We read the seven song lists for Mom that rank highest on Google, Billboard's included. Billboard's Mother's Day countdown starts with Stacy's Mom, a song about a teenager's crush on his friend's mother, and 14 of its 40 picks aren't songs you'd play for your own mom: love songs, breakup songs, a song about Valium and Ozzy Osbourne's song for his wife.
So we checked every song before it went on our list: who it's from, what it's really about, the year it came out and how long it runs. Pick who it's from and the occasion, find the songs she grew up with, and copy a note to send her with any song.
The most popular songs about moms, counted
We counted how many of the seven top-ranking song lists for Mom recommend each song. Here are the 15 they recommend most, and whether each one is really a song for Mom.
Spotify's data agrees on the top pick: A Song for Mama was the song most added to listeners' own Mother's Day playlists, followed by Meghan Trainor's Mom (Spotify, 2019).
- 1 A Song for Mama Boyz II Men 5 of 7 lists To Mom
- 2 Dear Mama 2Pac 5 of 7 lists Complicated
- 3 Mama's Song Carrie Underwood 5 of 7 lists To Mom
- 4 Mother Kacey Musgraves 5 of 7 lists To Mom
- 5 The Mother Brandi Carlile 5 of 7 lists Mom's voice
- 6 Coat of Many Colors Dolly Parton 4 of 7 lists To Mom
- 7 Mama, I'm Coming Home Ozzy Osbourne 4 of 7 lists About his wife
- 8 Mother Sugarland 4 of 7 lists To Mom
- 9 The Best Day Taylor Swift 4 of 7 lists To Mom
- 10 In My Daughter's Eyes Martina McBride 3 of 7 lists Mom's voice
- 11 Julia The Beatles 3 of 7 lists In memory
- 12 Like My Mother Does Lauren Alaina 3 of 7 lists To Mom
- 13 Mama Spice Girls 3 of 7 lists To Mom
- 14 Mama Liked the Roses Elvis Presley 3 of 7 lists In memory
- 15 Mama Said Knock You Out LL Cool J 3 of 7 lists Not about a mom
The best songs for Mom, by who they're from
The most-recommended songs that are really about Mom, with clean lyrics and no heads-ups.
Songs for Mom from a daughter
- Mama's Song Carrie Underwood · 2009
- Mother Kacey Musgraves · 2018
- Coat of Many Colors Dolly Parton · 1971
- The Best Day Taylor Swift · 2008
- Like My Mother Does Lauren Alaina · 2011
Songs for Mom from a son
- A Song for Mama Boyz II Men · 1997
- The Perfect Fan Backstreet Boys · 1999
- Turn to You (Mother's Day Dedication) Justin Bieber · 2012
- I'll Always Love My Mama The Intruders · 1973
- Thought You Should Know Morgan Wallen · 2022
Songs for Mom from the whole family
- Mother Sugarland · 2018
- Mama Spice Girls · 1996
- Mother Like Mine The Band Perry · 2013
- Mom Garth Brooks · 2014
- Mom Meghan Trainor · 2016
Popular picks that aren't really about Mom
These turn up on Mother's Day lists, Billboard's included, but they're about a crush, a wife, pills or a breakup. Each one has a swap with the same feel. A few songs we kept carry a heads-up, and they're here too. Every note links its source.
