But The Baby", Emmylou Harris
"Mamas Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up To Be Cowboys", Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson
"Madonna with Child, ca. 1969", Guy Clark
"Mama, You Been On My Mind", Bob Dylan
"Mother and Child Reunion", Paul Simon
"Sweet Child O' Mine", Guns 'n' Roses
"Beautiful Child", Fleetwood Mac
"Baby Love", Supremes
"Lord, Protect My Child", Bob Dylan
posted by bac at 7:38 PM on December 3, 2005 [1 favorite]

To a Child, Laura Nyro
Forever Young, Bob Dylan
posted by ottereroticist at 7:47 PM on December 3, 2005

Woody Guthrie - Songs to Grow on for Mother and Child
posted by hydrophonic at 8:00 PM on December 3, 2005

for a boy:

"Oo, little sleepy boy
Do you know what time it is?
Well the hour of your bedtime's long been past
And though I know you're fighting it
I can tell when you rub your eyes
You're fading fast, oh fading fast

Won't you run come see St. Judy's Comet
Roll across the skies
And leave a spray of diamonds in its wake
I long to see St. Judy's Comet
Sparkle in your eyes when you awake
Oh, when you wake, wake" -St Judy's Comet by Paul Simon (although the kenny loggins version isn't bad)
posted by softlord at 8:48 PM on December 3, 2005

"Apron Strings" by Everything But The Girl. Although to me, it speaks more of a pregnant woman's hopes for her child.
posted by DawnSimulator at 8:49 PM on December 3, 2005

David Bowie's "Kooks," on Hunky Dory, is about parenting, though not specifically motherhood. It's a lovely, lovely song which Bowie wrote for his new son.
posted by Dr. Wu at 9:00 PM on December 3, 2005

"Three Babies" by Sinead O'Connor always makes me tear up, and I'm a 300-pound galoot that designs video games.
posted by frogan at 9:02 PM on December 3, 2005

Rufus is a Tit Man- Loudon Wainiwright III
I love my Mom- The Roches
posted by cushie at 9:21 PM on December 3, 2005

"Kooks" is fantastic. Also in the songs-about-my-baby-son vein: "Rufus Is A Tit Man" by Loudon Wainwright III (that's a live version) (on preview - beat by cushie!).
posted by nicwolff at 9:29 PM on December 3, 2005

Mother, by Donna Lewis.
posted by m@ at 9:48 PM on December 3, 2005

Might be a stretch, but there's Lou Reed's Beginning of a Great Adventure. And I third Kooks. It makes me tear up every time.
posted by tangerine at 10:06 PM on December 3, 2005

Also, All La Glory by The Band is a beautiful lullaby for a little girl.
posted by tangerine at 10:09 PM on December 3, 2005

Good Mother - Jann Arden
posted by Neiltupper at 11:17 PM on December 3, 2005

Madonna - Little Star

"God gave a present to me
Made of flesh and bones
My life, my soul
You make my spirit whole"
posted by kudzu at 2:09 AM on December 4, 2005

Stereolab: People Do It All The Time

fragile rare occasion
out of chaos a creation
binding into one form
lucid drunkeness
aiming truth and openess

baby you are a joy
I want you free when you grow boy
revive the old idea
that we carry
posted by D.C. at 6:01 AM on December 4, 2005

Lucy Kaplansky's The Red Thread is about adopting a child from China--it's got some good songs on it.
posted by Jeanne at 6:41 AM on December 4, 2005

A little obscure, but "My First Child" by Nil Lara is beautiful. And this suggestion is probably too depressing, by "Little Green" by Joni Mitchell is my favorite song about motherhood, ever.
posted by pazazygeek at 6:42 AM on December 4, 2005

The very beautiful Pretenders song, Show Me. Chrissy's lines get me every time ...

Welcome here from outer space
The milky way still in your eyes
You found yourself a hopeless case
One seeking perfection on earth
Some kind of rebirth
posted by thinkpiece at 8:52 AM on December 4, 2005

Totally obscure, but excellent for a mother overcoming certain adversity to undertake the role (age, marital status, etc.) is Basia's "Perfect Mother."
posted by Dreama at 9:22 AM on December 4, 2005

Tupac - "Dear Mama"

You always was a black queen, mama
I finally understand
for a woman it ain't easy tryin to raise a man
You always was committed
A poor single mother on welfare, tell me how ya did it
There's no way I can pay you back
But the plan is to show you that I understand
You are appreciated
posted by skjønn at 3:10 PM on December 4, 2005

I second pazazygeek's vote for "Little Green"!
posted by smartypanties at 9:53 PM on December 4, 2005

Low - In Metal
posted by grapefruit at 11:35 AM on December 5, 2005

Dear Mama by 2Pac, not conventional but lovely none the less. Sadie by R. Kelly, Playboy Mommy by Tori Amos.
posted by heartquake at 11:54 AM on December 9, 2005