The best songs for dad say thank you for the things he never asked to be thanked for. Below are the classic songs about fathers, the country songs people play for Father's Day, a few soul and pop picks, and songs for a dad you miss. At the end is what we learned from the songs people have had written for their fathers.
Classic songs about fathers
The songs that made "a song for dad" a thing.
- Father and Son by Cat Stevens (1970). A conversation between a father and a son who want different things.
- Cat's in the Cradle by Harry Chapin (1974). A warning about time. Hard to hear and harder to forget.
- Leader of the Band by Dan Fogelberg (1981). Written for his father, a band leader. A tribute song.
- My Father's Eyes by Eric Clapton (1998). About seeing your father in yourself.
- My Dad by Paul Petersen (1962). A sweet, simple sixties tribute.
- Daddy Sang Bass by Johnny Cash (1968). A family that sang together. For a musical dad.
Country songs for dad
Country is the most-chosen genre for the songs people write for their fathers.
- Daddy's Hands by Holly Dunn (1986). About the hands that worked hard and held you.
- Watching You by Rodney Atkins (2006). A son copying everything his dad does. Funny and sweet.
- Love Without End, Amen by George Strait (1990). About a father who loves no matter what.
- Drive (For Daddy Gene) by Alan Jackson (2002). About learning to drive with your dad.
- He Didn't Have to Be by Brad Paisley (1999). For a stepdad who chose to be a dad.
- Daddy Lessons by Beyoncé (2016). Country from Beyoncé about what her father taught her.
- Song for Dad by Keith Urban (2002). About becoming more like your dad every year.
Pop and soul songs for dad
For a dad who would rather hear a groove than a fiddle.
- Just the Two of Us by Will Smith (1998). A father to his son. Sweet and fun.
- Beautiful Boy (Darling Boy) by John Lennon (1980). A lullaby from a father. Played back to dads by grown kids.
- Lean on Me by Bill Withers (1972). For the dad everyone leaned on.
- Superman (It's Not Easy) by Five for Fighting (2000). About how hard it is to be the hero. Dads relate.
For a dad you miss
For a memorial, a Father's Day after a loss, or a quiet moment.
- The Living Years by Mike + the Mechanics (1988). About the things left unsaid. A memorial standard.
- If Heaven Wasn't So Far Away by Justin Moore (2011). Wishing you could visit him for a day.
- My Old Man by Zac Brown Band (2017). Looking back on a dad and a life well lived.
What 500,000 custom songs tell us about songs for dad
Here is what our orders show about the songs people have had written for their fathers, anonymized and rounded.
| Measure | What the orders show |
|---|---|
| How common | About one in every forty-five songs we write is for a father |
| The occasion | Father's Day (55%), then his birthday (12%) and just because (8%) |
| Most-chosen genre | Country (43%), then R&B (24%), then worship (7%) |
| When people order | Weekends: Friday, Saturday and Sunday bring in more than half of orders |
| How often it gets played | Median of 13 plays per song after delivery |
More than half of the songs we write for dads are for Father's Day. Country leads by a wide margin, unlike songs for mom, where R&B comes first. The songs dads keep replaying name the specific lessons: how to change a tire, how to throw a ball, how to treat people.
None of these quite say it?
Have one writtenRelated reading
- How a custom song for dad works
- 20 Birthday Songs for Dad: Rock, Country, Soul and Worship
- 26 Father-Daughter Dance Songs: Classic to Modern
- 29 Songs for Mom: Classics, Country, R&B and Worship
Questions people ask
What is a good song for my dad on Father's Day?
A song about fathers works best. Daddy's Hands, Watching You and Leader of the Band are favorites. For a song only about him, ForeverSongs® writes one from your memories.
What song can I play for a dad who passed away?
The Living Years and If Heaven Wasn't So Far Away are two songs people often choose for a father they miss. A song written about him can also be played at a memorial.
Can I get a song written for my dad?
Yes. Tell us his name, his sayings and what he taught you, and ForeverSongs® writes and produces it in under 24 hours.