1970 single by John Lennon
"Mother" is a song by English 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, on 28 December 1970.[1] The single edit runs 1:41 shorter than the album due to removing the tolling bells that start the song and a quicker fade-out. The B-side features "Why" by Yoko Ono. The song peaked in the United States at number 19 on the Cashbox Top 100[2] and number 43 on the Billboard Hot 100.[2] In Canada the song reached number 12.[3]
Conception
The lyrics of "Mother" address both of Lennon's parents, each of whom abandoned him in his childhood.[4] His father, Alf, left the family when John was an infant.[4] His mother, Julia, did not live with her son, although they had a good relationship; she was hit and killed in a car accident on 15 July 1958 by an off-duty policeman named Eric Clague, when Lennon was 17.[4] In one of his last concerts, Lennon stated that the song was not just about his parents, but was rather "about 99% of the parents, alive or half dead".[5][page needed]
"Mother" opens the album, starting with a funeral bell tolling slowly, four times. The song ends with Lennon repeating the phrase "Mama don't go, daddy come home", each time increasing in intensity until he screams the line as the song fades out.[6]
Lennon was inspired to write the song after undergoing primal therapy with Arthur Janov, originally at his home at Tittenhurst Park and then at the Primal Institute, California, where he remained for four months. Lennon, who eventually derided Janov, initially described the therapy as "something more important to me than The Beatles".[7][page needed]
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.[8] In November 1982, a remixed version of "Love" was released as a single to help promote The John Lennon Collection LP.[9]
An early version of "Mother" performed on an electric guitar by Lennon can be heard on the John Lennon Anthology box set.[10]
The unused take 91 of the song was featured in the final scene and credits of the 2009 John Lennon biographical film, Nowhere Boy.[11]
A live version of the song was released Live in New York City from his 30 August 1972 concert at Madison Square Garden.
Reception
Cash Box said of the single version that "spare production work and a powerful melancholy vocal give the [song] its disturbing brilliance."[12] Record World said that the "mix of psychology and Spectorsound is depressing and dynamic at once."[13] Billboard called it a "slow rock emotion ballad" with a "compelling, biting lyric line."[14]
Stereogum contributors Timothy and Elizabeth Bracy rated it as Lennon's 4th best solo song, saying that "Over a martial beat and insistent piano riff, the question rises inextricably: if we can be abandoned by those who made us, who in the hell can we trust? The screaming, unanswered fade out makes the answer only too clear."[15] Far Out critic Joe Taysom described it as "one of the most moving creations that the late musician ever concocted," saying that Lennon "lays himself emotionally bare and finally deals with the abandonment issues that scarred him from childhood."[4]
Personnel
The musicians who performed on the original recording were as follows:[16]
Lennon plays guitar rather than piano on the Nowhere Boy demo version.[11]
