Father Daughter Dance Songs

In honor of Father's Day this coming weekend, I thought I would post a list of songs that brides could dance to with their fathers. It's really difficult to find songs that express a father's love for his daughter, but here is a start to my collection that ranges in genre (predominantly country though). Some of these could be used for mother-son dances.

1. "Stealing Cinderella" by Chuck Wicks--really sweet country song sung by the guy who loves the girl and also recognizes the love her father has for her. He's also the traditional guy who actually asks the dad for his daughter's hand in marriage. 

I realized that in his eyes she would always be

playing Cinderella

riding her first bike

bouncing on the bed and 

looking for a pillow fight

running through the sprinkler

with a big popsicle grin

dancing with her dad,

looking up at him

In her eyes, I am Prince Charming,

but in his eyes, I'm just some fella

Riding in stealing Cinderella.

2. "My Little Girl" by Tim McGraw--we almost picked this song, but we figured a lot of people would end up choosing it. You can't really lose with a song sung by Tim McGraw :)

I remember I thought you looked like an angel

Wrapped in pink so soft and warm

You've had me wrapped around your finger

since the day you were born.

You're beautiful, baby, from the outside in

Chase your dreams, but always know the

road that'll lead you home again.

3. "Take Good Care of My Baby" by Bobby Vee--we actually used this song because it's a bit more upbeat, and I really didn't want to make my dad cry, nor did I really want to cry. It's from the '60s, so if you want something a little older and with a quicker pace, this might work.

Take good care of my baby.

Please don't ever make her blue.

Just tell her that you love her

Make sure you're thinking of her

In everything you say and do.

Take good care of my baby.

Now don't you ever make her cry.

Just let your love surround.

Paint rainbows all around her.

Don't let her see a cloudy sky.

Once upon a time, that little girl was mine.

4. "Butterfly Kisses" by Bob Carlisle--a classic but probably overplayed. It would've made me sob, so I wouldn't have picked it, haha. 

5. "Because You Loved Me" by Celine Dion--at this point, this song is becoming an old one! Haha.

6. "In My Daughter's Eyes" by Martina McBride (more from a mother to a daughter though, but it could work)

7. "There You'll Be" by Faith Hill--Hey, look, I had Tim McGraw and now I have Faith Hill. What a coincidence. 

8. "And Then They Do" by Trace Adkins--It's about how you want the time to pass quickly (when life is crazy), but you want it all back once it actually does pass. 

Then they're fighting in the backseat

And I'm playing referee

Now someone's gotta go, the moment that we leave

And everybody's late

I swear I can't wait 'til they grow up

Then they do

And that's how it ends

It's just quiet in the morning

Can't believe how much you miss

All they do and all they did.

9. "You're Gonna Miss This" by Trace Adkins--Older people giving advice to younger people (including a dad's advice to his daughter, who's a new bride)

Before she knows it

She's a brand new bride in her one-bedroom apartment 

and her daddy stops by. He tells her it's a nice place. 

She says it'll do for now, starts talking about babies, buying a house. 

Daddy shakes his head and says, "Baby, just slow down.

You're gonna miss this. You're gonna want this back.

You're gonna wish these days hadn't gone by so fast."

10. "Cowgirls Don't Cry" by Brooks & Dunn--But the dad dies at the end. :( However, it might work for some folks, so I'll include it. Maybe you could cut the song off before that part? Unless you like to cry and mess up your make up, then more power to ya. 

Her daddy gave her her first pony

Then taught her to ride

She climbed high in that saddle

Fell I don't know how many times.

He taught her a lesson that she learned

Maybe a little too well

Cowgirls don't cry.

Ride, baby, ride.

It's gonna hurt every now and then.

If you fall, get back on again. 

11. "Daughters" by John Mayer--In case you're sick of country songs, here's one by John Mayer that's all about parents treating a girl right because they become what they know. 

I know a girl

She puts the color inside of my world

But she's just like a maze

Where all of the walls all continually change

And I've done all I can to stand on the steps 

with my heart in my hand

Now I'm starting to see

Maybe it's got nothing to do with me

Fathers, be good to your daughters.

