While Mother’s Day is the official calendar day each year dedicated to the woman who gave us life, the other 364 days are also Mother’s Days. Memories aren’t made only on one chosen day, rather they happen every day; whether it’s cooking and baking, gardening, shopping, going out for mother-daughter/son lunches – all those moments will stay with you forever. And it will be those moments that comfort you during life’s difficult times.
Country Icon Debbie Cochran had many of those memories with her mom Carolyn, and on her recent album Simplify, she included a song about a tradition that she, her siblings and their mom bonded over: making blackberry Jam. For this Mother’s Day, we are sharing the backstory of Debbie’s “Blackberry Jam” in her own words, honoring that bond they all held so dear, and celebrating Moms all over the world.
Story Behind “Blackberry Jam”:
“Back in the day, I wasn’t fond of riding in the back of that old Ford pick-up truck. I didn’t think it was cool to have dust blowing through my hair. I remember mom would have the radio turned up loud and her hair rolled up in bobby pins. She was on a mission. It would be in the hot summer months and when mom fired up that old truck, we (my sister and brother) knew we were headed to the country for “hard-time labor”. Playing sick never worked for us. We would wade through the bushes following mom to the blackberries, and the “picking and pricking” began. We would holler “ouch” but to mom it was like the Garden of Eden. Those pricks did not bother her. Mom loved making jam. The jars would be sitting on the kitchen counter and the lids would make music when they began to pop. She would shout out “Amen.” For breakfast, we would have homemade biscuits covered in blackberry jam. Her recipe was right out of her head. I think we were spoiled and didn’t realize it until later in life. Back then, I thought I must be adopted, and my real family were city slickers. But, one day, you realize what you thought was boring was the icing on the cake.
Mom loved digging in the dirt, growing fresh vegetables. One year, she asked me, “what do you want for your birthday?” I said, “soup starter.” She canned a whole case of fresh vegetables from her garden. It never made soup; I ate every bite right out of the jar. Dad loved raising cows as his hobby. But that’s another story.
What we thought was hard labor was truly the labor of love. Mom and Dad taught us work ethics, family ties and most of all our spiritual foundation. They were partners when it came to raising us. It was all about spending time together, even in the thorns of a blackberry bush. Mom’s blackberry jam was worth every prick. Mom passed away April 16, 2019. I wonder if there are blackberries in heaven. The song “Blackberry Jam” is a true story. When I find some blackberries (already picked LOL!), I’m going to take the blackberry jam challenge and homemade biscuits, too. I wish I could take just one more ride in the old Ford pickup truck.”
Listen to the song that was inspired by jars of Blackberry Jam, and the love and hard work that went into making such a sweet delight:
Debbie has also shared a recipe close to that her mom used, and added her own little notations: “This is as close as it gets: Also, my mom’s nickname was Coggie. (which was slang for Carolyn). She always wore a hairnet in the kitchen. She was very particular. So, I added that as one of the ingredients.” (click image to enlarge)
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“Blackberry Jam” lyrics:
Momma use to load us in that old Ford Pickup truck
Headed to the country on the tail gate eating dust.
She rolled her hair in bobby pins; her softer side was tough.
We did our time with momma and the blackberry bush.
CHORUS:
We’d wake up with the chickens and smell the country ham
The icing on the cake was blackberry Jam
Mom and dad were partners when it came to raising us—-
Hoeing in the garden, simple living, Sunday church
Sometimes the cows would break the fence; we’d have to round them up.
What we thought was boring laid the love for future turf.
REPEAT CHORUS
BRIDGE: Mom and Dad would say amen at the sound of popping lids,
Pass the plate of biscuits baked with love and tenderness.
Somewhere, there’s a loaded bush just waiting to be picked.
Blackberries were our testament; we were finger licking kids
REPEAT CHORUS
Mom would say skedaddle and chase us kids to bed.
Dad just parked the tractor by the barn that’s painted red.
We were country bumpkins; we ate our share of soap.
I’d love to take just one more ride in that old ford pickup truck.
REPEAT CHORUS
OUTRO:
The icing on the cake was blackberry jam
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Stream or download Simplify here.
For more information on Debbie Cochran, visit her website debbiecochran.com