About his wife
Mama, I'm Coming Home
Ozzy Osbourne · on 4 of 7 top lists
Lemmy wrote the lyrics around 'Mama,' Ozzy's pet name for his wife, Sharon; it's about coming home to her. Source
Try instead: Simple Man Lynyrd Skynyrd
About pills
Mother's Little Helper
The Rolling Stones · on 3 of 7 top lists
About housewives leaning on Valium and the risk of overdose, not a thank-you. Source
Try instead: Lady Madonna The Beatles
Not about a mom
Mama Said Knock You Out
LL Cool J · on 3 of 7 top lists
A comeback rap; the title is his grandmother's advice to knock out his critics. Source
Try instead: Dear Mama 2Pac
Love song
Mama's Pearl
The Jackson 5 · on 3 of 7 top lists
A crush song about a girl; its working title was 'Guess Who's Making Whoopie (with Your Girlfriend).' Source
Try instead: I'll Always Love My Mama The Intruders
About prison
Mama Tried
Merle Haggard · on 3 of 7 top lists
A son in prison owns the grief he caused his mother, drawn from Haggard's San Quentin years. Source
Try instead: Coat of Many Colors Dolly Parton
Not about a mom
Superwoman
Alicia Keys · on 3 of 7 top lists
An anthem for all women; the video casts Keys as a young mom, an astronaut and more. Not about a mother. Source
Try instead: Mama Knew Love Anthony Hamilton
Joke song
Stacy's Mom
Fountains of Wayne · on 2 of 7 top lists
A teenager's crush on his friend's mom. Funny, but not a song for your own. Source
Try instead: Mom Earth, Wind & Fire
Not about a mom
Mother
Danzig · on 2 of 7 top lists
A dare aimed at censorship-minded parents, inspired by Tipper Gore's warning-label campaign. Source
Try instead: Always on the Run Lenny Kravitz
Not a tribute
Mother
John Lennon · on 2 of 7 top lists
A primal-therapy howl at the father and mother who left him as a child. Source
Try instead: Julia The Beatles
Show 24 more flagged picks
Breakup song
Mama's Broken Heart
Miranda Lambert · on 2 of 7 top lists
A woman unravels after a breakup while ignoring her mother's advice to keep it together. Source
Try instead: Mother Sugarland
Not about a mom
On My Mama
Victoria Monét · on 2 of 7 top lists
A feel-good confidence anthem; 'on my mama' means 'I swear.' Her mom and daughter do cameo in the video. Source
Try instead: Mother's Daughter Miley Cyrus
Not a tribute
Mother Stands for Comfort
Kate Bush · on 2 of 7 top lists
Sung by a murderer counting on his mother's love to hide him from the police. Source
Try instead: Slipping Through My Fingers ABBA
Breakup song
Love Yourself
Justin Bieber · on 1 of 7 top lists
A kiss-off to a vain ex; Mom only comes up because she never liked the girl. Source
Try instead: Turn to You (Mother's Day Dedication) Justin Bieber
Not about a mom
Call Your Mom
Noah Kahan · on 1 of 7 top lists
Sung to a struggling friend, promising to get them home; the mom is the friend's, not Kahan's. Source
Try instead: House of Gold Twenty One Pilots
Love song
(God Must Have Spent) A Little More Time on You
*NSYNC · on 1 of 7 top lists
Written by Evan Rogers and Carl Sturken as a love song; only the music video tells a mother-son story. Source
Try instead: The Perfect Fan Backstreet Boys
Not a tribute
Mother
Pink Floyd · on 1 of 7 top lists
From The Wall: an overprotective mother helps her son wall himself off from the world. Source
Try instead: Simple Man Lynyrd Skynyrd
About his wife
Hot Mama
Trace Adkins · on 1 of 7 top lists
A husband flirting with his wife once the kids are asleep; Billboard called it an ode to 'one's good ole gal.' Source
Try instead: Thought You Should Know Morgan Wallen
Not about a mom
Mamma Mia
ABBA · on 1 of 7 top lists
'Mamma mia' is just an exclamation; the song is about a cheating on-and-off lover. Source
Try instead: Slipping Through My Fingers ABBA
About pills
Mama Told Me (Not to Come)
Three Dog Night · on 1 of 7 top lists
A nervous guest at a wild party full of whiskey and weed, remembering Mom's warning. Source
Try instead: Loves Me Like a Rock Paul Simon
Not about a mom
I Got It from My Mama
will.i.am · on 1 of 7 top lists
About women inheriting their looks from their mothers, sung to women in a club. Source
Try instead: Hey Mama Kanye West
Not a tribute
Fancy
Bobbie Gentry · on 1 of 7 top lists
A dying, broke mother sends her daughter out to work as a prostitute; a story song, not a thank-you. Source
Try instead: Coat of Many Colors Dolly Parton
Not about a mom
Joanne
Lady Gaga · on 1 of 7 top lists
About Gaga's aunt Joanne, who died of lupus at 19, before Gaga was born. Source
Try instead: Supermarket Flowers Ed Sheeran
Not about a mom
Mama
Genesis · on 1 of 7 top lists
Phil Collins sings as a young man obsessed with an older prostitute he calls Mama. Source
Try instead: Always on the Run Lenny Kravitz
Love song
Mama He's Crazy
The Judds · on 1 of 7 top lists
A daughter tells her mother about a man who's crazy about her; it's a love song. Source
Try instead: Mama's Song Carrie Underwood
Complicated
Dear Mama
2Pac · on 5 of 7 top lists
Thanks his mom while being honest about her crack addiction and their hard years. Source
Complicated
Oh Mother
Christina Aguilera · on 3 of 7 top lists
About the abuse in her childhood home, sung to the mother who lived through it too. Source
Ends in a loss
The Baby
Blake Shelton · on 3 of 7 top lists
The mother dies in the last verse, just before her son gets home. Source
Ends in a loss
He Gets That from Me
Reba McEntire · on 2 of 7 top lists
The last verse reveals the boy's father has died; she's raising him alone. Source
Complicated
Favourite Daughter
Lorde · on 1 of 7 top lists
A love letter, but mostly about the pressure of chasing Mom's approval. Source
Grown-ups only
Mother's Daughter
Miley Cyrus · on 1 of 7 top lists
A women's-rights anthem with swearing; the video, with a Tish Cyrus cameo, has nudity. Source
Sad song
Soon You'll Get Better
Taylor Swift feat. The Chicks
About her mother's cancer; hopeful, but heavy for a party. Source
Complicated
I Wonder
Kellie Pickler
Her mother was absent; she wonders if her mom ever thinks of her. Source
Complicated
Everything to Me
Mark Schultz
An adoption song: it thanks a birth mother he never knew. Source
Find the right song for Mom
Pick who it's from, the occasion and the feel. Every song shows the year it came out and how long it runs, with a note you can copy and text her.
