Mother (Meghan Trainor song)

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"Mother"
A blonde woman, spotlit, posing for a picture. The text "Meghan Trainor Mother" stands above her.
Single by Meghan Trainor
from the album Takin' It Back (Deluxe)
ReleasedMarch 27, 2023 (2023-03-27)
GenrePop
Length2:27
LabelEpic
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
  • Gian Stone
  • Justin Trainor
Meghan Trainor singles chronology
"Made You Look"
(2022) 		"Mother"
(2023) 		"Alright"
(2023)
Music video
"Mother" on YouTube

"Mother" is a song by American singer-songwriter Meghan Trainor from the deluxe edition of her fifth major-label studio album, Takin' It Back (2022). She co-wrote the song with Sean Douglas and its producers, Gian Stone and her brother Justin. Epic Records released it to US hot adult contemporary radio stations as the deluxe edition's lead single on March 27, 2023. A pop song with doo-wop influences, it interpolates the Chordettes' single "Mr. Sandman". Inspired by men who said Trainor's pregnancy would end her career, the song is about women's empowerment; in its lyrics, she asks the male subject to stop mansplaining and to listen to her.

Critics were favorable of its musical composition, but they criticized Trainor for calling herself mother, usually an African-American Vernacular English (AAVE) slang term also adopted by the LGBTQ community. The song reached the top 30 on national record charts in Belgium, Ireland, Suriname, and the United Kingdom. Charm La'Donna directed and choreographed the music video for it, which stars Kris Jenner. The latter dons a platinum blonde bob and appears in a white silk gown in a scene which channels Marilyn Monroe's performance of "Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend" and later with Trainor in matching black gowns. The video received praise for the fashion choices; critics described it as glamorous.

Background and release[edit]

A man playing keyboards
Gian Stone (pictured in 2020) produced and co-wrote "Mother".

After her song "Title" attained viral popularity on video-sharing service TikTok in 2021, Meghan Trainor announced her intention to pivot to its doo-wop sound on her fifth major-label studio album.[2] The platform was highly influential on her creative process, and she began writing material that would resonate with audiences on it.[3] Trainor gained popularity on TikTok while regularly sharing clips and other content with influencer Chris Olsen.[4] Takin' It Back (2022) included the single "Made You Look", which went viral on TikTok.[5][6] It became Trainor's first song since 2016 to enter the top 40 on the US Billboard Hot 100[7] and reached the top 10 in several other countries.[8][9][10]

Trainor wrote "Mother", the follow-up single, at the "last second".[11] She stated that the song was influenced by "silly men" that told her "that having a baby would end [her] career."[12] Trainor wanted to create an upbeat and danceable four on the floor song and came up with the lines "I am your mother, bitch/ You listen to me, bitch/ Stop all that mansplainin'/ No one's listenin, bitch" while getting makeup done. She sang the song for her brother Ryan, who disliked it. Trainor recorded 60 different vocals for "Mother", and her brother Justin made a sub-bass for it, after which Ryan said "I hear it now" and could not prevent himself from singing the song repeatedly. Gian Stone produced the song with Justin the following day, and he helped Trainor write the verses alongside songwriter Sean Douglas.[13]

On March 1, 2023, Trainor shared a clip of herself dancing to "Mother" with Olsen and her husband, Daryl Sabara, revealing part of its lyrics.[14] The snippet garnered criticism from online critics, who accused her of making music solely to go viral on TikTok.[15][16] Trainor announced the song when she was 21 weeks pregnant, following the announcement of her first book, also themed around motherhood, called Dear Future Mama.[17][18] It was promoted with a YouTube Shorts campaign.[19] "Mother" was serviced to hot adult contemporary radio stations in the United States as the lead single from the deluxe edition of Takin' It Back on March 27.[20][21] The song was sent for radio airplay in Italy on April 7, 2023.[22] Its radio edit was released for digital download on April 12.[23] On May 12, 2023, an extended play featuring remixes of "Mother" was released.[24]

