Mother's Day Soul

IN honor of Mother's Day I thought I would re-create a personal CD compilation that I made immediately after the death of my mother in 2005. We both loved music and I had a habit of creating CD's or mixtapes of music appropiate to an occasion or in celebration. And for me, I could not mourn my mother's death after many years of health problems and nursing home care. I simply refused to MOURN and wallow in the sorrow of losing my mother. She lived a long and hard life but raised two children who grew up to be strong and stayed out of trouble. She did us well and I celebrate my mother's life.

The first thing I did after getting the call that her long suffering was over was to go home and sit in front of my computer and created a personal CD that I would play in my car and remember my mother fondly. I called it "Mother's Day Soul 2005" and printed labels and a CD cover and liner notes. The result is a priceless memento of my mother that proudly sits on the shelf within my music collection. Her photo gracing the front cover.

Here are the songs I selected for this CD in the exact track order.


1. "I'll Always Love My Mama" by The Intruders (1973)


For me, this is the official Mother's Day anthem. One I grew up on and cherished for 38 years. The essence of the beloved sound of Philadelphia, I love this song from the first hit of the drum, to the horns at the intro to the monologue at the end. This is priceless soul, a personal expression of joy and love for a mother as only a child of a single low income parent can understand best. "Mama used to clean somebody else's house just to buy me a new pair of shoes. I never understood how mama made it through the week, when she never got a good nights sleep" That was so many mamas. It was mine.

Listen to the intruders today and give your mama some love!

2. Family Reunion by The O'Jays (1975), another Philly Soul classic , perfect for telling stories of family and a bright reminder of childhood with my mother.



3. "Way Back Home" by Jr. Walker and The All-Stars (1971)
At the time of my mother's passing this is one of the songs that gave me strength through the cherished memories of growing up "way back home".


4. Dianne Reeves "Better Days" (1987)
A sweet song in memory of GRANDMA. My grandmother's Anna R Pettis (08/16/1922-06/06/2004) and Florence Floyd (08/03/1908-10/03/1993)


5. "Grandma's Hands" by Gladys Knight
Her remake of the Bill Withers classic felt so good and deep down into the soul of our family jewels. Our grandmothers! And I insisted that the Gladys Knight version be played at my grandmother's funeral in 2004. It was as true dedication to a truly wonderful lady and many others like her.


6. "Patches" by Clarence Carter (1970)
This song was one of my mother's favorites and one that tells the story of a young man holding the responsibility of being the "man of the house". Many single parent homes like mine had such a person. That was me!


7. "Mama Used To Say" by Junior (1981)

Like Mama used to say, take you time young man, don't rush to get old. Mama usually had the greatest advice.


8. "Tell Mama" by Etta James (1967)
Whenever we had a problem we could always "Tell Mama". Just don't try to talk to mine when her favorite Etta James song was playing.


9. "Shop Around" by Smokey Robinson & The Miracles.
More motherly advice just in the first lines of the lyrics.


10. "Click A Glass" by Gerald Levert
This was a new song around the time of my mother's passing and it felt so good as in the spirit of the O'Jays "Family Reunion" which of course included Gerald's father Eddie Levert. I had to included it in my "Mother's Day Soul" compilation. And so sad that Eddie Levert lost his sons Gerald and Sean Levert within the next two yearsafter this song was released.


11. "What's Going On" by Marvin Gaye (1971)
Just listen to the words...."Mother mother, theres too many of you crying". My mother raised me on some of the best music on this earth. She loved this song and it is my all time favorite album bar none! Had to hear it during the grieving process after the death of my mother in April 2005.


12. "I Wish" by Stevie Wonder (1976)
YEAH! another musical biography of my childhood, looking way back on when I was a little nappy headed boy!


13. "There's no Me Without You" by The Manhattans (1973)
I included this song in the "Mother's Day Soul" complilation only because The Manhattans was one of my mother's favorite groups and the song title says enough as There's no ME without my mother.


14. "Home" by Stephanie Mills
Stephanie's emotional tribute to the many people she lost and her signature song from "The Wiz"


15."Family Circle" by The Mighty Clouds of Joy

My mother once told me the song she wanted to hear at her memorial was "Family Circle". But I didn't understand why until after she died. The song asks will the circle be unbroken. I see it as will our family continue to grow or will it end. And at this point neither of my mother's children have any children. Our family circle is broken as it ends with me and my sister unless my sister decides to start a family. Anyway, I listen to this song for my mama. If you are into gospel, this should feel right for you.



16. "If I Could" by Regina Belle
I included this version for two reasons, it is an testament to the strength and dedication of motherhood and when this song reached number one on the soul/R&B charts in 1993, it was Mother's Day weekend and the first and only time that my sister met her other grandmother who died a few months later. That's a personal matter but its one of many reasons this song hits a nerve for me. The timing was just right.


17. And finally what many consider to be a Mother's Day anthem and definitely was a favorite in my household, I closed out my personal "Mother's Day Soul" complilation with the song "Sadie" by The Spinners (1974)


That CD touched a nerve with many that I was asked to make copies of it. But for me it was a personal tribute to my mother and I listened to it for weeks after my mother's passing, most of the time with a smile on my face. Sometimes my heart was heavy but music has always been the cure for anything I had to deal with.

Happy Mother's Day to each and every mother. Without you there would be no US.

IN loving memory of my mother, Elerwene Burton Floyd (11/22/1935-04/25/2005)