Who it's from
Occasion
Feel
102 songs
Mother-daughter songs
Songs a daughter can send her mom, and the ones moms sing to their girls. Each card says which way the words go.
The Best Day
Taylor Swift · 2008
Swift wrote most of its verses to her mother and edited the 2009 video herself from family home movies for a Mother's Day release.
4:05
Mama's Song
Carrie Underwood · 2009
A daughter tells her mom not to worry as she leaves to marry a good man; the video features Underwood's husband and her mother, Carole.
4:00
The Mother
Brandi Carlile · 2018
Carlile wrote it about her daughter, Evangeline, and becoming a mother; it's on By the Way, I Forgive You, which won a Grammy for Best Americana Album.
3:17
In My Daughter's Eyes
Martina McBride · 2003
James T. Slater wrote it, and McBride's 2003 single reached No. 4 on the country chart and No. 3 on Adult Contemporary.
3:14
Slipping Through My Fingers
ABBA · 1981
ABBA wrote it about Björn and Agnetha's daughter, Linda, then seven, heading off to school; Agnetha sings the mother's part.
3:52
Lovin' You
Minnie Riperton · 1974
Riperton and her husband made up the melody to keep baby daughter Maya Rudolph busy; it hit No. 1 on the Hot 100 in April 1975.
3:59
Blue
Beyoncé · 2013
Beyoncé closed her 2013 self-titled album with this piano ballad about her love for her daughter, Blue Ivy, born the year before.
4:27
Cover Me in Sunshine
P!nk & Willow Sage Hart · 2021
P!nk sings this sunny duet with her daughter, Willow; it debuted on TikTok in February 2021 and was a hit overseas.
2:19
Mother
Kacey Musgraves · 2018
Musgraves says she wrote it in about 15 minutes after a text from her mom, and calls it the most meaningful song on Golden Hour.
1:18
Where You Lead
Carole King & Louise Goffin · 2002
For Gilmore Girls, co-writer Toni Stern reworked the 1971 love song into a mother-daughter song, and King recorded it with her daughter, Louise Goffin.
Soon You'll Get Better
Taylor Swift feat. The Chicks · 2019
Swift wrote it with Jack Antonoff after her mother's cancer diagnosis and recorded it with the Chicks for Lover.
About her mother's cancer; hopeful, but heavy for a party.
Favourite Daughter
Lorde · 2025
Lorde wrote it about her mother, poet Sonja Yelich, and the years she spent trying to be the golden child who earned her pride.
A love letter, but mostly about the pressure of chasing Mom's approval.
3:29
Mother's Daughter
Miley Cyrus · 2019
Cyrus wrote this women's-empowerment anthem around her mom Tish's belief that she'd make it; it debuted at No. 54 on the Hot 100.
A women's-rights anthem with swearing; the video, with a Tish Cyrus cameo, has nudity.
3:39
Oh Mother
Christina Aguilera · 2006
Aguilera has said it's about her abusive childhood home; it was the final Back to Basics single in Europe in 2007.
About the abuse in her childhood home, sung to the mother who lived through it too.
3:45
Songs about being a mom
Sung by moms to their kids. Send one to say this is how she made you feel, or play it at her party.
Baby Mine
Alison Krauss · 1996
Written for the Dumbo scene where Mrs. Jumbo, locked in a circus wagon, cradles her baby; Krauss's 1996 cover earned a Grammy nomination.
