A Real Mother For Ya

Album: A Real Mother for Ya (1977)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • Though wine improves with age, the same is not necessarily true of songwriters. This piece of funk was produced way after Watson's sell-by date, and he probably only got away with the title because in 1977 most music pundits didn't realize that "mother" was half a word. >>>
    Suggestion credit:
    Alexander Baron - London, England

Comments: 4

  • Robert James Piellusch from Kalamazoo, MichiganI was a D.J. at our college radio station in 1977 and we played this song "all the time." I have always loved the play on words and I don't know who the person is that made the negative comment, but they have no idea what they are talking about. Great song and I am posting it for mother's day in 2021 !
  • Glenn from Upstate Sc I really enjoyed his music
  • Barry from Sauquoit, NyOn this day in 1977 {September 10th} Johnny 'Guitar' Watson performed "A Real Mother For Ya" on the nationally syndicated television program, 'Soul Train'...
    At the time the song was at position #43 on Billboard's Hot R&B Singles chart, it was also in it's fifteenth and final week on the chart, and ten weeks earlier it had peaked at #5 {for 2 weeks}...
    It reached #41 on Billboard's Hot Top 100 chart...
    Between 1955 and 1995 the Houston, Texas native had twenty records on the Hot R&B Singles chart, three made the Top 10...
    Besides the above "A Real Mother For Ya", his two other Top 10 records were "These, Lonely Lonely Nights" {#10 in 1955} and "Cuttin' In" {#6 in 1962}...
    John Watson Jr. passed away at the age of 61 on May 17th, 1996 {heart attack}...
    May he and Don Cornelius {1936 - 2012} R.I.P.
  • David from Chesapeake, VaI thought it would be a shame for the only comment about this wonderful artist to be negative. To assume that people didn't know what "mother" meant in 1977 is pretty lame. Johnny was a cult favorite that was very popular with those in America who heard him. His songs got plenty of airtime where I grew up. He did not gain widespread notoriety because he was with a record label that was not very successful. It was hard for a black artist to sign with the major record companies in that time period. I loved his music and I'm sure there are many others who did also.
see more comments

Editor's Picks

Matt Sorum

Matt SorumSongwriter Interviews

When he joined Guns N' Roses in 1990, Matt helped them craft an orchestral sound; his mezzo fortes and pianissimos are all over "November Rain."

Al Kooper

Al KooperSongwriter Interviews

Kooper produced Lynyrd Skynyrd, played with Dylan and the Stones, and formed BS&T.

Best Band Logos

Best Band LogosSong Writing

Queen, Phish and The Stones are among our picks for the best band logos. Here are their histories and a design analysis from an expert.

Brian Kehew: The Man Behind The Remasters

Brian Kehew: The Man Behind The RemastersSong Writing

Brian has unearthed outtakes by Fleetwood Mac, Aretha Franklin, Elvis Costello and hundreds of other artists for reissues. Here's how he does it.

Dave Alvin - "4th Of July"

Dave Alvin - "4th Of July"They're Playing My Song

When Dave recorded the first version of the song with his group the Blasters, producer Nick Lowe gave him some life-changing advice.

Charlotte Caffey of The Go-Go's

Charlotte Caffey of The Go-Go'sSongwriter Interviews

Charlotte was established in the LA punk scene when a freaky girl named Belinda approached her wearing a garbage bag.