The best songs for a daughter tell her something she will want to hear again in twenty years. Below are songs from a mother, songs from a father, songs for her birthday or graduation, and a few R&B and worship picks. At the end is what our orders show about the songs parents have written for their daughters.
Songs from a mother to a daughter
About watching her grow up faster than you wanted.
- Slipping Through My Fingers by ABBA (1981). About a mother watching her daughter leave for school, and for life.
- Dear Daughter by Halestorm (2015). A rock singer's advice to the daughter she might have one day.
- Rainbow by Kacey Musgraves (2018). A gentle reminder that the storm is over.
- Wide Open Spaces by The Chicks (1998). For a daughter leaving home to find her own way.
- Dream a Little Dream of Me by Mama Cass (1968). An old lullaby that grown daughters still remember.
Songs from a father to a daughter
For dads who would rather let a song say it.
- Lullabye (Goodnight, My Angel) by Billy Joel (1993). Written for his daughter. A promise that he will always be there.
- There Goes My Life by Kenny Chesney (2003). A dad whose life changed the day she was born, and again the day she left.
- You're Gonna Miss This by Trace Adkins (2008). Advice to a daughter in a hurry to grow up.
- Stealing Cinderella by Chuck Wicks (2007). About the boy asking for her hand, from the dad's side.
- Daddy's Little Girl by The Mills Brothers (1950). The original father-daughter song.
Songs for her birthday or graduation
Birthdays and graduations are two of the biggest reasons parents write songs for daughters.
- Fight Song by Rachel Platten (2015). For a daughter who is just getting started.
- Brave by Sara Bareilles (2013). About saying what you mean. Good for a teenager.
- Breakaway by Kelly Clarkson (2004). For a daughter leaving home for the first time.
- I Lived by OneRepublic (2014). A graduation favorite. About living fully.
- The Climb by Miley Cyrus (2009). It is about the climb, not the top. Good advice at any age.
- Shake It Off by Taylor Swift (2014). For a birthday party and a daughter who does not let things get to her.
R&B and worship songs for her
R&B is the most-chosen genre for the songs parents write for daughters, with worship not far behind pop.
- Video by India.Arie (2001). About loving who you are. A great message for a daughter.
- Girl on Fire by Alicia Keys (2012). For a daughter who lights up the room.
- Beautiful by Christina Aguilera (2002). For the hard days. You are beautiful no matter what.
- Who You Say I Am by Hillsong Worship (2018). A worship song about who she is in God's eyes.
What 500,000 custom songs tell us about songs for daughters
Here is what our orders show about the songs parents have had written for their daughters, anonymized and rounded.
| Measure | What the orders show |
|---|---|
| How common | About one in every nineteen songs we write is for a daughter |
| The occasion | Birthday (39%), "I love you" (17%), graduation (13%), just because (12%) |
| Most-chosen genre | R&B (38%), then country (22%), then pop (9%) |
| Voice | 66% choose a female voice, 20% leave it to us, 14% male |
| How often it gets played | Median of 10 plays per song after delivery |
Birthdays are the top reason, but graduations are close behind for older daughters. Two thirds choose a female voice. The songs daughters keep are the ones that remember her as a little girl and say how proud you are of who she became.
None of these quite say it?
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- 20 Birthday Songs for Mom: Party, Worship, R&B and More
Questions people ask
What is a good song to dedicate to my daughter?
From a mother, Slipping Through My Fingers is the classic. From a father, try Lullabye (Goodnight, My Angel) or There Goes My Life. For a song only about her, ForeverSongs® writes one from your memories.
What song should I play for my daughter's graduation?
I Lived, Breakaway and The Climb are popular graduation songs. Pick the one that matches where she is headed.
Can I get a song written for my daughter?
Yes. Tell us her name, your memories of her and what you want her to know, and ForeverSongs® writes and produces it in under 24 hours.