Momma Loves Me

Album: released as a single (2025)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • "Momma Loves Me" is what happens when two bands raised on Southern soul and Sunday morning grace collaborate. Released in September 2025, the track pairs Needtobreathe with kindred spirits The Red Clay Strays. It's a rootsy, gospel-tinged ballad about grace, redemption, and that stubborn kind of love that just won't quit on you, no matter how badly you've messed up.
  • Frontmen Bear Rinehart and Brandon Coleman trade verses like two old friends swapping stories on a front porch at dusk. The heart of the song lies in its refrain - "Momma loves me, I'm still born again" - a line that sounds simple until you realize it's carrying the whole weight of forgiveness, faith, and family. Depending on how you hear it, "Momma" could be literal, divine, or somewhere in between, a nod to the way Needtobreathe has always blurred the line between the earthly and the spiritual. (You can almost trace a line back through "Washed By The Water," "Brother," and "Mercy's Shore").
  • Written by Bear Rinehart, the song's creation was sparked backstage at a concert when Rinehart shared a demo with Brandon Coleman. The Red Clay Strays frontman was drawn to the chorus's redemptive message and insisted they record the song as a collaboration. Both bands' harmony vocals are featured, accompanied by understated slide guitar, keys, and gentle percussion, letting the lyrics and emotion take center stage.
  • A few weeks later, both bands were holed up in Dave Cobb's Savannah studio, where Cobb, the same producer behind The Red Clay Strays' breakout Made by These Moments (2024), captured the track's easy warmth and lived-in spirituality.

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Part of Their World: The Stories and Songs of 13 Disney Princesses

Part of Their World: The Stories and Songs of 13 Disney PrincessesSong Writing

From "Some Day My Prince Will Come" to "Let It Go" - how Disney princess songs (and the women who sing them) have evolved.

Marc Campbell - "88 Lines About 44 Women"

Marc Campbell - "88 Lines About 44 Women"They're Playing My Song

The Nails lead singer Marc Campbell talks about those 44 women he sings about over a stock Casio keyboard track. He's married to one of them now - you might be surprised which.

Director Nick Morris ("The Final Countdown")

Director Nick Morris ("The Final Countdown")Song Writing

Nick made some of the biggest videos on MTV, including "The Final Countdown," "Heaven" and "Don't Know What You Got (Till It's Gone)."

Grateful Dead Characters

Grateful Dead CharactersMusic Quiz

Many unusual folks appear in Grateful Dead songs. Can you identify them?

The Real Nick Drake

The Real Nick DrakeSong Writing

The head of Drake's estate shares his insights on the late folk singer's life and music.

Holly Knight ("The Best," "Love Is A Battlefield")

Holly Knight ("The Best," "Love Is A Battlefield")Songwriter Interviews

Holly Knight talks about some of the hit songs she wrote, including "The Warrior," "Never" and "The Best," and explains some songwriting philosophy, including how to think of a bridge.