Composition and lyrics[edit]

"Mother" is two minutes and 27 seconds long.[25] Stone and Justin produced and programmed the song, and the latter handled the engineering. Stone plays electric guitar and bass, Trainor and Douglas play keyboards, and Tristan Hurd plays trumpet. Jeremie Inhaber mixed the song, and Randy Merrill mastered it at Sterling Sound in New York City.[26]

"Mother"
Trainor claimed she recorded 60 different vocals for "Mother". It interpolates the Chordettes' 1954 single "Mr. Sandman" during the post-chorus.
Problems playing this file? See media help.

Musically, "Mother" is a pop song with influences of doo-wop.[27][28][29] The song opens with a man vocalizing: "the fact that Meghan Trainor is literally mother right now".[26] It interpolates the Chordettes' 1954 single "Mr. Sandman" during the post-chorus, as Trainor uses the melody while singing the lyric "You just a bum bum bum".[14][29]

"Mother" is about women's empowerment. In the song, Trainor proclaims that she is the subject's mother and that he should pay attention to what she says. She asks him to quit mansplaining and mocks him for the inability to bear children: "You with your God complex, but you can't even make life, bitch."[28][29][30] In other lyrics, Trainor praises her partner's non-controlling nature and ability to satisfy her, and she encourages the man she is addressing to learn from him: "Y'all need a master class from my man / Learn how to satisfy like he can / Ain't tryna control me and own me / Like an old man on C-SPAN."[26]

Reception[edit]

Critics were favorable of the song's musical composition. Rolling Stone's Tomás Mier compared the foppish lyricism of "Mother" to the colorful imagery featured in Trainor's songs "Made You Look" and "Don't I Make It Look Easy".[29] Rachel DeSantis of People described "Mother" as "a retro, doo-wop-inspired bop",[28] Carly Silva of Parade called it a "pop anthem",[27] and Glamour described it as a "catchy ear-worm tune".[31] Sydney Brasil of Exclaim! thought the song was catchy but criticized its lyrics.[32] Writing for Vulture, Wolfgang Ruth predicted that the "bop" would be the first song lipsynced to in RuPaul's Drag Race's next season and thought Trainor victoriously careened into her latest gimmick: "Meghan Trainor is not Mother. But her commitment to the bit sort of is."[33] Some reviewers criticized Trainor for calling herself mother, usually an African-American Vernacular English (AAVE) slang term also adopted by the LGBTQ community.[32][34] Jezebel's Kady Ruth Ashcraft wrote: "Meghan Trainor is not mother. That sort of honorarium requires much, much better music", and she criticized her for bestowing the title upon herself instead of having it assigned to her by music fans.[15] Brasil believed its righteous intention of "taking down entitled men" was ruined by Trainor's use of the word: "If anybody is 'mother,' it's definitely not a rich straight woman".[32] In a May 2023 New York Times article, actress Michaela Jaé Rodriguez approved of it: "it's right for her, and she can use it in any way she wants to", but she noted that other people's perception may differ.[34]

"Mother" experienced TikTok virality, but unlike "Made You Look", this did not translate into popularity on streaming services.[35] In the United States, "Mother" charted at number 19 on the Bubbling Under Hot 100 issued dated April 1, 2023.[36] The song reached number 83 on the Canadian Hot 100 issued for the same date.[37] It became Trainor's eighth single to reach the top 40 in the United Kingdom, debuting at number 42 on the UK Singles Chart dated March 23, 2023, and peaking at number 22 in its fourth week.[38][39] In Australia, "Mother" charted at number 49.[40] The song reached number eight on the New Zealand Hot Singles chart.[41] "Mother" became Trainor's fourth entry on the Billboard Global 200, debuting at number 196.[42] Elsewhere, the song peaked at number 1 on Sweden's Heatseeker chart,[43] number 2 on the Netherlands's Single Tip chart,[44] number 19 on Japan Hot Overseas,[45] number 23 in Ireland,[46] number 28 in Belgium,[47] number 34 on Canada's CHR/Top 40 chart,[48] number 35 in Suriname,[49] and number 167 on the South Korean Download chart.[50]

Music video[edit]

A woman in a white suit with a light smile, supporting herself with her left hand
Kris Jenner (pictured in 2014) stars in the music video for "Mother".

