Happy Mother’s Day!
Mother of mine you gave to me, all of my life to do as I please,
I owe everything I have to you,
Mother sweet mother of mine.
Mother of mine when I was young,
You showed me the right way things had to be done,
Without your love where would I be,
Mother sweet mother of mine.
Chorus:
Mother you gave me happiness, much more than words can say,
I thank the Lord that he may bless you, every night and every day.
Mother of mine now I am grown and I can walk straight all on my own,
I’d like to give you what you gave to me,
Mother sweet mother of mine.
Mother sweet mother of mine.
– Sung by Neil Reid on Opportunity Knocks (ITV, Britain), December 1971; Written by Bill Parkinson for his mother
When we were growing up in Bangalore in the 1970s, we’d wake up to music everyday. It would usually be the radio. The Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation (mom still calls it Radio Ceylon) had a morning show where they’d play the popular English songs of the day. We would listen as we had our breakfast and got ready for school. On Sunday’s there would be a request show on All India Radio. And then we’d also be adjusting our antenna to catch the BBC signal on SW.
We’d wait to hear this beautiful song “Mother of Mine”. And it would play week after week because someone would always ask for it. It didn’t take long for the words to get ingrained in the mind.
Today as we talk about Mother’s Day, I was longing to hear the song and looked it up with a few clicks. It was amazing to know that it’s a 1971-72 song, performed on British TV, that was still playing strong in the mid to late 70s. It made the singer Neil Reid, who was just 12 at that time, an instant star. The song sold over 2.5 million records worldwide.
Neil Reid’s life story is very interesting. Once his voice cracked he gave up singing. This reunion video brings him and the song writer, Bill Parkinson, together after many many years.
“Even the hardest of the hard guys love their mother.”
arathimy 