Song of the Day: Mother

By John Lennon or the Plastic Ono Band, which ever label you prefer to recognize.
From Wikipedia:

Though the song is called "Mother", it is actually a cry to both of his parents, who "abandoned" him in his childhood - Father Alf Lennon left the family when John was an infant, and mother Julia was hit by a car and killed on the street by a drunk-driving off-duty policeman, when her son was 17.

This is a song I've heard a whole bunch of times, but generally passed over. Yesterday I heard it and it finally clicked in my head. I needed to hear the entire thing, hear it build and hear it without a lot of background noise and distraction, I think. The end of the song contains the well-known screaming/crying of Lennon to his mother and father. But the build up from the start of the song is excellent. I've finally gotten to the point with this song where that ending doesn't feel repetitive and dragged out. It flows over me now.

This song perfectly illustrates the kind of thing the American Idol judges are talking about when they say you need to feel the song and mean it, not just sing it. Who can hear this song and not cry a little on the inside for John Lennon. It's such a simple, yet honest and painful song.

Lyrics here.