3:37
He Gets That from Me
Reba McEntire · 2003
A mother lists the traits her boy got from her and from his dad; Reba's single reached No. 7 on the country chart.
The last verse reveals the boy's father has died; she's raising him alone.
3:40
I Hope You Dance
Lee Ann Womack · 2000
Womack said it made her think of her daughters, who appear in the video; it topped the country and adult contemporary charts.
4:55
Protector
Beyoncé · 2024
Her youngest daughter, Rumi, opens the track asking for a lullaby; the Cowboy Carter song is a promise to all three of her kids.
3:04
To Zion
Lauryn Hill · 1998
Hill wrote it for her first son, Zion, whom she chose to have even as some urged her to put her career first; Carlos Santana plays guitar.
6:09
Baby Mama
Fantasia · 2004
The American Idol winner dedicated it to single moms working two jobs and going to school; it reached No. 16 on the R&B chart.
4:16
Sweetest Devotion
Adele · 2015
Adele wrote it about her son, Angelo, whose voice opens and closes the track; it's the last song on her album 25.
4:12
Godspeed (Sweet Dreams)
The Chicks · 2002
Radney Foster wrote this bedtime blessing for his son, Julien, after losing custody; the Chicks recorded it for their 2002 album Home.
4:42
Country songs about moms
From Dolly Parton's coat of rags to Carrie Underwood telling her mom she'll be fine: country writes about Mama more than any other genre does.
Coat of Many Colors
Dolly Parton · 1971
Parton's mother stitched her a coat from rags while telling her Joseph's story; Dolly wrote the song on the back of a dry-cleaning receipt.
3:03
Mother
Sugarland · 2018
Sugarland released it on April 27, 2018, which would have been the 73rd birthday of Kristian Bush's late mother.
3:49
Mother Like Mine
The Band Perry · 2013
The three Perry siblings wrote it for their mom, Marie, starting from one line Neil had saved on his phone.
3:51
The Baby
Blake Shelton · 2002
Harley Allen and Michael White wrote it, and it spent three weeks at No. 1 on the country chart in early 2003.
The mother dies in the last verse, just before her son gets home.
3:55
Mom
Garth Brooks · 2014
In this Don Sampson and Wynn Varble song, God tells an unborn baby about the mother waiting on Earth.
Somebody's Hero
Jamie O'Neal · 2005
O'Neal co-wrote it after her daughter was born, thinking about her own mom and grandmother; it reached No. 3 on the country chart.
3:41
Don't Forget to Remember Me
Carrie Underwood · 2005
A girl leaving home asks to be remembered; Underwood's real mother appears in the video, and the single reached No. 2 country.
4:00
I.O.U.
Jimmy Dean · 1976
Dean's spoken thank-you to mothers came out just before Mother's Day 1976 and reached No. 9 country and No. 35 on the Hot 100.
Mama Don't Forget to Pray for Me
Diamond Rio · 1991
A grown son working far from home asks his mother to keep praying; the single reached No. 9 in the U.S. and Canada.
4:12
Thought You Should Know
Morgan Wallen · 2022
Wallen co-wrote it as a tribute to his mother, Lesli; it debuted at No. 1 on Billboard's Hot Country Songs chart.
3:36
That's What Mamas Are For
Chris Lane · 2021
Lane made it as a Mother's Day gift for his mom, who unknowingly helped him write it.
3:28
I Called Mama
Tim McGraw · 2020
Released just before Mother's Day 2020, it's about not putting off the call home; the video features McGraw's mother, Betty Trimble.
3:32
I Wonder
Kellie Pickler · 2006
Pickler co-wrote this piano ballad about growing up without her mother and was visibly emotional singing it at the 2007 CMA Awards.
Her mother was absent; she wonders if her mom ever thinks of her.
3:58
Like My Mother Does
Lauren Alaina · 2011
Alaina sang it on the 2011 American Idol finale and released it the next day; her mother appears in the video.
4:08
R&B and hip-hop songs about moms
Thank-yous from kids who made it, a few of which tell the hard parts too. Explicit songs are marked.
A Song for Mama
Boyz II Men · 1997
Babyface wrote it for the 1997 film Soul Food; it spent two weeks at No. 1 R&B and reached No. 7 on the Hot 100.
5:03
Dear Mama
2Pac · 1995
Dedicated to his mother, Afeni Shakur, it became 2Pac's first top-10 Hot 100 hit, peaking at No. 9.
Thanks his mom while being honest about her crack addiction and their hard years.