Charm La'Donna directed and choreographed the music video for "Mother", which was released on March 10, 2023.[28][29] Kris Jenner stars in the video; Trainor stated regarding the casting choice: "I jokingly one day was like, 'What if I got the mother of all mothers, like the queen of mothers, to be in this music video, singing the lyrics?'"[51] Khloé and Kourtney Kardashian promoted the visual on Instagram following its release, and the former stated: "that is [Jenner] living her best life and being such a star. This is where my mom thrives. She loves to be the center of attention and she's a little ham and I love it."[51][52] A blooper video featuring Trainor and Jenner performing unchoreographed dances and posing for funny pictures was released on April 21, 2023, in which Trainor describes the shoot as the best day of her life second only to the birth of her son.[21]

The video opens with a title card in all caps and bright lights which reads "Meghan Trainor is literally mother".[33] Jenner appears in a Cult Gaia white silk gown with puff sleeves and a platinum blonde bob,[31][52] surrounded by dancers in suits who channel a scene from Marilyn Monroe's performance of "Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend" (1953).[30] In some scenes, the dancers spin her around and fan her with feathers.[28] Trainor and Jenner appear together in matching floor-length velvet black gowns with gloves by Christian Siriano in subsequent scenes.[27][31] Trainor shows off sonogram images from her second pregnancy, and Jenner closes the video as she winks while sipping a cup of tea.[28]

Ruth believed the video was "feature-film-quality", and though he initially thought "pop music is dead" upon hearing the song, the video changed his mind: "This is camp to the highest degree. It's Mother at its most narcissistic."[33] Critics praised the fashion choices: Silva and DeSantis described Jenner's look in the white gown as "glam", and Glamour thought it was "the most glamorous incarnation of the trademark Kardashian style".[28][27][31] Writing for the GMA Network, Jansen Ramos believed Trainor delivered "one of her most iconic videos yet" and displayed "ultimate Hollywood glam".[53][54] Billboard's Starr Bowenbank thought its blooper reel looked "just as fun as the final cut".[21]

Credits and personnel[edit]

Credits are adapted from the liner notes of Takin' It Back (Deluxe).[26]

Charts[edit]

Weekly chart performance for "Mother"
Chart (2023-24) Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[40] 49
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[55] 42
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia)[47] 28
Canada (Canadian Hot 100)[37] 83
Canada CHR/Top 40 (Billboard)[48] 34
Canada Hot AC (Billboard)[56] 47
Global 200 (Billboard)[42] 196
Hungary (Rádiós Top 40)[57] 37
Ireland (IRMA)[46] 23
Japan Hot Overseas (Billboard Japan)[45] 19
Netherlands (Single Tip)[44] 2
New Zealand Hot Singles (RMNZ)[41] 8
South Korea Download (Circle)[50] 167
Suriname (Nationale Top 40)[58] 19
Sweden Heatseeker (Sverigetopplistan)[43] 1
UK Singles (OCC)[39] 22
US Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles (Billboard)[36] 19
US Adult Top 40 (Billboard)[59] 18
US Digital Song Sales (Billboard)[60] 45
US Mainstream Top 40 (Billboard)[61] 21

Release history[edit]

Release dates and format(s) for "Mother"
Region Date Format(s) Version Label Ref.
United States March 27, 2023 Hot adult contemporary Original Epic [20]
Italy April 7, 2023 Radio airplay Sony [22]
United States April 12, 2023
Radio edit Epic [23]
May 12, 2023 Remixes [24]

Notes[edit]

