100 Best Songs About Fathers

Top 10 Best Songs About Fathers

The bond between father and child is special. The type of relationship children share with their parents builds a foundation for their future. A number of singers and songwriters express how they feel about their dads through songs. While many songs convey the love and admiration for a dad with heartfelt lyrics, certain tunes narrate the painful memories of a strained relationship with a father.

1. “Daddy”—Coldplay
2. “My Father’s Eyes”—Eric Clapton
3. “Daddy’s Hands”—Holly Dunn
4. “Song for Dad —Keith Urban
5. “Daddy Lessons”—Beyonce featuring Dixie Chicks
6. “My Old Man”—Zac Brown Band
7. “The Greatest Man I Never Knew”—Reba McEntire
8. “Papa Don’t Preach”—Madonna
9. “Love Without End, Amen”—George Strait
10. “Daughters”—John Mayer

The list below showcases a collection of country songs, rock songs, pop songs, R&B songs, folk songs, hip-hop songs, alternative songs, indie songs, jazz songs, blues songs and dance songs about dads. If you have a view, opinion, or song suggestion for our daddy list, let us know in the comments section.

#11–20

11. “Father and Daughter”—Paul Simon

12. “Daddy”—PSY featuring CL

13. “Babyfather”—Sade

14. “He Didn’t Have to Be”—Brad Paisley

15. “First Man”—Camila Cabello

16.“Drive (For Daddy Gene)”—Alan Jackson

17. “Watching You”—Rodney Atkins

18. “Cats in the Cradle”—Harry Chapin

19. “Stealing Cinderella”—Chuck Wicks

20. “These Three Words”—Stevie Wonder

#21–40

21. “I Loved Her First”—Heartland

22. “Winter”—Tori Amos

23. “Follow God”—Kanye West

24. “Just the Two of Us”—Will Smith

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A List of Dams in Punjab

25. “Dance With My Father”—Luther Vandross

26. “Papa’s Got a Brand New Bag”—James Brown

27. “Unforgettable”—Nat King Cole

28. “Father and Son”—Cat Stevens (Yusuf)

29. “Daddy”—Beyonce

30. “Tough Little Boys”—Gary Allan

31. “Papa Was a Rolling Stone”—The Temptations

32. “Color Him Father”—The Winstons

33. “The Living Years”—Mike & the Mechanics

34. “Ready, Set, Don’t Go”—Billy Ray Cyrus

35. “Wind Beneath My Wings”—Bette Midler

36. “Like Father, Like Son”—The Game featuring Busta Rhymes

37. “Forever Now”—Michael Buble

38. “Glory”—Jay-Z

39. “Father of Mine”—Everclear

40. “My Father’s House”—Bruce Springsteen

#41–60

41. “Letter 2 My Unborn”—Tupac Shakur

42. “Right By You (For Luna)”—John Legend

43. “Father to Son”—Queen

44. “Just Fishin’”—Trace Adkins

45. “Seein’ My Father in Me”—Paul Overstreet

46. “Piece By Piece”—Kelly Clarkson

47. “New Day”—Kanye West and Jay-Z

48. “Not All Heroes Wear Capes”—Owl City

49. “Papa, Can You Hear Me”—Barbara Streisand

50. “The Best Day”—George Strait

51. “He Walked on Water”—Randy Travis

52. “Isn’t She Lovely”—Stevie Wonder

53. “Everything I Own”—Bread

54. “Daddy Doesn’t Pray Anymore”—Chris Stapleton

55. “There Goes My Life”—Kenny Chesney

56. “I’m Already There”—Lonestar

57. “Anything Like Me”—Brad Paisley

58. “Color Him Father—The Winstons

59. “Joseph, Better You Than Me”—The Killers featuring Elton John and Neil Tennant

