Many Country Songs Honor All Of The Incredible Moms In The World
Many country artists have taken the opportunity to honor their moms in their songs, and rightfully so.
To country singers, family is everything. After making it big, artists often chose to honor the most important people in their lives by paying tribute to them in their music. More often than not, the artist wants to honor their mama.
There is no shortage of country songs about moms. Each one has a unique sentiment and message. Some tug at your heartstrings, while others have a humorous element. But all of the country songs about moms show a lot of love and appreciation.
So this Mother’s Day, grab a box of tissues, sit down with your mom or mother figure, and listen to these 12 unforgettable country songs about moms.
Celebrate Mother’s Day By Listening To These 12 Country Songs About Moms
“I Called Mama” By Tim McGraw
Tim McGraw released “I Called Mama” in May 2020. The song came out in the midst of the pandemic, which made its message resonate with those who missed their moms during that trying and lonely time.
“I Called Mama” reached the second spot on the Country Airplay chart and the eighth spot on the Hot Country Songs chart.
In it, McGraw sings about finding comfort in the sound of his mom’s voice. As the lyrics go, “I thought of home, grabbed my phone from my pocket. And I called mama.”
“In My Daughter’s Eyes” By Martina McBride
As a mother of three, Martina McBride knows the important role moms play. After her first daughter was born, she cut back on her touring to spend more time at home.
In 2003, McBride sang about the connection between mothers and their children in the song “In My Daughter’s Eyes.” Although it’s not about McBride’s mom specifically, it describes how children emulate what they see in their moms.
The song also celebrates how much joy children can bring to their mothers. As McBride sings, “Though she’ll grow and someday leave, maybe raise a family. When I’m gone, I hope you see how happy she made me.”
“The Hand That Rocks The Cradle” By Glen Campbell & Steve Wariner
In May 1987, Glen Campbell and Steve Wariner released a duet about the power of a mother’s love. The song, called “The Hand That Rocks the Cradle,” tells the story of a baby boy who gets everything he needs from his mama.
As the boy grows, his mom keeps teaching him everything he needs to know until he leaves home. The song conveys how a mother’s love can change the world, as she helps her children become caring members of society.
Campbell and Wariner praise moms for their hard work. As they sing, “There ought to be a hall of fame for mamas. Creation’s most unique and precious pearls. And heaven help us always to remember, that the hand that rocks the cradle rules the world.”
“Mama, Don’t Forget To Pray For Me” By Diamond Rio
Country group Diamond Rio released “Mama Don’t Forget to Pray for Me” in 1991 as the third single off of their debut record. The song is told from the perspective of a man who is all grown up, but still calls his mother when he needs guidance.
Calling his mom at night, the man reassures her there’s nothing wrong. He simply missed home, which made him want to hear his mother’s voice. As he sings, “No I’m not sick, there’s nothin’ wrong, don’t wake up Dad. I just thought of you and home and got a little sad.”
The man ends the talk by asking his mom to keep him in her prayers. This song proves how mothers serve as a comfort to their children, no matter how old they are or how far away they may be.
“Somebody’s Hero” By Jamie O’Neal
When Jamie O’Neal gave birth to her daughter, her life changed. That influenced the direction of her music, and she expressed her passion for creating songs about family.
One such song was “Somebody’s Hero,” which O’Neal co-wrote. On the CD cover, O’Neal wrote about how having her daughter made her mothers in a new light.
“When you have a baby you start thinking about your own relationship with your mother, and when you were little, how much you looked up to her. Then you move to, ‘Gosh, my baby looks up to me so much. I don’t want to let her down. I want to be a hero to her.”
The song shows how children admire and respect their mothers as heroes. As O’Neal sings, “Her daughter’s starin’ at all the photographs of her mother, and she wishes she could be like that.”
“Angels” By Randy Travis
At first, Randy Travis‘ “Angels” doesn’t sound like a song about mothers. It opens with the story of some friends talking about 9/11 and all the tragedies in the world.
The conversation leads the friends to wonder if there really are angels on Earth. That’s when one guy speaks up and says he’s never seen one.
Then the narrator jumps in. What he sings next are some of the most touching lyrics about moms in all of country music:
“Are you telling me that you’ve never seen an angel? Never felt the presence of one standing by? No robe of white, no halo in sight. Well you missed the most obvious thing. Man, are you blind? Just look in your mothers eyes.“
Travis adds further to the emotional nature of the song with his passionate delivery of each word.
