Song for Dad: Filter Father's Day Songs for Every Kind of Dad
SongGiftly gives you a free song for dad playlist of 76 tracks you can filter by moment: Father's Day, his birthday, a thank-you, the wedding day or in memory. Narrow it to a funny dad, a country dad or a classic rock dad, a stepdad or a new dad, with the artist and year on every track. Open any song as a Spotify, Apple Music or YouTube search, heart the ones that sound like him, then copy or share your list.
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- Artist and year on every song
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Showing 76 of 76 songs
Father's Day
29 songsSongs written about dads, to play, post or send on the day.
Song for Dad
Keith Urban2002
Yes, it is really called Song for Dad: Keith Urban on the habits he picked up from his father.
- About a dad
- Country
The Best Day
George Strait2000
A camping trip, a first car and a wedding day, each one a son's best day with dad.
- About a dad
- Country
Father and Son
Cat Stevens1970
A father and a son who want different things, told from both sides with real tenderness.
- About a dad
- Folk & Acoustic
Cat's in the Cradle
Harry Chapin1974
The story song about time slipping by. Bittersweet, and a good nudge to call him.
- About a dad
- Folk & Acoustic
Daddy's Hands
Holly Dunn1986
Holly Dunn wrote it as a Father's Day gift for her own dad, about hands that worked and comforted.
- About a dad
- Country
Daddy Lessons
Beyoncé2016
Brass-band country about the tough Texas lessons a dad taught his daughter.
- About a dad
- Country
- R&B & Soul
Just the Two of Us
Will Smith1997
A dad's promises to his young son over a classic soul sample. Clean and warm.
- About a dad
- New dad
- Hip-Hop
Love Without End, Amen
George Strait1990
A father's love that never runs out, passed down to his own son.
- About a dad
- Country
Watching You
Rodney Atkins2006
A dad finds out his little boy copies everything he does, the good and the not so good.
- About a dad
- Country
My Old Man
Zac Brown Band2017
A grown son starts to understand his father once he has kids of his own.
- About a dad
- Country
- Folk & Acoustic
Drive (For Daddy Gene)
Alan Jackson2002
Learning to drive in dad's old boat and truck, then passing the wheel to his own girls.
- About a dad
- Country
Just Fishin'
Trace Adkins2011
A dad on the dock with his little girl knows the trip was never about the fish.
- About a dad
- Country
They Don't Make 'Em Like My Daddy
Loretta Lynn1974
Classic country pride in a dad who set the bar high.
- About a dad
- Country
Daddy Could Swear, I Declare
Gladys Knight & the Pips1973
Soul with a smile about a dad who had a colorful way with words and a big heart.
- About a dad
- R&B & Soul
Isn't She Lovely
Stevie Wonder1976
Stevie Wonder celebrating his newborn daughter. Pure joy for a new dad.
- About a dad
- New dad
- R&B & Soul
- Pop
Beautiful Boy (Darling Boy)
John Lennon1980
A lullaby John Lennon wrote for his son Sean, for a dad of a little boy.
- About a dad
- New dad
- Pop
- Classic rock
There Goes My Life
Kenny Chesney2003
A young man's plans change with a surprise baby, and his whole life follows her.
- About a dad
- New dad
- Country
Danny's Song
Loggins and Messina1971
Kenny Loggins wrote it for his brother's new son. Simple, happy and hopeful.
- New dad
- Folk & Acoustic
Lullabye (Goodnight, My Angel)
Billy Joel1993
Billy Joel's bedtime promise to his daughter, for a dad of girls.
- About a dad
- Pop
Father and Daughter
Paul Simon2002
A light, promise-filled song a father sings to his daughter.
- About a dad
- Folk & Acoustic
- Pop
Daughters
John Mayer2003
A gentle reminder that fathers shape their daughters, for a dad who got it right.
I Learned from You
Miley Cyrus & Billy Ray Cyrus2006
A real father-daughter duet about lessons that run both ways.
- About a dad
- Pop
- Country
Father to Son
Queen1974
Brian May's big rock song about wisdom handed from father to son.
- About a dad
- Classic rock
My Dad
Paul Petersen1962
An early-60s hit first sung on The Donna Reed Show, sweet as a bow tie.
- About a dad
- Pop
Daddy Sang Bass
Johnny Cash1968
A family that sings gospel together, with dad on the low notes.
- About a dad
- Country
- Gospel & Faith
Highway 20 Ride
Zac Brown Band2008
A divorced dad's weekend drive to his son. For the dads who make that trip.
- About a dad
- Country
Coal Miner's Daughter
Loretta Lynn1970
Her true story of growing up poor in Kentucky with a hard-working coal miner dad.