4:38
Hey Mama
Kanye West · 2005
West wrote it in 2000 for his mother, Donda, his first manager; after she died in 2007, he sang it in tribute at the 2008 Grammys.
5:05
Look What You've Done
Drake · 2011
Drake thanks his mother, Sandi Graham, for raising him; the track ends with a voicemail from his grandmother.
5:02
All That I Got Is You
Ghostface Killah feat. Mary J. Blige · 1996
Ghostface wrote it for his mother, describing how she raised him through poor, crowded years; Mary J. Blige sings the hook.
Smile
JAY-Z feat. Gloria Carter · 2017
On this 4:44 track, Jay-Z celebrates his mother, Gloria Carter, coming out as a lesbian, and she closes it with a poem.
4:50
I Love My Momma
Snoop Dogg · 1999
A soul-leaning thank-you to his mother from No Limit Top Dogg; Snoop credited Master P with influencing the track.
3:04
Mama Knew Love
Anthony Hamilton · 2003
Hamilton has said it honors his mother and grandmother and the hardworking people he grew up around, getting through hard times with dignity.
3:28
Mama Used to Say
Junior · 1981
Junior's debut single reached the UK top 10 in 1982 and won him Billboard's best newcomer award.
I'll Be There
Mac Miller feat. Phonte · 2011
Mac Miller thanks his mom for sticking by him on this Best Day Ever track; Phonte's verse honors his own mother too.
Pop and rock songs about moms
From the late '80s on: boy bands, Taylor Swift and the songs her kids grew up with.
Mama
Spice Girls · 1996
Dedicated to the five singers' mothers, it entered the UK chart at No. 1 on Mother's Day 1997.
5:05
Mom
Meghan Trainor · 2016
Trainor built in a recorded phone call with her own mother, plus Motown-style horns; it's on her 2016 album Thank You.
3:15
The Perfect Fan
Backstreet Boys · 1999
Brian Littrell wrote and produced it for his mother; it's on the 1999 album Millennium.
4:13
Turn to You (Mother's Day Dedication)
Justin Bieber · 2012
Bieber released it two days before Mother's Day 2012 as a stand-alone dedication, cut from his album Believe.
3:40
Mama Said
Lukas Graham · 2014
Lukas Forchhammer looks back on a Copenhagen childhood with little money but always enough food and beds; it topped the Danish chart.
3:27
The Wish
Bruce Springsteen · 1998
One of Springsteen's most autobiographical songs, this portrait of his mother, Adele, stayed unreleased until his 1998 Tracks box set.
5:18
Momma Song
Benson Boone · 2025
Boone co-wrote this piano-and-strings ballad for his mother, and the video opens and closes with them together at the piano.
3:17
House of Gold
Twenty One Pilots · 2013
Tyler Joseph wrote this ukulele stomp for his mother, Kelly; it was released as a single in 2013.
2:44
Thank You Mom
Good Charlotte · 2000
The Madden twins thank the mom who raised them after their dad left; it first appeared as a hidden track.
3:53
No Matter What
Calum Scott · 2018
Scott's true coming-out story, in which first his mum and then his dad answer with unconditional love.
3:57
MAMA
BTS · 2016
j-hope's solo track on BTS's album Wings; he called it unforgettable because it's about his childhood feelings for his mother.
3:32
Always on the Run
Lenny Kravitz · 1991
Kravitz said his mother's advice to slow down inspired it; Slash co-wrote it, and its first line named the album Mama Said.
3:53
Classic songs about mothers
Songs from before the mid-'80s that Grandma knows too.
Lady Madonna
The Beatles · 1968
McCartney pictured an exhausted mother getting through each day of the week; it was a UK No. 1 in 1968.
2:19
Loves Me Like a Rock
Paul Simon · 1973
Billboard summed it up as a mother loving her son even after he becomes president; it reached No. 2 on the Hot 100.
3:40
Simple Man
Lynyrd Skynyrd · 1973
Ronnie Van Zant wrote it after his grandmother died; the verses are a mother's advice to her son about living simply.
5:56
Rock and Roll Lullaby
B.J. Thomas · 1972
Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil wrote it about a teenage single mom singing her baby to sleep; Duane Eddy plays guitar.
Mama Said
The Shirelles · 1961
Built on a mother's promise that bad days pass, it reached No. 4 on the Hot 100 and inspired Van Morrison's 'Days Like This.'
Mama
Connie Francis · 1959
An English version of the 1940 Italian song 'Mamma'; Francis's 1960 single reached No. 8 in the U.S. and No. 2 in the UK.
