Friday on My Mind: Musical Mommys!

It’s time again for Friday on My Mind, our weekly blog post where we look at videos centered around one common theme. This is a collaborative effort between KEXP and King 5 News.

Mother’s Day falls on this Sunday, May 12th. Mother’s Day is not celebrated on the same day throughout the world. Since the 16th century, Mothering Sunday has been celebrated on the 4th Sunday in Lent over in the UK. Throughout various locations throughout the world, celebrations of motherhood can take place during other months, with some taking place in Fall or Winter. It has been estimated that, there are 85.4 million mothers in the United States. 55% of those moms have professions beyond being a Mother and in 2011, it was reported that there were 10 million single moms and 5 million stay at home moms. As a tried and true Mother’s Day tradition, half of us give cards on Mother’s Day, which comes out to be about 152 million cards that are given every Mother’s Day. Another little Mommy tidbit for you all is that Mothers secrete large amounts of a hormone called “oxytocin” during childbirth. This oxytocin hormone is responsible for the feeling of love a mother has for her offspring. The world’s oldest known mother to give birth is Maria del Carmen Bousada Lara from Spain who gave birth to twin boys when she was 66 years, which took place on December 29th, 2006. Many of the sweaters worn by Mr. Rogers on the popular television show, Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood, were actually knitted by his real mother. Remember to go hug your Mom this weekend- and now a few videos choices from some of our favorite musical mommys:

Bjork - It’s Oh So Quiet

Considered both eccentric and trailblazer, Bjork is one of our chosen musical Mommys. Musician, singer, and actress, Bjork Gudmundsdottir was born on November 21, 1965 in Reykjavik, Iceland. She grew up within a musical household, and released her first album when she was only 11. She went on the be in the Icelandic Alt band, The Sugarcubes who put out music from 1986-1992. She has forged a successful solo career since. After seeing her music video for the song "It's Oh So Quiet", renowned Danish director Lars von Trier asked Bjork to play the main role in his movie from 2000, Dancer in the Dark. She also composed original music for the film and won the Best Actress award that year at the Cannes Film Festival. But most importantly, Bjork is a Mommy of two- Ísadóra Bjarkardóttir and Sindri Eldon. Now here is the Spike Jonez directed official video for "It's Oh So Quiet"...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TEC4nZ-yga8

Liz Phair - Supernova

Liz Phair released her first album in 1993 and was at the forefront of the independent feminist alternative rock movement of the 90's. Elizabeth Clark Phair was raised in Cincinnati, Ohio, but currently calls Los Angeles home, where she lives with her sixteen year old son, James.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tM60GAPIXTY

Visqueen - Crush On the Radio

Rachel Flotard is a Seattle mainstay. She owns her own label Local 638 Records, she is also a writer for Fretboard Journal, as well as the former frontwoman, guitarist and songwriter for the now disbanded Visqueen. But most importantly, Rachel is Mommy to a son, Henry. Here is the official video to Visqueen's "Crush On the Radio" from 2004:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H-1np3G7ZMA

Honorable Mention:

Danzig – Mother Because he's singing about Mother... and because Glenn Danzig is a bad mutha.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vgSn0SbQJQI