The Philosophy of Modern Song: Mother in Law

 Mother-in-law, mother-in-law
Mother-in-law, mother-in-law
The worst person I know
Mother-in-law, mother-in-law
She worries me so
Mother-in-law, mother-in-law
If she leave us alone
We would have a happy home
Sent from down below
Mother-in-law, mother-in-law
Mother-in-law, mother-in-law
Sin should be her name
Mother-in-law, mother-in-law
To me they are about the same
Mother-in-law, mother-in-law
Everytime I open my mouth
Then she tries to put me out
How could she stoop so low
Mother-in-law, mother-in-law
Mother-in-law, mother-in-law
I come home with my pay
Mother-in-law, mother-in-law
She ask me what I made
Mother-in-law, mother-in-law
She thinks her advice is a constitution
If she would leave that should be the solution
And don't come back no more
My mother-in-law, mother-in-law.

Certainly, the song is very unusual for starting with the line “The worst person I know…” with the reference that she was sent from hell to annoy the singer.   It is, I think, a unique contribution to the genre.

So that is the heart of the singer’s popularity and the fact that we remember him, but Bob has chosen a different song, as noted at the top of this piece.  Although we can hear the continuity of the style, particularly with the use of the backing vocals, and with the simplicity of the chord sequence, the featuring of the piano part, and the use of accompanying vocals.

I find it rather interesting that Bob has a particular feeling for songs of this nature, which is such a long way away from his own approach to songwriting and performing.

It is a recording that is very much in keeping with the era, with the backing of the female chorus and the bass male vocalist whose entire job is to sing the word “No”.   The recording also uses the popular 1950s approach of an instrumental verse led by a tenor saxophone, which is followed by a re-run of the verse.

For me, it’s ok to play through once, but beyond that, it just is repetitive, although the idea of dropping the vocal “No” for the last verse, until the final bar, is quite interesting.   But then again, “quite interesting” isn’t really enough.    And indeed, such a thing would never be enough for Bob.

What I guess this choice emphasises is just how diverse Bob’s knowledge of early pop and rock music is, and just how diverse his listening was in his youth.   So I reach the view in the end, this is just another one of those songs that Bob listened to and remembered, but which didn’t actually affect his songwriting in any way.

However, I would like to include another song by the same singer – “A long way back home”  I think if I were asked to choose a song by this artist, I would be more inclined to go for this one.  But then of course, I can’t write songs like Bob.  But if you have a moment, do give it a play – it shows the range of the artist’s vocal ability.

Previously in this series

• All in the game
• Ball of confusion
• Big River
• Blue Bayou
• Blue Moon
• Blue Suede Shoes
• Cheaper to Keep Her
• CIA Man – the Fugs
• Detroit City
• Don’t let me be misunderstood
• Dirty Life and Times
• Detroit City
• Dirty Life and Times
• Don’t hurt anymore
• Don’t let me be misunderstood
• El Paso
• Everybody’s cryin mercy
• Feel so Good
• Gypsys, Tramps & Thieves”
• I got a woman
• If you don’t know me by now
• It’s all in the game
• I’ve always been crazy
• Jesse James and Po Boy
• Keep my Skillet Good and Greasy
• Key to the highway
• Little White Cloud that Cried
• London’s Calling
• Mac the Knife
• Midnight Rider
• Mother in Law
• Money Honey
• My Generation and Desolation Row
• My prayer
• Nellie was a Lady
• Old Violin by Johnny Paycheck
• On the road again (save a horse)
• On the street where you live
• Pancho and Lefty
• Please don’t let me be misunderstood
• Poor Little Fool
• Poison Love
• Pump it up
• Ruby are you mad
• Saturday night at the movies
• Strangers in the Night
• Truckin
• Take Me from This Garden of Evil
• The Pretender
• The Whiffenpoof Song
• There stands the glass
• Tutti Fruiti (A wap bop a … etc)
• Volare
• War
• Waist Deep in the Big Muddy
• When 
• Where or When
• Willy the Wandering Gypsy and Me
• Without a song
• Your cheating heart