My Gen X Playlist: The Mother – Brandi Carlile (again)

My mom stayed home to raise us kids for much of our childhood. There were four of us with a year or two apart each, so you can imagine the chaos trying to corral us. It wasn’t fair. It was four against one. Nearly impossible, but she somehow managed it.

Three of us are boys. I’m not sure if that made it easier or not. Probably not in the early years. Thank goodness for my little sister. Four boys might have sent her over the edge.

Mom was our Cub Scout leader, team mom, chauffeur, after school activities teacher and so much more. Looking back, we realize we were fortunate. We just didn’t know it at the time. When you are a kid, you are unable to draw this distinction because it’s all you know in your own little world.

Sure it wasn’t always a bed of roses. There were screaming matches, punishments and challenges of wills. My mom was the law in the house. We all knew it. I remember my favorite response from her when we used to complain, Why? She would look us in the eye in an unwavering tone and say, Because I said so. End of discussion.

Even so, we loved our childhood. Mom was the main reason for that. We took her for granted back then, but we don’t now. All we have now is love and appreciation.

Happy Mother’s Day, mom. Thanks for everything.

I was searching for a song for Mother’s Day and kept coming back to Brandi Carlile’s The Mother. I know it’s already on the playlist, but I can make an exception for today.

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For a complete playlist, please click here.

For the Spotify playlist, please click here.

Welcome to the end of being alone inside your mind
Tethered to another and you're worried all the time
You always knew the melody but you never heard it rhyme

She's fair and she is quiet, Lord, she doesn't look like me
She made me love the morning, she's a holiday at sea
The New York streets are as busy as they always used to be
But I am the mother of Evangeline

The first things that she took from me were selfishness and sleep
She broke a thousand heirlooms I was never meant to keep
She filled my life with color, cancelled plans and trashed my car
But none of that is ever who we are

Outside of my windows are the mountains and the snow
I hold you while you're sleeping and I wish that I could go
All my rowdy friends are out accomplishing their dreams
But I am the mother of Evangeline

They've still got their morning paper and their coffee and their time
They still enjoy their evenings with the skeptics and their wine
Oh but all the wonders I have seen I will see a second time
From inside of the ages through your eyes

You were not an accident where no one thought it through
The world has stood against us, made us mean to fight for you
And when we chose your name we knew that you'd fight the power, too

You're nothing short of magical and beautiful to me
I would never hit the big time without you
So they can keep their treasure and their ties to the machine
Cause I am the mother of Evangeline

They can keep their treasure and their ties to the machine
Cause I am the mother of Evangeline
Ooooh...