“Mama’s Song” By Carrie Underwood
Carrie Underwood’s fourth single from her album Play On, was released at the perfect time in her life. Called “Mama’s Song,” the single made its debut months after Underwood married hockey player Mike Fisher.
Underwood co-wrote the song. In it, the narrator speaks to her mother and tells her not to be worried as she goes to start a new life with the man she loves. The narrator reassures her mom that she taught her how to be a good person, and that her husband is a good man.
The music video for the song is extra emotional, since Underwood’s mother, Carole, also appears in it, along with Fisher. You won’t be able to control your tears when Underwood looks at her mom and sings, “Mama, don’t you worry about me. Don’t you worry about me.”
“Coat of Many Colors” By Dolly Parton
Few country songs capture the power of a mother’s love like Dolly Parton’s classic hit, “Coat of Many Colors.” In fact, Parton’s song about a coat her mama stitched for her touched so many hearts that it inspired not one, but two television films!
Parton wrote the song about a patchwork coat that her mother sewed out of various scraps and pieces of fabric. The coat ended up being an assortment of colors since it was made out of mismatched pieces.
While her mama sewed her new coat, Parton said she told her about the story of Joseph from the Bible. As Parton sings, “As she sewed, she told a story, from the Bible, she had read. About a coat of many colors Joseph wore and then she said, ‘Perhaps this coat will bring you good luck and happiness.‘”
“Coat of Many Colors” shows that mothers will always do whatever they can to brighten up the lives of their children. It’s clear from the song that Parton’s mama was a shining light in her life.
“Mama Tried” By Merle Haggard
Perhaps the most humorous song on this list, “Mama Tried” is based on Merle Haggard’s own relationship with his mother. Haggard’s life changed forever when his father passed away while he was still a young child. The death of his father left a huge void in his life, a void that he filled with above-average acts of rebellion.
Haggard’s mama tried as hard as she could to turn him away from the destructive path he was on, but despite her best efforts, he ended up in prison. Years later, Haggard used his life story as a source of inspiration for “Mama Tried,” which became one of his signature songs.
In “Mama Tried,” Haggard sings of how his mother never did anything but love him, yet, “Her pleading I denied. That leaves only me to blame ’cause Mama tried.”
“The Baby” By Blake Shelton
This is one country song about moms that is guaranteed to get you every time. “The Baby” became one of the earliest hits of Blake Shelton’s career after it claimed the top spot on the Billboard country charts.
Although Shelton didn’t write the song, a huge part of what made it so successful is his honest and heartfelt delivery of the lyrics. The narrator describes the way a mother views all of her children, and how she always had a fondness for him since he was the youngest. Since Shelton is also the baby in his family, his connection to the song’s story is strong.
The song follows the narrator from childhood to adulthood, and how his mother always held him close to her heart, even when he acted up a little bit. As he grows older, their bond remains unbreakable, as he sings, “She said ‘I don’t care if you’re eighty, you’ll always be my baby.’”
“Thought You Should Know” By Morgan Wallen
Morgan Wallen co-wrote “Thought You Should Know” with Miranda Lambert and Nicolle Galyon. The song serves as an ode to his mama, Lesli, who also makes an appearance in the heartwarming music video.
“Thought You Should Know” resonated with country fans far and wide. It reached the #1 spot on both of Billboard‘s country charts and peaked at #7 on the all-genre Hot 100 chart.
Wallen pays tribute to his mom in the lyrics, singing, “I thought you should know, that all those prayers you thought you wasted on me, must’ve finally made their way on through.”
“Mom” By Garth Brooks
No list of country songs about moms would be complete without this stunning song by Garth Brooks. What few people know is that Brooks actually wasn’t the first one to record the song. It was previously released by rock artist Bonnie Tyler in 2013 before Brooks released his version in 2014.
When Brooks performed the song on Good Morning America in November 2014 and later on Ellen, the entire music community couldn’t stop talking about it. The song takes the form of a conversation between God and a baby about to be born, as the baby expresses his fear about entering the world. God reassures him by telling him there is a special person waiting for him in the world, who will always keep him safe:
“Hush now baby don’t you cry, ’cause there’s someone down there waiting whose only goal in life is makin’ sure you’re always gonna be alright. A loving angel, tender, tough and strong. It’s almost time to go and meet your mom.“
Brooks has recorded many emotional songs over the years, but this is one that will always tug at your heartstrings, no matter how many times you listen to it.
We’d like to wish all of the country music-loving moms a happy Mother’s Day! Which one of these country songs about mothers reminds you of your own mom?