"La mamma", also known as "For Mama" in English, is a song written in 1962 by French lyricist Robert Gall and Armenian-French artist Charles Aznavour.

History

Charles Aznavour first recorded "La mamma" for a 1962 EP with his version serving as title cut for his 1963 album release. The first single release was by Les Compagnons de la chanson which reached #80 on the French charts in late 1963: the Aznavour version was then issued as a single to reach #1 in France in February 1964. "La mamma" also afforded Aznavour a hit on the Dutch charts of Belgium and, rendered in Italian, was a hit in Italy for both Aznavour (#13) and also Domenico Modugno (#36). "La mamma" became Aznavour's first million seller.^[1]

An English-language rendering of "La mamma" by lyricist Don Black entitled "For Mama" was recorded by Matt Monro and released in December 1964 in the UK where it had a chart peak of #36.^[2] "For Mama" became a minor US hit in 1965 for Jerry Vale whose version debuted on the Hot 100 in Billboard magazine dated March 6, 1965 at #88 (Vale): in the previous issue of Billboard, that dated February 27, 1965, the Matt Monro version of "For Mama" had appeared in the "Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles" chart at #135 along with the Jerry Vale version at #121, but Monro's version did not subsequently advance into the Hot 100. Jerry Vale's version of "For Mama" rose to a peak of #54 (Vale) on the Hot 100 dated April 3, 1965. Vic Damone also recorded a cover version of "For Mama" which failed to chart.

Charts

Connie Francis' version

Connie Francis' recording of "For Mama" was released as a single in 1965 and became a minor hit in the United States, peaking at No. 48 on the Billboard Hot 100.^[4] In the Philippines, the single reached No. 2 on the national chart.^[5]

Adaptations

• La mamma, written by Nelly Byl (Dutch)
• La mamma, written by Gerrit den Braber (Dutch)
• Mamãe, written by Nazareno de Brito (Portuguese)
• For Mama, written by Don Black (English)
• Mama, written by Dragutin Britvić (Croatian)
• La mamma, written by Mogol (Italian)
• La mamma, written by Charly Niessen (German)
• Den bompa, written by Leo Rozenstraten (Brabantian dialect of Antwerp)
• Ya yemma, written by Lili Boniche (Algerian Arabic)
• La mama, written by Rafael Gayoso, sung by Peret (Spanish) - 1964
• Mama, written by Odysseas Ioannou, sung by Vasilis Papakonstantinou (Greek)^[6]

Cover versions

• Dalida
• Matt Monro (For Mama)
• De Strangers (Den bompa)
• Anna German
• Ray Charles (For Mama "La Mamma")
• Lisa del Bo
• Domenico Modugno
• Marla Glen (Our World album, 1997)
• Agnaldo Timóteo
• Jean Vallée
• Demis Roussos
• Corry Brokken
• Will Tura
• Chico & The Gypsies (La mama)
• Elvina Makaryan
• Isabelle Boulay (2002)
• Yoyoy Villame (parody in Cebuano titled "Mamay Maliya")^[7]
• Heino La mamma (clip)
• Dakis Dakis La Mamma