US single release: Mother by John Lennon

John Lennon’s single ‘Mother’ was released in the USA on 28 December 1970.

‘Mother’ was edited for the release; the shorter version has been used subsequently on compilations. The opening tolling bells were removed, and the song was faded early. It was also presented in mono.

The single, which had Yoko Ono’s song ‘Why’ on the b-side, was not a chart success. Lennon had considered issuing ‘Love’ instead, but there was not a follow-up release.

See, I keep thinking ‘Mother’ is a commercial record, because all the time I was writing it, it was the one I was singing the most and it’s the one that seemed to catch on in my head…

I write singles. I write them all the same way. But ‘Mother’ – you’ve got to take into account the lyrics, too. If I can capture more sales by singing about love than singing about my mother, I’ll do it.