- About a dad
- Country
Baby Shark
Pinkfong2016
Let the toddlers sing the Daddy Shark verse straight at him. He will love it, mostly.
- Kids & Family
You've Got a Friend in Me
Randy Newman1995
The Toy Story theme, for kids whose dad is their favorite playmate.
- Kids & Family
His birthday
20 songsDad-rock, country and singalongs for his party or the grill.
A Boy Named Sue
Johnny Cash1969
The live comedy hit about the strangest thing a father ever gave his son: a girl's name.
- About a dad
- Country
Old Time Rock and Roll
Bob Seger & the Silver Bullet Band1978
Dad's air-guitar anthem. Socks on the kitchen floor are optional.
- Classic rock
Takin' Care of Business
Bachman-Turner Overdrive1973
The theme song for a hard-working dad who finally gets a day off.
- Classic rock
Sweet Home Alabama
Lynyrd Skynyrd1974
The opening riff alone gets every dad at the barbecue nodding.
- Classic rock
Born to Run
Bruce Springsteen1975
For the dad who still has the vinyl and the stories to go with it.
- Classic rock
Don't Stop Believin'
Journey1981
The singalong that ends every dad's birthday on a high note.
- Classic rock
Piano Man
Billy Joel1973
A whole-room singalong for a dad who loves a crowd and a story.
- Pop
- Classic rock
Brown Eyed Girl
Van Morrison1967
Sunny and nostalgic, the song half of all dads hum while they grill.
- Classic rock
- Pop
Mr. Blue Sky
Electric Light Orchestra1977
Big, bright 70s pop-rock for a dad in a good mood.
- Classic rock
- Pop
Like a Rock
Bob Seger & the Silver Bullet Band1986
The steady, strong-shoulders anthem, made famous by years of truck ads.
- Classic rock
Margaritaville
Jimmy Buffett1977
For the dad whose dream birthday has flip-flops, a hammock and no emails.
- Country
- Pop
Friends in Low Places
Garth Brooks1990
The country singalong dads never get tired of shouting.
- Country
Chicken Fried
Zac Brown Band2005
Simple pleasures, family and a cold drink on the porch. Very dad.
- Country
Achy Breaky Heart
Billy Ray Cyrus1992
His line-dance move, guaranteed to embarrass the kids in the best way.
- Country
Hard Workin' Man
Brooks & Dunn1993
For the dad who never sits still, even on his birthday.
- Country
Thank God I'm a Country Boy
John Denver1974
A fiddle-fast hoedown for a dad who grew up on a farm, or wishes he had.
- Country
- Folk & Acoustic
Papa's Got a Brand New Bag
James Brown1965
Not really about fathers, but the title makes it the funkiest opener for a dad party.
- R&B & Soul
Daddy Cool
Boney M.1976
Disco fun for a dad who still thinks he is the coolest one in the room.
Happy Birthday
Stevie Wonder1980
The soul party song for his cake moment.
- R&B & Soul
Happy
Pharrell Williams2013
Let the kids dance it out for him before the candles.
- Pop
- Kids & Family
Thank you, Dad
9 songsFor the dad, stepdad or bonus dad who showed up every time.
Leader of the Band
Dan Fogelberg1981
Dan Fogelberg's tribute to his father, a bandleader, released while his dad was still alive to hear it.
- About a dad
- Folk & Acoustic
Color Him Father
The Winstons1969
Late-60s soul about the man who married mom and raised her kids as his own.
- About a dad
- Stepdad
- R&B & Soul
He Didn't Have to Be
Brad Paisley1999
The stepdad thank-you song, based on co-writer Kelley Lovelace and his stepson.
- About a dad
- Stepdad
- Country
Humble and Kind
Tim McGraw2015
A parent's list of how to live. For the dad whose advice you still repeat.
- Country
You Raise Me Up
Josh Groban2003
A soaring thank-you for the person who held you up when it counted.
Wind Beneath My Wings
Bette Midler1988
The thank-you ballad for the quiet one who let you take the spotlight.
Lean on Me
Bill Withers1972
A plain, steady promise to be there, the way he always was.
- R&B & Soul
Teach Your Children
Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young1970
Parents and kids learning from each other, a folk-rock thank-you to a patient dad.
- Folk & Acoustic
- Classic rock
Count on Me
Bruno Mars2010
A ukulele promise that kids can learn and sing back to him.
Wedding day
8 songsWalking her down the aisle and the father-daughter dance.
Butterfly Kisses
Bob Carlisle1997
A dad watches his little girl grow up to her wedding day. The classic father-daughter tearjerker.
- About a dad
- Pop
- Gospel & Faith
My Little Girl
Tim McGraw2006
From the film Flicka, a tender country dance for the father of the bride.
- About a dad
- Country
I Loved Her First
Heartland2006
A father hands over his daughter, and his heart, to the groom.