60. “I Learned From You”—Miley Cyrus and Billy Ray Cyrus

#61–80

61. “Papa Don’t Take No Mess”—James Brown

62. “When Doves Cry”—Prince

63. “Don't Cry Daddy”—Elvis Presley

64. “You Should Be Here”—Cole Swindell

65. “I Won’t Be like This for Long”—Darius Rucker

66. “Cleaning This Gun (Come On In Boy)”—Casey Beathard

67. “Oh Father”—Madonna

68. “If We Make It Through December”—Merle Haggard and the Strangers

69. “Confessions of a Broken Heart”—Lindsay Lohan

70. “Oklahoma”—Billy Gilman

71. “Daddy's Gonna Pay For Your Crashed Car”—U2

72, “Sins of My Father”—Usher

73, “I Hope You Dance”—Lee Ann Womack

74, “Dinner at Eight”—Rufus Wainwright

75. “Father Figure”—George Michael

76. “Father & Friend”—Alain Clark

77. “Daddy DJ”—Daddy DJ

78. “Build Me a Daddy”—Luke Bryan

79. “Hey, Matthew”—Karel Fialka

80. “I’m Bugged at My Ol’ Man”—The Beach Boys

#81–100

81. “Billie Jean”—Michael Jackson

82. “Gypsys, Tramps & Thieves”—Cher

83. “Son of My Father”—Chicory Tip

84. “Daddy Dance With Me”—Krystal Keith

85. “JCB”—Nizlopi

86. “Hey Daddy (Daddy’s Home)”—Usher featuring Plies

87. “Ships”—Ian Hunter

88. “Gone Daddy Gone”—Violent Femmes

89. “Dad’s Old Number”—Cole Swindell

90. “With Arms Wide Open”—Creed

91. “Daddy’s Little Girl”—Mills Brothers

92. “Only Daddy That'll Walk The Line”—Waylon Jennings

93. “Mother, Father”—Journey

94. “Who’s Your Daddy”—Toby Keith

95. “Boy”—Lee Brice

96. “No Son of Mine”—Genesis

97. “Daddy”—Korn

98. “They Don’t Make em’ Like My Daddy”—Loretta Lynn

99. “Bridge”—Queensrche

100. “To Daddy”—Emmylou Harris

Other Notable Daddy Songs

• “Wonderful Baby”—Don McLean
• “Papaotai”—Stromae
• “I Had a Good Father and Mother”—Washington Phillips
• “Daddy”—Emile Sande
• “Walk with You”—Edwin McCain
• “Mom and Dad's Waltz”—Lefty Frizzell
• “Butterfly Kisses”—Bob Carlisle
• “Daddy Don’t You Walk So Fast”—Wayne Newton
• “Stuntin’ Like My Daddy”—Birdman and Lil Wayne
• “Patches (I’m Depending on You)”—Clarence Carter
• “Daughters”—Nas
• “Papa Gene's Blues”—The Monkees
• “Daddy Was an Old Time Preacher Man”—Porter Wagoner & Dolly Parton
• “My Dad”—Paul Petersen
• “Father”—Demi Lovato
• “Hello Muddah Hello Faddah A Letter from Camp)”—Allen Sherman
• “I'm a Ding Dong Daddy (From Dumas)”—Louis Armstrong
• “A Boy Named Sue”—Johnny Cash
• “Don't You Rock Me Daddy-O”—Vipers Skiffle Group
• “That Silver Haired Daddy of Mine”—Gene Autry
• “The Night Chicago Died”—Paper Lace
• “Daddy Frank (The Guitar Man)”—Merle Haggard
• “With You Daddy”—Sawyer Brown
• “Father to A Sister of Thought”—Pavement
• “The Best Part of Me”—Lee Brice
• “Papa-Oom-Mow-Mow”—The Rivingtons
• “Big Poppa”—The Notorious B.I.G.
• “Diddley Daddy”—Bo Diddley
• “Had A Dad”—Jane's Addiction

• “Like Father Like Son”—Lenny Kravitz
• “I Don’t Call Him Daddy”—Reid Neilson
• “Song for My Father”—Horace Silver
• “Daddy Rolling Stone”—Otis Blackwell
• “Cinderella”—Steven Curtis Chapman
• “Beat Me Daddy; Eight to the Bar”—Will Bradley and His Orchestra featuring Ray McKinley
• “My Heart Belongs To Daddy”—Mary Martin
• “Oh Daddy”—Fleetwood Mac
• “Beautiful Boy (Darling Boy)”—John Lennon
• “Daddy Won’t Be Home Anymore”—Dolly Parton
• “A Father’s Love (The Only Way He Knew How)”—Bucky Covington
• “His Dream”—Asher Roth featuring Miguel
• “Daddy Just Wants It to Rain”—Continental Drifters
• “Father's Name Is Dad”—Fire
• “Daddy's Little Girl”—Nikki D
• “This Dance”—Scott Thomas Laughridge
• “Please Daddy (Don't Get Drunk This Christmas)”—John Denver
• “Come to Poppa”—Bob Seger & the Silver Bullet Band
• “For My Daughter”—Kane Brown
• “Mama and Daddy Broke My Heart”—Eddy Arnold
• “Oh Daddy”—Adrian Belew
• “My Son Calls Another Man Daddy”—Hank Williams
• “Daddy Come Around”—Paul Overstreet
• “Fathers and Daughters”—Michael Bolton
• “Papa, Won't You Dance With Me”—Doris Day
• “Daddy’s Girl”—Red Sovine
• “Father, Mother, Son”—The Scream
• “Daddy Issues”—The Neighborhood
• “Oh My Papa”—Eddie Fisher