  1. ^ a b Pat Ballard is credited as he wrote "Mr. Sandman".[1]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Pat Ballard Dies; a Song Writer, 61; Author of 'Mr. Sandman,' 'So Beats My Heart for You' uWrote Radio Scripts". The New York Times. October 28, 1960. Archived from the original on July 25, 2023. Retrieved July 25, 2023.
  2. ^ Jones, Brian (May 12, 2022). "Meghan Trainor Reveals How She's Taking It Back for Upcoming Album". PopCulture.com. Archived from the original on May 13, 2022. Retrieved June 16, 2022.
  3. ^ Lee, Tionah (November 20, 2022). "Meghan Trainor Shares Advice for New Moms and Talks 'Made You Look' Success". Entertainment Tonight. Archived from the original on November 21, 2022. Retrieved February 19, 2023.
  4. ^ Spanos, Brittany (December 20, 2022). "How Chris Olsen Became the Music World's Favorite TikTok Personality". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on December 20, 2022. Retrieved December 20, 2022.
  5. ^ Lipshutz, Jason (November 2, 2022). "Trending Up: Rihanna and Meghan Trainor Make Two Very Different Pop Comebacks". Billboard. Archived from the original on November 12, 2022. Retrieved November 3, 2022.
  6. ^ Wert, Nicole (November 10, 2022). "Meghan Trainor 'Forces' Her Brother to Do TikTok Trend to Her Song". Parade. Archived from the original on November 26, 2022. Retrieved November 26, 2022.
  7. ^ "Meghan Trainor Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Archived from the original on October 31, 2022. Retrieved November 27, 2022.
  8. ^ Griffiths, George (November 6, 2022). "Taylor Swift on Track for Third Week at Number 1 with 'Anti-Hero'". Official Charts Company. Archived from the original on November 22, 2022. Retrieved November 22, 2022.
  9. ^ "Meghan Trainor – Made You Look". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Archived from the original on January 2, 2023. Retrieved January 3, 2023.
  10. ^ "Meghan Trainor – Made You Look". Top 40 Singles. Archived from the original on January 2, 2023. Retrieved January 3, 2023.
  11. ^ Trainor, Meghan (March 16, 2023). Workin' on the 'Mother' Music Video with Charm La'Donna. Event occurs at 20:22. Archived from the original on March 31, 2023. Retrieved April 26, 2023 – via YouTube.
  12. ^ Caplan, Anna Lazarus (March 21, 2023). "Meghan Trainor Wrote 'Mother' in Response to 'Silly Men' Saying Having a Baby Would 'End Her Career'". People. Archived from the original on March 24, 2023. Retrieved April 26, 2023.
  13. ^ Trainor, Meghan (March 29, 2023). Workin' on It Ft. Gian Stone. Event occurs at 31:57. Archived from the original on March 31, 2023. Retrieved April 26, 2023 – via YouTube.
  14. ^ a b Gonzalez, Rebekah (March 2, 2023). "Meghan Trainor Kicks Off 'The Mother Era' by Teasing Her Catchy New Song". iHeartRadio. Archived from the original on March 2, 2023. Retrieved March 6, 2023.
  15. ^ a b Ashcraft, Kady Ruth (March 4, 2023). "I Am Very Endeared to Meghan Trainor and Her Bad Music. But 'Mother' Is Too Much". Jezebel. Archived from the original on March 4, 2023. Retrieved March 6, 2023.
  16. ^ "Zara Larsson Defends Meghan Trainor: 'She Didn't Create This for TikTok, TikTok Was Created for Meghan'". Yahoo! Life. Bang Showbiz. March 3, 2023. Archived from the original on April 20, 2023. Retrieved March 6, 2023.
  17. ^ Najib, Shafiq (March 4, 2023). "Meghan Trainor Sings and Dances to New Song 'Mother' with Son Riley". ABC News. Archived from the original on March 5, 2023. Retrieved March 6, 2023.