- About a dad
- Country
Daddy's Little Girl
The Mills Brothers1950
A soft vocal-group standard, the old-fashioned father-daughter dance.
- About a dad
- Jazz & Standards
My Girl
The Temptations1964
For a dad who would rather grin than cry on the dance floor.
- R&B & Soul
Forever Young
Rod Stewart1988
A parent's blessing for the road ahead, sung with a rasp.
- Classic rock
Butterfly Fly Away
Miley Cyrus & Billy Ray Cyrus2009
A real dad and daughter sing about letting her go, gently.
- About a dad
- Pop
- Country
Unforgettable
Natalie Cole & Nat King Cole1991
Natalie Cole duets with her late father through studio magic. Gentle for a memorial or a dance.
- Jazz & Standards
In memory
11 songsGentle songs for missing him.
Dance with My Father
Luther Vandross2003
Luther Vandross remembers dancing with his father, who died when he was a boy.
- About a dad
- R&B & Soul
The Living Years
Mike + The Mechanics1988
Written after the loss of a father, about the things left unsaid. Say them while you can.
- About a dad
- Classic rock
- Pop
My Father's Eyes
Eric Clapton1998
Eric Clapton on the father he never met, and seeing him in his own son.
- About a dad
- Classic rock
The Greatest Man I Never Knew
Reba McEntire1992
An honest goodbye to a dad who loved quietly. For complicated grief.
- About a dad
- Country
Unforgettable
Natalie Cole & Nat King Cole1991
Natalie Cole duets with her late father through studio magic. Gentle for a memorial or a dance.
- Jazz & Standards
If Heaven Wasn't So Far Away
Justin Moore2011
Wishing for one more afternoon with the people you lost, dad included.
- Country
Go Rest High on That Mountain
Vince Gill1994
A country hymn of farewell, often played at services for a dad of faith.
- Country
- Gospel & Faith
One More Day
Diamond Rio2000
One more day together is all you would ask. Simple and true.
- Country
I Can Only Imagine
MercyMe1999
Bart Millard wrote it after losing his father, a hope of meeting again.
- Gospel & Faith
My Way
Frank Sinatra1969
For a dad who lived life on his own terms. A dignified send-off.
- Jazz & Standards
Danny Boy
Traditional (Frederic Weatherly)1913
The Irish farewell ballad, a classic at services for a dad with Irish roots.
- Folk & Acoustic
Find the Right Song for Dad in Seconds
Some dads want a song that makes them laugh, some want one they can turn up at the grill, and some will quietly tear up and pretend they did not. So the playlist opens on moment tabs, from Father's Day to in memory, and the filters do the rest: who it is from, the vibe, the genre he grew up on and whether he is a stepdad or a brand new dad. Every row shows the artist and the year.
- Moment tabs: Father's Day, his birthday, thank you, wedding day, in memory
- Filters for who it is from, vibe, story, genre and decade
- Listen links that open a search, so you play it in your own app
- Build your own list, reorder it, then copy, download or share it
Why Use This Song for Dad Playlist
Made for the kid who never knows what to get him, not for an algorithm.
Picked for dads
Songs about fathers, the thank-you ballads kids dedicate to them and the dad-rock and country he already plays. No filler from a random chart.
Filters that match him
Combine the moment with who it is from, the vibe and the genre, or search by title or artist. No pick is marked explicit, so the list suits a family barbecue.
Stepdads and new dads too
The Story row finds songs for a stepdad or bonus dad and for a new dad on his first Father's Day.
Facts you can trust
Each artist and year is checked against public music data, so the song you send is the one you meant.
Listen where you like
Links open a search on Spotify, Apple Music or YouTube. No embedded player, no account, nothing to install.
A song about him
When no famous song says it right, the card at the end of the list starts an original song about him.
How to Pick a Song for Dad and Send It
Three steps, even for a dad who says he does not want anything.
- 1
Choose the moment
Open the Father's Day, birthday, thank-you, wedding or in memory tab. Each one is its own short list, and All moments shows everything.
- 2
Match his style
Tap Funny, Country or Classic rock, add who it is from, then use the listen links to check a few. Heart the ones that sound like him.
- 3
Send or play it
Copy the list into a card or a text, download it, or share a link that opens the same playlist. Play it at the grill, in the truck or on a call with him.
What the Songs for Dad Playlist Can Do
A few features that turn a long list into the right song for your dad.
Moment tabs, from Father's Day to in memory
Every song sits under the moment it fits, and each tab shows how many songs are in it. Switch tabs without losing your picks.
Open a momentFunny dad, country dad, classic rock dad
Filters stack: choose Funny and Country and the list shows only those songs, with a live count. Add About a dad to keep only songs written about fathers, or Stepdad for the man who chose your family.