• “Swing Your Daddy”—Jim Gilstrap
• “Father's Eyes”—Amy Grant
• “Good Good Father”—Chris Tomlin
• “Daddy’s Little Girl”—Pitbull featuring Slim
• “Hungry Freaks, Daddy”—Mothers of Invention
• “Santa Looks a Lot Like Daddy”—Buck Owens
• “I’ll Be Your Man (Song for a Daughter)”—Zac Brown Band
• “Father Daughter Dance”—Kesha
• “Gracie”—Ben Folds
• “Daddy's Money”—Ricochet
• “My Daddy Is Only A Picture”—Eddy Arnold
• “Daddy”—Donna Fargo
• “Cincinnati Daddy”—Duke Ellington
• “Father’s Child”—Michael Kiwanuka
• “I’ll Always Be Your Baby”—Natalie Grant
• “My Daddy”—Evelyn Turrentine-Agee
• “Somewhere in America There's a Street Named After My Dad”—Was (Not Was)
• “Daddy Daddy”—Ruth Brown
• “Son of Your Father”—Elton John
• “Papa Loves Mambo”—Perry Como
• “Like My Daddy”—LeNasia Tyson
• “Man that Hung the Moon”—Brantley Gilbert
• “Don't Wake Daddy”—Tragically Hip
• “(One More Year of) Daddy's Little Girl”—Ray Sawyer
• “Come Back Sweet Papa”—Louis Armstrong
• “Papa’z Song”—2Pac
• “Life of a Salesman”—Yellowcard
• “Papa Was a Rodeo”—Magnetic Fields
• “I'm A Long Gone Daddy”—Hank Williams

• “Leader of the Band”—Dan Fogelberg
• “Father’s Song”—Barbara Streisand
• “That’s My Pa”—Sheb Wooley
• “Daddy’s Little Girl”—The Shires
• “My Old Man's A Dustman”—Lonnie Donegan
• “Dad”—Tyler Wood
• “Papa Loved Mama”—Garth Brooks
• “Daddies Need to Grow Up Too”—The O’Kanes
• “Your Joy”—Christie Michele
• “Stick Around”—Lukas Graham
• “Dance with My Daughter”—Jason Blaine
• “That’s My Job”—Conway Twitty
• “Daddy Sang Bass”—Johnny Cash
• “Story of My Old Man”—Good Charlotte
• “Drinking Beer with Dad”—Kid Rock
• “Your Daddy Loves You”—Gil Scott Heron
• “It’s for My Dad”—Nancy Sinatra
• “Daddy’s Birthday”—Young Thug
• “Hey Dad”—Matt Stillwell
• “Song for My Father”—Sarah McLachlan
• “Papa Was a Good Man”—Johnny Cash
• “Daddy Could Swear, I Declare”—Gladys Knight & the Pips
• “Let Me Be the Man My Daddy Was”—The Chi-Lites
• “My Daddy Knows Best”—The Marvelettes
• “Daddy, Come Get Me”—Dolly Parton
• “Retrospect for Life”—Common featuring Lauryn Hill
• “Mama’s Sunshine, Daddy’s Rain”—Drew Holcomb & the Neighbors
• “Thank You for Being My Dad”—John Barker
• “Daddy's Home”—Shep & The Limelights

Occasions Songs About Dads Are Played

While you can dedicate a playlist of songs to your father anytime, the occasions mentioned below make a daddy playlist extra special.

• Father’s Day
• Daddy’s Birthday
• Fishing Trip
• Father-Daughter Dance
• Road Trip With Dad
• Wedding Anniversary
• Dad Tribute at Funeral

Symbolism: Daddy in Songs

The words dad, daddy, papa, or father are used to symbolize a wide range of sentiments. While the majority of songs actually reference the terms as father figures, certain songs represent a metaphorical meaning or association. Contrasting elements of identity and purpose are found in songs that are about a strained relationship with a dad. While many female perspectives in songs talk about being a daddy’s girl, the male perspective in songs often showcases the father and son's actions.

Fatherhood in songs may showcase the different attributes associated with maturity, responsibility, and morality. While songs about father and son often contain references to practical details that make a relationship memorable or bitter, father-and-daughter songs tend to be overwhelmingly nostalgic. Certain songs convey deep sentiments about dads in a confessional manner. Certain tunes celebrate the joy of having a father figure who is a guiding light in different stages of life. Singers creatively describe their dads as perfect role models in many country songs. In songs from different genres, “daddy” may symbolize or denote:

• Love
• Inspiration
• Guidance
• Responsibility
• Morality
• Respect
• Bravery
• Support
• Dominance
• Rejection
• Control
• Honor
• Protection
• Sacrifice
• Hard Work
• Assertion

How Is a Father Showcased in Songs?

In songs from different genres, the role of a father is showcased with both positive traits and negative traits. A number of musicians pay tribute to their dad with endearing lyrics that bring alive the nostalgic feeling of childhood and innocence. Numerous female artists describe the feeling of having a courageous, loving, and protective father. Certain musicians narrate the harsh realities of a neglected childhood with an alcoholic dad with intense emotions. Certain songs offer a father’s perspective on how it feels to raise children.

Singers and songwriters offer listeners a diverse perspective on parental care and upbringing through nostalgic daddy moments. Many narratives in songs about parents are moments from a personal relationship with a dad or mom. The struggle and hard work fathers put in to ensure their children have a good life is exquisitely showcased in lyrics that tell heartwarming stories. Sentimental accounts of raising a child single-handedly are showcased thoughtfully in songs about single parents. Certain songs tell tragic tales of a father abandoning his children or being absent in their lives.

© 2021 Ansel Pereira