Does my mom deserve more than this DeJamz? 100%. However, since taking over as the primary DeJamz writer, I have discovered that these silly little playlists do a pretty good job expressing emotions and feelings that I struggle to put into cohesive sentences.

As my biggest supporter and reason for my incredible music taste, it seems natural to celebrate my mom through music. I invite you first to tell your mom happy Mother’s Day and then listen to the songs my mom passed onto me that have become staples in my library.

“Nite-Runner” by Duran Duran

Not only did this song define my formative years, but it was also my first-ever favorite song. Honestly, you just had to be there to get it. No matter where we were driving to, it could have been the General Store – a five-minute trip from my house – or to the big city of Burlington, I would not shut up until my mom skipped to track No. 3 on “Red Carpet Massacre.” While Duran Duran may no longer be relevant, this song will always have a special place in my heart. 

“Vincent” by Don McLean

Whenever this song comes on, I want to cry, and I know my mom feels the same. Going beyond the traditional story of Vincent Van Gogh, “Vincent” meaningfully depicts the 19th-century painter’s struggle with bipolar disorder and ultimate suicide. We all know McLean is a lyrical genius, but the lines “They would not listen /they’re not listening still/Perhaps they never will” haunt me. 

“Ask” by The Smiths 

We get it. You love The Smiths but hate Morrisey. You do not need to say it anymore. While my affinity for The Smiths may have been a joint effort by my parents, this song in particular always makes me think of my mom when she taught me how to drive. Though our shared anxiety about me getting us into a car crash risked triggering a petty argument at any second, The Smiths and The Moth Radio Hour kept us both in check. 

“The Longest Night” – Men At Work

Every summer until I was around 16, my family and I always went camping near New Hampshire. To this day, I still have no idea where exactly in Vermont we were, but on the two-hour drive to the campsite, my mom would always play Men At Work. While it has been over half a decade since I have gone on a family camping trip, whenever this album comes on, I am transported to the back seat of our minivan Big Blue and a bumpy dirt road with a Charlie Tuna sign on it.

“Bad” – U2

We would not be talking about my mother’s musical taste if I did not include a U2 song. A shared favorite between us, U2’s music has defined so much of my childhood and adulthood. Say what you will about that one time they stuck a free album on everybody’s iPhone, but my parents were living their best life. Anyways I love you, Bono and I love you, Mother xoxo.