– Written by Jackson Skam –
Something that I believe is a crucial part in music discovery and the evolution of how someone listens to music is the influence from their parental figures. A lot of us grow up listening to the songs that our mothers, fathers, guardians, etc., grew up listening to. There are even genres based around the musical tastes of parents, with Dad Rock being probably the most notable.
So, for this Mother’s Day, I thought it would be a great idea to ask my mom about her favourite songs of all time to not only widen my musical horizons, but also to better get to know my mom through her music.
Her immediate first choice when I asked her this question was Summer of 69 by Bryan Adams. If I could choose any song that I most remember from my parents, specifically my mom, it is Summer of 69. This track by Canadian artist, Bryan Adams, tells a nostalgic story from the perspective of someone looking back on their days as a teenager playing music in a band and experiencing their first love. It’s a desire for the good-old-days that most can attach to, wanting to go back to a time when life seemed much simpler. The song’s classic guitar riffs and iconic drums help add to the sense of nostalgia, conveying a feeling of the past that can never be replicated in the future. This was a great track, and I can completely understand it as my mom’s immediate choice for her favourite songs of all time, demonstrating Summer of 69’s timelessness.
My mom’s next choice was True Colours by the quintessential 80s popstar Cyndi Lauper. This song carries the age-old lesson of being true to yourself, with Lauper urging the listener to be authentic and show their true colours because that’s what makes everyone unique. This is the main reason why my mom chose True Colours because the deep meaning and message behind it. True Colours is an incredible ballad and proves its own message of uniqueness through Cyndi Lauper’s iconic voice. When listening to this song, I made a connection with a track that I resonate with deeply, which is the interlude Be Yourself, off of Frank Ocean’s masterpiece album Blonde. While the context of the album as a whole gives it a different meaning, Be Yourself alone carries the same messages that True Colours does: be yourself and show your true colours because that’s what makes you, you. Connections like these show me how music and the messages behind songs like these transcend generations and continue to push lessons and themes across time.
The final song is Running to Stand Still by U2. This is a haunting song, depicting a desperate and resilient story of addiction. The title of the track represents the seemingly endless cycle of addiction, where an individual tries so hard to break the cycle, but they aren’t able to make any real progress. Running to Stand Still is backed by a melancholic piano melody that emphasises the songs story of futility. This song continues to stand to this day as an inspiring call to activism for issues in our society like addiction. Bono ranks among some of the most influential activists and this track stands as a testament for this activism. This song or its message aren’t lost to time either, as artists like Lana Del Rey have covered it, reflecting a connection across time and an influence of modern-day music.
As we listen to the songs that our mothers have on repeat, their playlists almost become compasses in our lives. While you might not listen to the same genres of music or enjoy the same songs, what we inherit are the lessons and messages behind their tunes. So, for Mother’s Day this year, go ask a motherly figure in your life about their favourite music, and try to notice the connections and impact that it has had on your own listening tastes.
SOUTHPORT MAGAZINE 
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