What kind of person is your “mother”? Is she like the sun—scary when she’s angry but usually kind, always greeting you with a smile and a “Welcome home” no matter what? In this article, we’ll introduce classic songs about mothers and songs that express gratitude to them.
If you want to convey your everyday thanks but feel too shy to put it into words, there are perfect songs for you too.
These are all great choices for Mother’s Day or weddings, so whenever you feel like saying “thank you,” please give them a listen.
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Mother’s songs. Moving masterpieces dedicated to beloved mothers: recommended popular songs (1–10)
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I caused my mother worry and trouble, but now I’m truly grateful.
This is a classic by HAZZIE→ that I especially want people like that to hear.
It’s filled with a “thank you” to the mother who taught me love, regret for the times I made her sad, and a pledge for the future.
Released in July 2012, it was also well loved as the theme song for high school baseball broadcasts in places like Aichi and Miyagi.
Its powerful message—blending spoken word and song—speaks for feelings that words alone can’t fully express.
For a wedding or Mother’s Day, why not use this piece to convey the gratitude that’s usually too embarrassing to say out loud?
A Bouquet for YouUtada Hikaru
A gentle ballad that likens gratitude to a mother who gave unconditional love to a bouquet of flowers.
It’s also the theme song for the NHK morning drama series “Toto Nee-chan,” and the music video on YouTube features an avant-garde making-of that you can control yourself to look around in 360 degrees on the screen!
Letterback number
This is a song you’ll definitely want to have a handkerchief ready for.
I’m not joking—it’s a moving piece that can bring you to tears! Most of us end up living apart from our families at some point, whether it’s for school, work, or marriage.
And when something good happens during those times, the person you most want to tell is probably your mother.
Maybe you were rebellious sometimes, and maybe she’s worried and hurt for your sake more than once.
Someday you want to make her happy—you want to show your gratitude, right? If you relate to that and find yourself thinking it might be time to reach out to your mom, please do!
MOTHERUeno Daiki
This is a heartwarming number released by singer-songwriter Daiki Ueno from Ube City, Yamaguchi Prefecture, to coincide with Mother’s Day in May 2021.
The lyrics are striking in how they broaden the word “mother” to include not only one’s birth parent but all those who watch over us.
His gentle voice and lyrical melody, which seem to embrace both our failures and our pride, sink deeply into the heart.
Although this work had no specific tie-ins, it quietly spread as it resonated with many people through social media and other channels.
It’s a song you’ll want to listen to not only when thinking of your own mother, but also of someone dear who is far away, or when you yourself become a parent.
If you want to express your daily gratitude but feel a bit shy, why not send your feelings of “thank you” along with this song?
funny storyTani Yuuki
This is a famous song by Tani Yuuki that expresses a gratitude to his mother he couldn’t easily show.
It’s included on his first EP, “HOMETOWN,” released in May 2024.
Based on his real experiences of lashing out at his mother during frustrating days in his school years, the song weaves together “I’m sorry” and “thank you.” When it was released early in April 2024, his performance dedicated to his mother on a TV program also drew attention.
In the music video, actress Tomoko Nakajima plays the mother, portraying a parent and child who, despite passing each other by, are bound by a deep bond.
It may be embarrassing to put it into words directly, but deep down, you’re grateful.
Because this song speaks for those bittersweet feelings, giving it to your beloved mom on Mother’s Day or her birthday is sure to make her happy.
Motherkariyushi 58
“Anma” is the debut song by Kariyushi 58, which won the Newcomer Award at the Japan Cable Awards in 2006—an unusual feat for an indie artist.
The song was created by vocalist Shingo Maekawa for his mother, and its title means “mother” in the Okinawan dialect.
After graduating high school, he formed a band, but their CDs didn’t sell at all, and they were on the verge of being dropped by their label.
It was then that Maekawa says he first came to understand the hardships of living in society and the struggles his mother faced, and he set aside his pride to create “Anma.” The song encapsulates all the love he had received from his mother up to that point in its lyrics.
Mother’s Poem ~White Carnation~Kenjiro
When it comes to May events, Mother’s Day naturally comes to mind.
In this song performed by Kenjiro, the lyrics—overflowing with gratitude for his late mother and regrets he could never fully express—are delicately depicted alongside the everyday scene of a flower shop in front of a station.
Kenjiro’s own experience of losing his mother shortly after his debut in 2009 overlaps with the song, and each unadorned word resonates deeply.
Released as a single in August 2020, the piece has been cherished and carried forward so much that an acoustic version was included on the following year’s single, “Fog Horn Lullaby,” in 2021.
If you usually feel too shy to put your feelings for your mother into words, why not let this song speak for you? And of course, make the gift a carnation.