Try the filtersOne playlist from all the kids
Collect up to 100 picks, name the list and drag the songs into order. Copy it as a numbered list, download a text file or share a link that opens it for a sibling.
Start my listA song that is only about him
At the end of the playlist, a card starts a song written about him: his name, his dad jokes and the trips only your family remembers, in the style he loves.
See the playlistExample: A Father's Day Song Playlist for the Grill
Ten tracks that move from loud to heartfelt and back, built with the tabs and filters above.
1. "Takin' Care of Business", Bachman-Turner Overdrive (1973). 2. "Old Time Rock and Roll", Bob Seger and the Silver Bullet Band (1978). 3. "Song for Dad", Keith Urban (2002). 4. "The Best Day", George Strait (2000). 5. "Watching You", Rodney Atkins (2006). 6. "Father and Son", Cat Stevens (1970). 7. "A Boy Named Sue", Johnny Cash (1969). 8. "Margaritaville", Jimmy Buffett (1977). 9. "Sweet Home Alabama", Lynyrd Skynyrd (1974). 10. "Don't Stop Believin'", Journey (1981). It opens with his rock, slows down for the dedications while the food is served, and ends on a singalong. For a soul fan, swap two tracks for picks from the R&B and Soul filter.
Father's Day Song Timing: The Date Depends on Where Dad Lives
Father's Day falls on different dates around the world. If dad lives in another country, check his date before you schedule the song.
Third Sunday of June
The United States, Canada, the UK and Ireland, among many others.
First Sunday of September
Australia and New Zealand celebrate dads in early spring.
March 19, Saint Joseph's Day
Spain, Italy and Portugal keep the same date every year, and Germany marks it on Ascension Day.
Not sure? Check his
Look up the date where he lives. A song for dad sent on his own Father's Day lands better than one sent on yours.
Which Song for Dad Says It Best?
A song about fathers, the music he loves or a song written about him: each has its place.
| Which Song for Dad Says It Best? | A song about dads | His favorite rock or country | A custom song |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best for | The dedication | The grill or the drive | The gift itself |
| His name in it | |||
| He already knows it | Many of them | Brand new | |
| Written about him | |||
| Cost | Free to stream | Free to stream | From $19.99 |
Father's Day Songs for Every Kind of Dad
A taste of each filter. Every song is a real release, with the artist and year checked.
The funny dad
"A Boy Named Sue" by Johnny Cash (1969), "Watching You" by Rodney Atkins (2006), "Achy Breaky Heart" by Billy Ray Cyrus (1992) and "Daddy Cool" by Boney M. (1976).
The country dad
"The Best Day" by George Strait (2000), "Song for Dad" by Keith Urban (2002), "Drive (For Daddy Gene)" by Alan Jackson (2002) and "My Old Man" by Zac Brown Band (2017).
The classic rock dad
"Father to Son" by Queen (1974), "Old Time Rock and Roll" by Bob Seger (1978), "Born to Run" by Bruce Springsteen (1975) and "The Living Years" by Mike + The Mechanics (1988).
The stepdad and bonus dad
"He Didn't Have to Be" by Brad Paisley (1999) and "Color Him Father" by The Winstons (1969), both about a man who chose to raise kids as his own: a song for a father figure who stepped in.
The new dad
"Isn't She Lovely" by Stevie Wonder (1976), "Beautiful Boy (Darling Boy)" by John Lennon (1980), "There Goes My Life" by Kenny Chesney (2003) and "Danny's Song" by Loggins and Messina (1971).
In memory of dad
Gentle picks for a service or a quiet drive: "Dance with My Father" by Luther Vandross (2003), "Leader of the Band" by Dan Fogelberg (1981) and "My Father's Eyes" by Eric Clapton (1998). For a full service list, see funeral songs.
Make Dad a Song of His Own
Every song on this list was written about someone else. A song written about him can hold his name, his favorite sayings and the stories your family retells every year. Jot down your ideas first with the free lyrics generator, then turn them into a finished song from $19.99.
Pick from the playlist firstSong for Dad FAQ
What to play, when to send it and how the playlist works.
What is the best song for dad?
Is there a song actually called "Song for Dad"?
What is a good Father's Day song?
What songs make dads cry?
What is a good song for dad from a daughter?
What is a good song for dad from a son?
When is Father's Day?
What is a good song for a stepdad?
What are funny songs for dad?
What songs can little kids sing for daddy?
What are good songs for dad's birthday?
What are good songs to dance with dad at a wedding?
What song can I play in memory of my dad?
How are the songs picked?
Can I listen to the songs and share my list?
Can I get a song written just about my dad?
Songs for Everyone in the Family
More playlists for the people you love, from mom and grandma to the kids.