3:58
Mother of Mine
Neil Reid · 1971
Scottish child singer Neil Reid won TV's Opportunity Knocks with it in December 1971, and it went to No. 2 in the UK.
I'll Always Love My Mama
The Intruders · 1973
Inspired by Kenny Gamble's mother, Ruby, this Philly soul song reached No. 6 R&B in 1973; ask for Part 1, the single edit.
6:37
Mom
Earth, Wind & Fire · 1972
Maurice White wrote it with his brother Verdine for the 1972 album Last Days and Time; it came out as a single that November.
5:50
Christian songs for Mother's Day
For church on Mother's Day, and for moms whose faith runs the house.
Mamas
Anne Wilson & Hillary Scott · 2022
Wilson co-wrote it with Matthew West and Jeff Pardo; it reached No. 15 on Hot Christian Songs and earned a Dove Award nomination.
3:24
The Blessing
Kari Jobe, Cody Carnes & Elevation Worship · 2020
Written in one February 2020 session, its words come largely from the priestly blessing in the Book of Numbers.
Goodness of God
Bethel Music & Jenn Johnson · 2019
Jenn Johnson says adopting her fourth child inspired it; CeCe Winans covered it in 2021.
4:30
Slow Down
Nichole Nordeman · 2015
Nordeman wrote it for her son Charlie's fifth-grade graduation, asking time to slow down.
3:59
Find Your Wings
Mark Harris · 2005
The former 4Him singer's solo hit won a Dove Award for Inspirational Song of the Year and became the title of his 2009 book.
3:35
In My Arms
Plumb · 2007
Plumb made her lullaby-inspired album Blink after her second child was born; this lead single became her biggest international hit.
4:04
Everything to Me
Mark Schultz · 2006
Schultz, adopted at two weeks old, co-wrote it with Cindy Morgan about the birth mother who chose a better life for him.
An adoption song: it thanks a birth mother he never knew.
4:37
One Heartbeat at a Time
Steven Curtis Chapman · 2007
From his 2007 album This Moment, Chapman's song honors the tiring, often thankless daily work of mothers.
4:07
Spanish songs for Mom
Canciones para mamá, for Mexico's Día de las Madres on May 10 and for every family that celebrates in Spanish.
Señora, Señora
Denisse de Kalafe · 1981
De Kalafe wrote it in honor of her mother, and decades later it's still a fixture of Mexico's May 10 Mother's Day.
Las Mañanitas
Pedro Infante
Mexico's traditional dawn serenade for birthdays; Pedro Infante's famous rendition comes from the 1948 film Nosotros los pobres.
2:45
Amor Eterno
Juan Gabriel · 1990
Juan Gabriel wrote it after his mother died in 1974; Rocío Dúrcal recorded it first, in 1984, and he sang it at Bellas Artes in 1990.
7:03
Te Amo Mamá
Los Bukis · 1995
Marco Antonio Solís wrote it for Los Bukis' final studio album, Por Amor a Mi Pueblo, released in May 1995.
4:45
Mi Novia Se Me Está Poniendo Vieja
Ricardo Arjona · 2011
The 'girlfriend' getting older is Arjona's mother, Nohemí Morales; he wrote it as a Mother's Day gift, and it earned a Latin Grammy nomination.
5:11
Eres Tú (Mamá)
Carlos Rivera · 2022
Rivera wrote it at 16 as a Mother's Day gift for his mom and finally released it for Mother's Day 2022.
3:15
Mamá
Timbiriche · 1982
From the kids' group's 1982 album La Banda Timbiriche; Time Out Mexico notes teachers had students sing it at school Mother's Day festivals.
3:04
Funny songs about moms
For the mom who laughs first. Every one of these is affectionate.
The Mom Song (William Tell Overture)
Anita Renfroe · 2007
Comedian Anita Renfroe crams a whole day of mom sayings into the William Tell Overture; the YouTube clip made her famous.
Hello Muddah, Hello Fadduh (A Letter from Camp)
Allan Sherman · 1963
Sherman based this grumpy letter home on his son's camp letters; it won a Grammy and entered the National Recording Registry in 2019.
2:55
Treat Your Mother Right (Treat Her Right)
Mr. T · 1984
Mr. T raps a lesson in respecting your mother in his 1984 kids' video Be Somebody... or Be Somebody's Fool!; the clip went viral around 2005.
Teenage Daughters
Martina McBride · 2011
McBride wrote it with the Warren Brothers about her oldest daughter, Delaney, and released it on her middle daughter's 13th birthday.
