Mom (Earth, Wind & Fire song)

{{Infobox song

| name = Mom

| cover =

| type = single

| artist = Earth, Wind & Fire

| album = Last Days and Time

| B-side = Power

| released = November 1972

| recorded = 1972

| studio =

| venue =

| genre = *R&B

soul

| length = 3:44 (single version) 5:49 (album version)

| label = Columbia

| writer = *Maurice White

Verdine White

| producer = Joe Wissert

| prev_title = I Think About Lovin' You

| prev_year = 1971

| next_title = Evil

| next_year = 1973

}}

"Mom" is a song by the band Earth, Wind & Fire released as a single in November 1972 by Columbia Records.{{cite work|title=Earth, Wind & Fire: Mom|date=November 1972|publisher=Columbia Records}} The song peaked at No. 39 on the Cashbox Top R&B Songs chart.{{cite web|url=http://cashboxmagazine.com/archives-r/70s_files/19730310R.html|title=The CASH BOX R&B Top 65|date=March 10, 1973|publisher=Cashbox|website=cashboxmagazine.com}}

Overview

"Mom" was produced by Joe Wissert and composed by Maurice White with Verdine White. The single's b-side was a song called Power. Both Mom and Power came from Earth, Wind & Fire's 1972 album Last Days and Time.

Critical reception

Billboard called Mom "a fine blues ballad".{{cite work|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=XQ8EAAAAMBAJ&q=writer+maurice+white+mom|title=Radio Action and Pick Singles|page=42|issue=50|volume=84|date=December 9, 1972|publisher=Billboard}} Record World described the song as a "soulful swinger".{{cite work|title=Single Reviews|page=10|volume=27|date=December 9, 1972|publisher=Record World}} Paul Sexton of Record Mirror called Mom "one of the (album's) highlights."{{cite web|url=http://www.americanradiohistory.com/UK/Record-Mirror/70s/79/Record-Mirror-1979-11-17.pdf#search=%22maurice%20white%22|title=Earth, Wind & Fire: Last Days and Time|page=16|issue=46|volume=26|author=Sexton, Paul|date=November 17, 1979|publisher=Record Mirror|website=worldradiohistory.com}}

Robert Christgau of the Village Voice described the song as "their best tune" on the album.{{cite web|url=https://www.robertchristgau.com/get_album.php?id=6768|title=Earth, Wind & Fire: Last Days and Time|author=Christgau, Robert|author-link=Robert Christgau|publisher=Village Voice|website=robertchristgau.com}} Ovid Goode Jr. of the Los Angeles Daily News also noted that "A little sentimentality is expressed on the album with 'Mom', a song expressing the love and dedication that only a mother can give."{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/30312539/|title=Earth, Wind & Fire: Last Days and Time|page=37|date=November 17, 1972|author=Jr. Goode, Ovid|publisher=Los Angeles Daily News|via=newspapers.com}}

Samples

"Mom" was sampled by DJ Quik on "Speed" off his 1998 album Rhythm-al-ism and by Three 6 Mafia on I'm So Hi from the group's 2000 album When the Smoke Clears: Sixty 6, Sixty 1.{{cite web|url=https://genius.com/Dj-quik-speed-lyrics|title=DJ Quik: Speed|website=genius.com}}{{Citation |title=Three 6 Mafia – I'm So Hi |url=https://genius.com/Three-6-mafia-im-so-hi-lyrics |work=genius.com |access-date=2023-07-11}} The single's b-side Power, was sampled by Mac Miller on the track BDE Bonus from his 2011 album Best Day Ever. As well by Pete Rock featuring Freddie Foxxx on the song Mind Frame from Rock's 2011 album PeteStrumentals (2nd Edition).{{cite web|url=https://www.bet.com/photo-gallery/c8cu7k/10-of-the-best-earth-wind-fire-samples-in-hip-hop-songs/eebnzx|title=10 of the Best Earth, Wind & Fire Samples in Hip Hop Songs|date=February 5, 2016|publisher=BET|website=BET}}{{Citation |title=Earth, Wind & Fire – Power |url=https://genius.com/Earth-wind-and-fire-power-lyrics |work=genius.com |access-date=2023-07-11}}

References

Category:Earth, Wind & Fire songs

Category:1972 songs

Category:1972 singles

Category:Columbia Records singles

Category:Songs written by Maurice White

Category:Songs written by Verdine White