Jimmy Dean was already an established superstar and had become known for classic recitations when he decided to record this sentimental ode to Mom in 1976. The “Big Bad John” singer tells an emotional story about a man who realizes that he owes Mom much more than he can ever repay. As the story concludes, we realize that Mom will accept payment in full for a kiss and one simple phrase: “Mom, I Love You.”

This 2004 song ponders the doubts one might have believing in angels, until Randy Travis delivers the chorus in a strong, convincing tone: “Just look in your mama’s eyes!” The song was released shortly after he scored a comeback hit with “Three Wooden Crosses,” another great inspirational story. The “Forever and Ever, Amen” crooner has scored 22 No. 1 hits, six Grammy awards and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

The former duet partner of George Jones and Charlie Louvin scored her only No. 1 solo hit in 1974 with this conversation between a mother and son. The story reminds us of how selfish we can be as children. Remember asking Mom for a dollar to do a chore? By the end of the song we’re reminded of how hard all of the mamas worked to raise their children, and with “No Charge.”

The father/daughter/son combination from Ontario, Canada landed a hit in the United States with this 1998 song about a little goodbye gift from Mother. In this story, Mom sends her children off into the world with 26 cents. It doesn’t seem like much, until we hear the line “a penny for your thoughts, a quarter for the call and all of your mama’s love.” This song teaches us that it’s the little things in life that sometimes leave the biggest impression.

One year before he recorded his signature song, “Still,” Bill Anderson enjoyed his first No. 1 hit with 1962’s “Mama Sang a Song.” Written about a young boy looking back on his childhood, this tune honors Mom for keeping the family together in song and good spirit during tough times. Although some of the struggles are slightly different for today’s families, the story of a strong mom applies to all generations.

The theme to Reba‘s TV show is an inspiration to single moms everywhere. Much like her hit “Is There Life Out There,” the 2001 song empowers single women to be strong and survive — if not for themselves, for their children! Although the radio version is different from the TV version, the message is clear: “A single mom who works two jobs / Loves her kids, and never stops / With gentle hands and a heart of a fighter / I’m a survivor.” Now doesn’t that sound like your mom?

Although Haggard really wasn’t doing “life without parole,” as the song suggests, Haggard was in for one 1-15 years, but he couldn’t make that work within the 1968 song. Haggard wrote the song as a tribute to his mom, Flosse. He told Billboard‘s Tom Roland, “She had a boy who was more than wild. My dad wasn’t there and my older brother tried to step in, and, of course, I resented that. It just got all confused and messed up. Mama certainly did try.”

In 2009, the legendary Oak Ridge Boys released a new album, The Boys Are Back. One of the singles, written by Jamey Johnson, was the story of “Mama’s Table.” The song reinforces why it was so important that Mom wanted us to sit at the dinner table to eat, rather than hide in our bedrooms or play video games in the living room at dinner time. After listening to this song, you’ll never want to miss the chance to sit at “Mama’s Table” again.

They say that the best country songs are about real life! Parton took a page out of her own life story and created this 1971 hit about a coat of rags stitched together by her mom. The moral of the story: “One is only poor, only if they choose to be / Now I know we had no money, but I was rich as I could be / In my coat of many colors, my momma made for me.” For obvious reasons, out of all the thousands of songs she’s written, this is her favorite.

This 1987 Grammy-nominated collaboration best expresses the message we all want to convey on Mother’s Day: “There ought to be a Hall of Fame for Mamas!” We have halls of fame honoring athletes, musicians and actors, but what about saluting the woman that helped make all these dreams a reality? The song takes us on a journey of motherhood, and reminds us of the tireless and sometimes thankless job of moms: “Heaven help us always to remember / That the hand that rocks the cradle rules the world!”