John performing "Mother" on August 30, 1972, at Madison Square Garden in New York City, backed by Elephant's Memory.
1970, John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band
"Mother" is the first track on John's first solo album, John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band, and its ominous opening bells effectively signal the death knell of the Beatles. "Mother" has a sparse but moving melody, and John throws away any pop song conventions he could've used as crutches and instead begins the lengthy process of cleaning out his closet by stating, "Mother, you had me/But I never had you/I wanted you/You didn't want me." The song is an emotional tour de force, especially when John starts bellowing, "Mama don't go/Daddy come home" again and again, a childish plea screamed in a manner anything but.
Noteworthy Cover: I am not a Christina Aguilera fan by any stretch of the imagination, so imagine my utter shock when her cover of "Mother" was one of the brightest spots of the 2007 charity compilation Instant Karma: The Amnesty International Campaign to Save Darfur. Her voice is strong and powerful, and even if she doesn't reach the same emotional plateau as John...well, who expected her to?
Christina Aguilera's cover of "Mother" played over a picture of her.
