10 Best Father-Daughter Songs

Top Songs for Fathers and Daughters

The lyrics of the featured songs tell various stories. To make your search easier, each song is featured with a brief description about its message along with a summary of the pertinent lyrics. You can listen to the song to further determine whether it's right for your relationship or special occasion.

1. "Song for My Father"—Sarah McLachlan (daughter to father)
2. "My Little Girl"—Tim McGraw (father to daughter)
3. "I Learned From You"—Miley Cyrus & Billy Ray Cyrus (daughter to father)
4. "Daddy Dance With Me"—Krystal Keith (daughter to father)
5. "My Daughter's Father"—Gord Bamford (father to daughter)
6. "Daddy's Little Girl"—The Shires (daughter honoring father)
7. "Daddy's Little Girl"—Michael Buble (father to daughter)
8. "Dance With My Daughter"—Jason Blaine (father to daughter)
9. "Father and Daughter"—Paul Simon (father to daughter)
10. "Piece by Piece"—Kelly Clarkson (broken father daughter relationship)

1. "Song for My Father"—Sarah McLachlan

Album: Shine On

Year: 2014

This album was inspired by Sarah McLachlan's loss of her father. If you're looking for words that painfully, yet with deep love, express your forever ache for the loss of your father's unwavering heart, this is your song. Use it for a memorial, or even to play at a wedding to honor a dad who is present only in spirit.

Essential Lyrics

Oh I hope that you can hear me
Through the ravages of time
You have carried me though more than you could know
I still feel your hand in mine
Your light buried the dark, A constant unwavering heart

2. "My Little Girl"—Tim McGraw

Album: Greatest Hits Vol 2 Reflected

Year: 2006

This is the ideal wedding song. Expect lots of tears when this tender song plays. It's a moving expression of love from a dad to his daughter on how she'll always be his little girl. The soft, sweet tone and lyrics make this a lovely choice for a father and daughter dance.

Essential Lyrics

You're beautiful baby, from the outside in
Chase your dreams but always know
The road that will lead you home again
Go on, take on this old world but to me
You know you'll always be my little girl

3. "I Learned From You"—Miley Cyrus & Billy Ray Cyrus

Album: Hannah Montana

Year: 2006

This song honors dad's wise words and guiding heart. It has an upbeat tone and is ideal if you're looking to express thanks and gratitude without getting overly mushy. The tune is sentimental in words but emotionally strong in music.

Essential Lyrics

I learned from you that I do not crumble
I learned that strength is something you choose
All of the reasons to keep on believin'
There's no question, that's a lesson
I learned from you

4. "Daddy Dance With Me"—Krystal Keith

Album: Whiskey & Lace

Scroll to Continue

What is a "LOWES #00907 - 866-483-7521 NC" Charge on My Credit Card Statement?

The Best Decks to Play on Pokemon TCG Pocket Right Now. Guide for Complete Beginners

That He May Increase….

Year: 2013

Krystal Keith is the second daughter of Toby Keith. She performed this song on her wedding day as a surprise to her father. This song is an ideal wedding song for a father daughter dance. It's sung from the daughter's perspective and expresses all that dad has done for her over her lifetime.

Essential Lyrics

Daddy dance with me
I want you to see the woman I've become.
Daddy don't let go
I want you to know I'll always need your love.
Today I became his wife
But I'll be your baby girl for life

5. "My Daughter's Father"—Gord Bamford

Album: Day Job

Year: 2010

This is a song about a father reminding himself that his most important role in life is to be his daughter's father. The rest of his life tasks don't compare to his role of being a good dad to her. Use this song for a wedding dance, a dedication or as song from dad on her birthday.

Essential Lyrics

It's not like everybody's waiting
To see if I'll go far
It's not like everybody's watching
Though sometimes I think they are
I don't have to change the world
I don't have to walk on water
All I have to be
Is my daughter's father

6. "Daddy's Little Girl"—The Shires

Album: My Universe

Year: 2016

Get ready to cry. This memorial song for dad is an absolute tear jerker. Her hands used to be wrapped around his little finger, but it turns out he was wrapped around hers. This emotional song tells the story of how when dad offered advice she didn't always listen, but in the end she concedes, he was always right. She's always going to be daddy's little girl.

