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55 best Father’s Day songs perfect for a playlist in honor of Dad
A great mix of upbeat classics and slower, more emotional ballads by your favorite artists.
This article was originally published on Good Housekeeping US.
If you and your dad share a love of music, you'll want to make him a playlist of the best Father's Day songs. These songs span many different genres, from country to soul to folk and more. But one thing they have in common is they're all about dads. Some are told from the perspective of a father watching his children grow up, while others reflect on those who see their dad as a larger-than-life figure who can solve any problem.
"Isn't She Lovely" by Stevie Wonder
Stevie Wonder wrote the lyrics of this song to celebrate the birth of his daughter Aisha. If you listen closely, you can hear a recording of Wonder bathing Aisha as an older toddler mixed into the final section of the song. How sweet is that?
"The Best Day" by Taylor Swift
This sweet song is all about how dads (and mums) create a magical childhood. From being a little kid at the pumpkin patch with dad to crying on his shoulder about a bully at school, the lyrics in this song are sure to give you and dad a trip down memory lane and make you both misty-eyed.
"It Won't Be Like This For Long" by Darius Rucker
This country song, told from a father's perspective, explores the love between a father and daughter as she grows up. Though there are long sleepless nights and difficult parenting moments he's aware that even these challenging days with his young child are special. After all, "it won't be like this for long."
"Takes After You" by ERNEST
This song from a father's perspective is also a love song, in which the singer hopes that his son takes after his wife more than himself. It's a song plenty of dads can relate to, with lyrics like "And I'm scared to death 'cause he looks like me / And I pray to God that apple falls a little further from this tree."
"Leader of the Band" by Dan Fogelberg
This folk rock song by Dan Fogelberg was written as a tribute to his father, also a musician and leader of a band. With lyrics like "Papa, I don't think I said 'I love you' near enough," and "I'm just a living legacy to the leader of the band," you can truly feel his respect for his father in every beat of the song.
"Delaney Talks to Statues" by Jimmy Buffett
"Your Daddy Loves You" by Gil Scott-Heron
This breezy song written by Gil Scott-Heron for his daughter says it all: "Your daddy loves you." It also speaks to the experience of realising that a child makes the smaller issues in life seem unimportant, which is something many parents can relate to.
"Glory" by Jay-Z featuring Blue Ivy Carter
Fun fact: Jay-Z and Beyonce's daughter, Blue Ivy Carter, became the youngest person in history to have a charting song in the U.S. since this song includes a sample of her cries near the end. It's all about the joy of having a child, with lyrics like "Words can't describe the feeling, for real / Baby, I paint the sky blue / My greatest creation was you."
"Lullabye (Goodnight, My Angel)" by Billy Joel
Depending on when you were born, we'd say there's a pretty good chance Dad sang this Billy Joel tune to you when you were a baby. Inspired by his own daughter, this song has heartfelt lyrics about how a dad will always be there for his daughter through this life and whatever comes next.
"Take You With Me" by Luke Combs
This country song about fathers and sons is all about spending quality time together — a perfect message for Father's Day, if you ask us!
"Wind Beneath My Wings" by Bette Midler
Easily one of the more emotional songs on the list, this Bette Midler hit from her movie Beaches touches on the deep admiration a child can have for a father, and the foundation that a father provides to help said child go after their dreams and soar.
"Daddy Come and Get Me" by Dolly Parton
This 1981 ballad, which tells the story of a woman pleading for her dad after her husband commits infidelity and checks her into a mental institution, shows that no matter how old you get, you're never too old to need your #1 guy.
"Mr. Mom" by Lonestar
Lonestar gives a shoutout to a stay-at-home father raising his kids while his wife is away at work in this country number, while also reminding listeners of the hard work any stay-at-home parent does on a day-to-day basis — all without a paycheck.
"How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved by You)" by James Taylor
How sweet is it to be loved by a great dad and love him back just as fiercely? James Taylor gets it completely right with this feel-good favourite.
"Unforgettable" by Nat King Cole And Natalie Cole
Nothing quite says "the perfect Father's Day song" like this father-daughter collab. The original version, recorded by Nat King Cole, doesn't quite have the emotional pull that the duet he recorded later with his daughter Natalie Cole forty years later.
"They Don't Make 'Em Like My Daddy" by Loretta Lynn
The late country artist praises her father as "one hell of man who worked for what he got," in this track. She sings out, how many of us feel, that they just don't make 'em like our dads, anymore.
"Color Him Father" by The Winstons
During the height of the Vietnam War, The Winstons released their Metromedia album with this debut single that shares the story of a boy expressing love for his stepfather, a strong man who became the father to him and his six siblings after their father "died in the war."
"Butterfly Fly Away" by Miley Cyrus
Miley and Billy Ray Cyrus have never shied away from writing about their relationship, especially since Billy led the way for Miley's music career. In Hannah Montana: The Movie, Miley strums the guitar and sings this delicate song, which talks about all the things her dad did for her when she was younger, like tucking her into bed and turning off her lights.
"Like Father, Like Son" by The Game feat Busta Rhymes
Rapper "The Game" gives the full (and very relatable) rundown of the emotional night he got the call finding out his partner was in labour, through her giving birth to his son 50 minutes later in this early 2000s song.
"Daddy" by Beyoncé
It's no secret that Beyoncé's father, Matthew Knowles, was instrumental in her career early on, and even served as her manager. And in tribute to her father, Beyoncé included this emotional ballad detailing their relationship on her 2003 debut album as a solo act.
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