About The Song
“The Sweetest Gift” was released by Linda Ronstadt as the B-side to her single “Tracks of My Tears” in December 1975 via Asylum Records. It appears as track eight on her album Prisoner in Disguise, issued September 1975. Produced by Peter Asher, the track runs 3:04 and features a sparse, heartfelt country-gospel arrangement with acoustic guitar, gentle pedal steel, and the warm, intertwined harmonies of Ronstadt and Emmylou Harris that give the song its emotional core.
Written by gospel composer James B. Coats, the song originated as a traditional country-gospel number about a mother’s unconditional love. Ronstadt and Harris first recorded it as a duet during the Prisoner in Disguise sessions, with Harris providing the high harmony that perfectly complements Ronstadt’s lead.
The lyrics tell the story of a mother visiting her son in prison on Christmas Eve. She cannot bring material gifts, so she offers the only thing she has—her smile: “The sweetest gift I have to give is the smile upon my face / And the love that’s in my heart for you / I know that you’ll be true.” The verses describe the prison setting, the son’s regret, and the mother’s unwavering forgiveness, turning a moment of hardship into a powerful expression of maternal grace. The chorus repeats the title with quiet dignity, making the simple act of smiling the ultimate Christmas present.
Though released only as a B-side, the duet climbed to No. 12 on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart in early 1976, adding to the album’s momentum. Prisoner in Disguise reached No. 1 on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart and No. 3 on the Billboard 200. The track later appeared on Ronstadt’s compilations and was reissued on the expanded edition of Prisoner in Disguise.
In 1976, Dolly Parton joined Ronstadt and Harris for a live performance of the song on Parton’s syndicated television series, creating an early preview of the vocal blend that would define their 1987 Trio album. That TV version remains a fan favorite for its pure, unadorned three-part harmony.
Video
Lyric
One day a mother went to a prison
To see an erring but precious son
She told the warden how much she loved him
It did not matter what he had done
She did not bring to him a parole or pardon
She brought no silver, no pomp or style
It was a halo bright sent down from heaven’s light
The sweetest gift, a mother’s smile
She left a smile you can remember
She’s gone to heaven from heartaches free
Those walls around you could never change her
You were her baby and e’er will be
She did not bring to him a parole or pardon
She brought no silver, no pomp or style
It was a halo bright sent down from heaven’s light
The sweetest gift, a mother’s smile
She did not bring to him a parole or pardon
She brought no silver, no pomp or style
It was a halo bright sent down from heaven’s light
The sweetest gift, a mother’s smile
The sweetest gift, a mother’s smile