Essential Lyrics

Used to wrap my hands around his little finger
Turns out he was wrapped around mine
He said "you can be anything you want to in this great big world"
But I'm always gonna be daddy's little girl, daddy's little girl

7. "Daddy's Little Girl"—Michael Buble

Album: Dream

Year: 2002

"Daddy's Little Girl" is a classic that's been covered by various artists for half a century. Written in 1906 by Robert Burke and Horace Gerlach, the simple lyrics and music still reflect that era. If you need a song with a pure message about a dad's love for his little girl that features a small instrumental section for dancing, this is your song.

Essential Lyrics

You're the end of the rainbow
my pot o' gold,
You're Daddy's Little Girl to have and hold
A precious gem is what you are

8. "Dance With My Daughter"—Jason Blaine

Album: Country Side

Year: 2015

This is the perfect father daughter dance song. All he wants to do tonight is dance with his daughter. There is so much you could do personally with this song playing in the background of a wedding video honoring father and daughter. If you're lucky enough to have video of father and daughter dancing during various life moments, this song is the perfect tune to feature that compilation.

Essential Lyrics

Gonna dance with my daughter
Spin her around under the lights
'Cause I'm just a father
Making the most of this moment in time
Before she lets me go, I'll hold her close
Caught in this race against time
Right now all I want is to dance with my daughter tonight

9, "Father and Daughter" by Paul Simon

Album: Surprise

Year: 2006

This touching relaxing upbeat emotional song features dad singing words of love and wisdom to his daughter. He lets her know that he's going to watch her shine, watch her grow and in the process love her through it all. This song makes an excellent choice for dad to honor his daughter on her special moments in life; birthdays, graduations.

Essential Lyrics

I'm gonna watch you shine
Gonna watch you grow
Gonna paint a sign
So you always know
As long as one and one is two
There could never be a father
Love his daughter more than I love you

10. "Piece by Piece" by Kelly Clarkson

Album: Piece by Piece

Year: 2015

Not all father daughter relationships are like a Norman Rockwell painting. Kelly Clarkson's heart wrenching performance of "Piece by Piece", a song reflecting her flawed relationship with her father, cuts you deep. Do yourself a favor and take a few minutes to listen. It's memorable. She performed it on the last season of the first run of American Idol and reduced Keith Urban to tears.

Actually, she reduced almost everyone listening to tears. The hope within the song is that Kelly learned how incredible a real father can be through her husband after they had their first child.

Essential Lyrics

But piece by piece, he collected me up
Off the ground, where you abandoned things
Piece by piece he filled the holes that you burned in me
Six years old and you know
He never walks away
He never asks for money
He takes care of me
He loves me
Piece by piece, he restores my faith
That a man can be kind and the father could, stay

© 2018 Barbara Tremblay Cipak

Do You Have a Favorite Father Daughter Song?

Barbara Tremblay Cipak (author) from Toronto, Canada on September 14, 2019:

I am so very sorry for your loss. Unimaginable pain. Blessings to you and your family.

Kenneth Avery from Hamilton, Alabama on September 13, 2019:

Dear Barbara. . .Wow! Such an in-depth piece. So touching and real that I am so ashamed of the hubs that I have published. I am impressed at your work. I really am.

I loved the Father/Daughter songs because in Feb. 2016, our only daughter went to Heaven. He was 39. She left us three wonderful, intelligent grandkds who all have parts of her that we see.

Thanks for doing this hub.

I Loved it.

Love You Lots, Kenneth

Cynthia Sylvestermouse from United States on September 20, 2018:

So many beautiful songs and tributes to the father daughter relationship. I haven't heard them all before, so I will have to come back to listen again. Wonderful compilation.

Barbara Tremblay Cipak (author) from Toronto, Canada on September 19, 2018:

Margaret, thanks very much

Margaret Schindel from Massachusetts on September 19, 2018:

Barbara, what a wonderful, thoughtful collection of meaningful songs! You've done a terrific job of choosing songs to fit a wide range of sentiments and occasions.

Barbara Tremblay Cipak (author) from Toronto, Canada on September 18, 2018:

Shauna, thanks for stopping by. I can't relate to what she went through and have to agree with you about her finding a good man to father their children. The song is incredible, she's such a talent.

Barbara Tremblay Cipak (author) from Toronto, Canada on September 18, 2018:

Mary, thank you. It really can be the best relationship a girl will have.

Shauna L Bowling from Central Florida on September 18, 2018:

I really enjoyed this. Kelly Clarkson had me in tears. I'm so glad she found someone to love her and their children. Fathers should never abandon their daughters.

Mary Norton from Ontario, Canada on September 18, 2018:

You’ve chosen some of my favourite songs. I think that there is always something special between father and daughter.