4:08
Mammas Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys
Waylon Jennings & Willie Nelson · 1978
Ed and Patsy Bruce wrote this tongue-in-cheek warning to mothers; Waylon and Willie's 1978 version spent four weeks at No. 1 and won a Grammy.
2:38
Songs for grandmas, stepmoms and the women who raised you
For the women who stepped in, and the grandmothers who were a second mom.
Grandma's Hands
Bill Withers · 1971
Withers wrote it about his grandmother Lula, who took him to church as a boy; it reached No. 18 on the soul chart.
2:00
Marjorie
Taylor Swift · 2020
A tribute to Swift's grandmother, opera singer Marjorie Finlay, built around her advice and samples of her soprano voice.
4:18
Remember Me (Reunión)
Anthony Gonzalez & Ana Ofelia Murguía · 2017
In Coco, Miguel sings it with his great-grandmother, Mamá Coco, to reach her fading memory; it won the Oscar for Best Original Song.
Grandma's Feather Bed
John Denver · 1974
Jim Connor of the New Kingston Trio wrote it from a verse about his grandmother and played banjo on Denver's recording.
2:18
You'll Be in My Heart
Phil Collins · 1999
Collins wrote it for the Tarzan scene where the gorilla Kala comforts the baby she adopted; it won the Oscar for Best Original Song.
4:18
Blended Family (What You Do for Love)
Alicia Keys feat. A$AP Rocky · 2016
Keys wrote it about her blended family, including husband Swizz Beatz's son from his first marriage; A$AP Rocky guests.
3:32
Songs for a mom who has passed
For a funeral, a memorial slideshow, or a quiet day when you miss her.
Julia
The Beatles · 1968
John Lennon wrote it about his mother, Julia, killed by a car when he was 17; it's the only Beatles song he performed alone.
2:55
Let It Be
The Beatles · 1970
McCartney wrote it after dreaming that his mother, Mary, who died of cancer when he was 14, told him things would be all right.
4:03
Mama Liked the Roses
Elvis Presley · 1970
Johnny Christopher, a co-writer of 'Always on My Mind', wrote this son's memory of his late mother; Elvis released it as a 1970 B-side.
2:47
Supermarket Flowers
Ed Sheeran · 2017
Sheeran wrote it about his late grandmother as a private family tribute; it still reached No. 8 in the UK.
3:41
Two of Us
Louis Tomlinson · 2019
Tomlinson wrote it about his mother, Johannah Deakin, who died of leukemia in 2016.
3:38
Sweet DeAnn
Zach Bryan · 2019
Bryan's song for his mother is on DeAnn, the 2019 debut album he named after her; she died in 2016.
3:25
Can the Circle Be Unbroken (By and By)
The Carter Family · 1935
A.P. Carter reworked an older hymn into this story of a mother's funeral; the Carter Family's 1935 record made it a standard.
3:07
Dance
Nas · 2002
Nas wrote it after his mother, Ann Jones, died of breast cancer in 2002, pleading for one more day with her.
3:34
Mama
The-Dream · 2007
The-Dream lost his mother when he was 15 and has said her death is what got him writing songs; this track is from his 2007 debut album.
4:02
No songs match all of these. Try another choice or clear the filters.
The songs she'll sing every word to
The songs people love most tend to come from their early teens. A 2018 New York Times analysis of Spotify data found women's favorite songs mostly came out when they were 11 to 14, most often at 13. Pick the year Mom was born to see the biggest No. 1 hits from when she was 12 to 14.
#1 songs come from Billboard's weekly charts: the Hot 100 since August 4, 1958, and its best-sellers chart from 1940 to 1958. The ages come from a 2018 New York Times analysis of Spotify data.
Playlists for Mother's Day, her birthday and more
Each playlist is sized to the moment, with its running time. Tap Copy playlist to paste it into your music app or the family group chat.
Mother's Day brunch
47 min · 12 songs
Warm, upbeat songs about moms for the table. Nothing sad.
- I'll Always Love My Mama The Intruders
- Cover Me in Sunshine P!nk & Willow Sage Hart
- Lovin' You Minnie Riperton
- Mom Meghan Trainor
- Mammas Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys Waylon Jennings & Willie Nelson
Show all 12 songs
- Mama Said Lukas Graham
- Always on the Run Lenny Kravitz
- Mother Like Mine The Band Perry
- Baby Mama Fantasia
- The Best Day Taylor Swift
- Hey Mama Kanye West
- Somebody's Hero Jamie O'Neal
Her birthday dinner
47 min · 13 songs
Happy songs for her, from every era.