  18. ^ Trust, Gary (February 18, 2023). "Meghan Trainor 'Crying Happy Tears' as 'Made You Look' Tops Adult Pop Airplay Chart". Billboard. Archived from the original on February 18, 2023. Retrieved March 1, 2023.
  19. ^ "Meghan Trainor Is 'Mother'". YouTube. Archived from the original on March 31, 2023. Retrieved April 24, 2023.
  20. ^ a b "Hot/Modern/AC > Future Releases". All Access Music Group. Archived from the original on March 11, 2023. Retrieved March 11, 2023.
  21. ^ a b c Bowenbank, Starr (April 21, 2023). "Meghan Trainor Shows Off Her Baby No. 2 Sonogram Photo in 'Mother' Blooper Video". Billboard. Archived from the original on April 22, 2023. Retrieved April 25, 2023.
  22. ^ a b Sisti, Sara. "Meghan Trainor 'Mother'" (Press release) (in Italian). Radio Airplay SRL. Archived from the original on April 9, 2023. Retrieved April 9, 2023.
  23. ^ a b "'Mother' (Radio Edit) - Single by Meghan Trainor". Apple Music (US). Archived from the original on April 27, 2023. Retrieved April 27, 2023.
  24. ^ a b "'Mother' (Remixes) - Single by Meghan Trainor". Apple Music (US). Archived from the original on May 14, 2023. Retrieved May 14, 2023.
  25. ^ "'Mother' by Meghan Trainor". Apple Music (US). Archived from the original on April 8, 2023. Retrieved April 26, 2023.
  26. ^ a b c d Epic Records (2023). Takin' It Back (Deluxe) (Media notes). Meghan Trainor.
  27. ^ a b c d Silva, Carly (March 10, 2023). "See Kris Jenner Steal the Show in Meghan Trainor's 'Mother' Music Video". Parade. Archived from the original on April 9, 2023. Retrieved April 9, 2023.
  28. ^ a b c d e f g DeSantis, Rachel (March 10, 2023). "Kris Jenner Goes Retro Glam for Meghan Trainor's 'Mother' Video as Khloé Kardashian Asks to Be 'Sisters'". People. Archived from the original on March 21, 2023. Retrieved April 25, 2023.
  29. ^ a b c d e Mier, Tomás (March 10, 2023). "Kris Jenner Is Literally 'Mother' in Meghan Trainor's New Video". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on March 10, 2023. Retrieved March 12, 2023.
  30. ^ a b Aniftos, Rania (March 10, 2023). "Kris Jenner Is the Ultimate 'Mother' in Meghan Trainor's New Music Video". Billboard. Archived from the original on March 10, 2023. Retrieved April 25, 2023.
  31. ^ a b c d "The Kardashian Kids React to Kris Jenner's Epic Performance in Meghan Trainor's Video". Glamour. March 13, 2023. Archived from the original on April 4, 2023. Retrieved April 25, 2023.
  32. ^ a b c Brasil, Sydney (March 10, 2023). "Meghan Trainor's 'Mother' Music Video Is Giving Us Mommy Issues". Exclaim!. Archived from the original on March 17, 2023. Retrieved May 14, 2023.
  33. ^ a b c Ruth, Wolfgang (March 10, 2023). "It's 'Mother' vs. 'Mother'". Vulture. Archived from the original on March 28, 2023. Retrieved April 25, 2023.
  34. ^ a b Kesslen, Ben (May 13, 2023). "Gone Are 'Daddy' Days. These Are 'Mother' Times". The New York Times. Archived from the original on May 13, 2023. Retrieved August 17, 2023.
  35. ^ Maheshwari, Sapna (June 24, 2023). "TikTok Is Our DJ Now. It's Playing a Lot of Meghan Trainor". The New York Times. Archived from the original on June 24, 2023. Retrieved July 4, 2023.
  36. ^ a b "Meghan Trainor Chart History (Bubbling Under Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved March 28, 2023.
  37. ^ a b "Meghan Trainor Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved March 28, 2023.