Daughters will love like you do.

Girls become lovers who turn into mothers,

So mothers be good to your daughters, too. 

12. "Drive (for Daddy Gene)" by Alan Jackson--A song about a dad who's a total motor head, but it's a metaphor for daddy steering you in the right direction. 

13. "I've Been Watching You" by Rodney Atkins--Fun and funny song about a dad teaching his son without realizing it (could still work for a father-daughter song)

14. "I'm Already There" by Lonestar--Because he spent so much time providing for us, my dad couldn't be there for as much as we wished he could have been. However, we're better people for simply having a father as hardworking as ours is. He did it all for us. That's what this song makes me think of. 

A little voice came on the phone, said, 

"daddy when you coming home?"

He said the first thing that came to mind 

"I'm already there take a look around 

I'm the sunshine in your hair 

I'm the shadow on the ground 

I'm the whisper in the wind 

I'm your imaginary friend and 

I know I'm in your prayers oh, I'm already there

15. "My Front Porch Looking In" by Lonestar--this song is really upbeat, so it should be fun to swing around to on the dance floor. 

My blessings aren't in front of me

It's not about the land

I'll never beat the view from

My front porch looking in.

16. "Cleaning This Gun" by Rodney Atkins--So hysterical and works perfectly if the dad has a fun relationship with his soon-to-be father in law. 

I can't begin to count the theories

I've had pounded in my head

that I've forgot

I don't remember all that Spanish

or the Gettysburg address,

But there is one speech from high school

I'll never forget

"Come on in, boy, sit on down and tell

me 'bout yourself

So you like my daughter, do ya now?

Yeah, we think she's something else.

She's her daddy's girl, her momma's world

She deserves respect. That's what she'll get.

Ain't it, son?

Now, ya'll run along and have some fun

I'll see you when you get back, bet I'll be up

all night still cleaning this gun.

17. "Family Man" by Craig Campbell--Man, this song really pulls at my heart strings. It reminds me why my dad spent so much time working. It's sung by the dad himself, and he talks about his family being his reason for doing all that he does.  

They're the world my world revolves around

My sacred piece of solid ground

The flesh and bone that gives me strength to stand

They're the fire in my driving on

The drive behind my coming home

The living, breathing reason that I am a family man.

18. "He Didn't Have to Be" by Brad Paisley--This song is for daughters who will be dancing with a dad who isn't her biological dad. A dad doesn't have to be biological in order to hold a special place in his daughter's heart. It's from the son, but it could still work for a father-daughter dance. 

All of a sudden 

Oh it seemed so strange to me

How we went from something's missing 

to a family

Looking back, all I can say about the things

he did for me

Is I hope I'm at least half the dad he didn't have to be.

19. "Just Fishing" by Trace Adkins (man, he really is such a dad, eh?)--The singer is the dad himself who talks about how his daughter thinks they're "just fishing," but it obviously means much more.

She thinks we're just fishing.

I say "Daddy loves you, baby"

One more time

She says, "I know I think I gotta bite"

And all this laughing, crying, dying inside

Is what I call living

She thinks we're just fishing on the riverside

I like the line "I guarantee this memory is a biggun, but she thinks we're just fishing."

20. "The Best Day" by Taylor Swift--She goes through the different ages and how she sees her father. She talks about how spending time with him is the "best day." Ahhh, I love this song. 

I hug your legs and fall asleep on the way home.

I don't know why all the trees change in the fall,

but I know you're not scared of anything at all.

I don't know if Snow White's house is near or far away,

But I know I had the best day with you today. 

Favorite line: 

"I have an excellent father His strength is making me stronger."

I think 20 is a pretty good number to stop at, yeah? Anyway, I hope you find this list helpful. I wish this list was around when I was picking a song! I apologize for most of the songs being country music, but country music seems to focus more on family matters than every other genre does. 

Anyway, happy early Father's Day! 

xoxox,

Danielle