- Hello Muddah, Hello Fadduh (A Letter from Camp) Allan Sherman
- Mamas Anne Wilson & Hillary Scott
- Lady Madonna The Beatles
- Sweetest Devotion Adele
- Coat of Many Colors Dolly Parton
Show all 13 songs
- House of Gold Twenty One Pilots
- Loves Me Like a Rock Paul Simon
- Teenage Daughters Martina McBride
- Mama Don't Forget to Pray for Me Diamond Rio
- Mama Knew Love Anthony Hamilton
- A Song for Mama Boyz II Men
- I Hope You Dance Lee Ann Womack
- I Love My Momma Snoop Dogg
Photo slideshow
16 min · 5 songs
About 15 minutes: enough for 150 to 180 photos at five seconds each.
- In My Daughter's Eyes Martina McBride
- Mother Sugarland
- Mama's Song Carrie Underwood
- The Mother Brandi Carlile
- Mother Kacey Musgraves
Road trip with Mom
56 min · 15 songs
Songs to sing with the windows down.
- Lady Madonna The Beatles
- Thought You Should Know Morgan Wallen
- I'll Always Love My Mama The Intruders
- That's What Mamas Are For Chris Lane
- Loves Me Like a Rock Paul Simon
Show all 15 songs
- Mom Meghan Trainor
- Always on the Run Lenny Kravitz
- Mama Said Lukas Graham
- Mama Don't Forget to Pray for Me Diamond Rio
- House of Gold Twenty One Pilots
- I Love My Momma Snoop Dogg
- Mother Like Mine The Band Perry
- Mama Knew Love Anthony Hamilton
- Somebody's Hero Jamie O'Neal
- Hey Mama Kanye West
Mother's Day at church
20 min · 5 songs
Christian songs for the service, or for the family dinner after.
- Find Your Wings Mark Harris
- Goodness of God Bethel Music & Jenn Johnson
- In My Arms Plumb
- Slow Down Nichole Nordeman
- One Heartbeat at a Time Steven Curtis Chapman
Missing Mom
18 min · 5 songs
Gentle songs for a memorial, a slideshow or a quiet afternoon.
- Julia The Beatles
- Mama The-Dream
- Mama Liked the Roses Elvis Presley
- The Baby Blake Shelton
- Let It Be The Beatles
What people tell us about their moms
When someone makes a song on our site, they tell us about the person it's for. We counted what came up in the songs people made for their moms and dads this year.
- People make about twice as many songs for Mom as for Dad.
- Her sense of humor comes up as often as his. About 1 in 5 stories about Mom mention her laugh or her jokes, nearly the same share as for Dad.
- R&B is three times as common for Mom: 16% of her songs, 5% of Dad's. Country is the top pick for both.
- Dad's stories are about work more often. 35% of stories about Dad mention hard work or providing, against 18% of stories about Mom.
- Away from Mother's Day, the top reasons are her birthday (35%) and no reason at all: 42% are just because or to say thank you.
Songs for MomSongs for Dad
From the songs people previewed on MakeCustomSongs.com for a mom or dad, July 19 to November 7, 2026, counted by the words they used. We never share anyone's story.
How to dedicate a song to your mom
Pick a song in your own voice (use the From a daughter or From a son filter), then tell her why in one line: the car rides, the kitchen, the year she held everything together. Tap Copy a note to Mom on any song for a text that's ready to send.
If you can, play it while you're with her instead of sending a link she'll open later. You'll get to see her face.
Choosing a song for Mom's funeral or memorial
A song she loved often means more than a song about mothers, because it brings her back for everyone in the room. If you want words that speak to her, the songs in memory of Mom above are gentle enough for a service or a slideshow. For hymns, songs for each part of the service and a slideshow song fitter, see our guide to funeral songs. Some families also have a song written from their own memories of her, like our memorial songs.
A song about her
Every song above is about someone else's mom. A custom song is about yours: her name, her kitchen, the things she always said. Here's one we made from a made-up story.
R&B
Kayla's Song for Her Mom
Example Mother's Day song from Kayla to her mom, written around night shifts as a nurse, braids at the kitchen counter, a hand-sewn prom dress and singing off-key in the second row at church.
Example song written from a made-up story. We never share customers' songs.
Give Mom a song that's really about her
Tell us her name and a few memories. You'll hear a free preview in minutes, and you only pay if you love it.
Create your free preview