  38. ^ Griffiths, George (March 24, 2023). "Miley Cyrus's 'Flowers' Bloom for Landmark 10th Week at Number 1". Official Charts Company. Archived from the original on March 31, 2023. Retrieved April 24, 2023.
  39. ^ a b "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved April 7, 2023.
  40. ^ a b "Meghan Trainor – Mother". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved May 28, 2023.
  41. ^ a b "NZ Hot Singles Chart". Recorded Music NZ. March 20, 2023. Archived from the original on March 18, 2023. Retrieved March 18, 2023.
  42. ^ a b "Meghan Trainor Chart History (Global 200)". Billboard. Retrieved March 28, 2023.
  43. ^ a b "Veckolista Heatseeker, vecka 12". Sverigetopplistan. Archived from the original on March 24, 2023. Retrieved March 25, 2023.
  44. ^ a b "Dutch Single Tip 25/03/2023" (in Dutch). Dutch Charts. Archived from the original on March 25, 2023. Retrieved March 25, 2023.
  45. ^ a b "Billboard Japan Hot Overseas – Week of March 22, 2023". Billboard Japan (in Japanese). March 22, 2023. Archived from the original on March 22, 2023. Retrieved March 22, 2023.
  46. ^ a b "Official Irish Singles Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved March 24, 2023.
  47. ^ a b "Meghan Trainor – Mother" (in French). Ultratop 50. Retrieved June 25, 2023.
  48. ^ a b "Meghan Trainor Chart History (Canada CHR/Top 40)". Billboard. Retrieved March 25, 2023.
  49. ^ "Nationale Top 40 Suriname - De Top 40 Lijst Voor 13 – 20 April 2023". Nationale Top 40 Suriname. April 13, 2023. Archived from the original on April 13, 2023. Retrieved April 13, 2023.
  50. ^ a b "Download Chart – Week 12 of 2023" (in Korean). Circle Chart. Archived from the original on March 30, 2023. Retrieved March 30, 2023.
  51. ^ a b Bowenbank, Starr (April 6, 2023). "Khloé Kardashian Says Mom Kris Jenner Was 'Living Her Best Life' Starring in Meghan Trainor's 'Mother' Video". Billboard. Archived from the original on April 13, 2023. Retrieved April 25, 2023.
  52. ^ a b Hines, Morgan; Ushe, Naledi (March 10, 2023). "Ultimate Mom Kris Jenner Takes Center Stage in Meghan Trainor's 'Mother' Music Video". USA Today. Archived from the original on March 23, 2023. Retrieved April 25, 2023.
  53. ^ Ramos, Jansen (March 31, 2023). "Kris Jenner Stars in the Music Video for Meghan Trainor's 'Mother'". GMA Network. Archived from the original on March 31, 2023. Retrieved April 25, 2023.
  54. ^ "Kris Jenner Stars in Meghan Trainor's New Music Video 'Mother'". ABS-CBN. March 14, 2023. Archived from the original on March 30, 2023. Retrieved April 25, 2023.
  55. ^ "Meghan Trainor – Mother" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved July 9, 2023.
  56. ^ "Meghan Trainor Chart History (Canada Hot AC)". Billboard. Retrieved May 20, 2023.
  57. ^ "Archívum – Slágerlisták – MAHASZ" (in Hungarian). Rádiós Top 40 játszási lista. Magyar Hanglemezkiadók Szövetsége. Retrieved September 20, 2023.
  58. ^ "Top 40 – 04 – 11 Mei 2023" [Top 40 – 04 – 11 Mei 2023]. Nationale Top 40 Suriname. May 4, 2023. Archived from the original on July 8, 2023. Retrieved July 5, 2023.
  59. ^ "Meghan Trainor Chart History (Adult Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved May 20, 2023.
  60. ^ "Meghan Trainor Chart History (Digital Song Sales)". Billboard. Retrieved March 22, 2023.
  61. ^ "Meghan Trainor Chart History (Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved May 20, 2023.
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