Whether it be a song about a family you grew up with or one you create on your own, these tracks from various genres appeal to many emotions. This collection of songs proves that there is a lot of great music expressing the unconditional love between family members.
Here’s a list of songs about family that you can dedicate to mothers, fathers, siblings, and the whole family in general. There’s something for everyone!
Songs For Parents
How do you show your parents your love and appreciation? If they raised you to be who you are today, then a song about family is ideal for honoring them.
1. Mama by Spice Girls
“Mama” is an affectionate tribute to all mothers worldwide. In this song, Spice Girls declare their love for their beloved mothers and sing about how they all understand them now. The lyrics show how the narrator realizes that everything her mother did when she was young was really for her own good. This song about family is relatable for everyone who once thought their mothers were the enemy for inhibiting their freedom but later realized that everything moms did was all out of love.
2. He Didn’t Have to Be by Brad Paisley
Brad Paisley brought listeners to tears with his song “He Didn’t Have To Be,” which is a tribute to amazing stepfathers everywhere. Here he praised an incredible man who stepped up and became a perfect role model. The man found out that the woman he was dating had a son at home. When he discovered this, he began to include the son in their time together, taking him to movies and on various outings with his mom. This was written from the perspective of a son of a single mother. The song was inspired by songwriter Kelley Lovelace’s personal experience after becoming a step-dad when he married his wife.
3. I Will Always Love My Mama by The Intruders
This ’70s soul classic by The Intruders embodies the admiration for all hard-working mothers. It is sung from the perspective of a man who feels bad for the way he used to act when he was young. He remembers how his mother used to clean houses for other people just to provide for him. This song honors moms and all the sacrifices they make. Even as children grow up to become adults, moms still shower them with their abundant graces of unconditional love and support. They show love even when children don’t ask for it, don’t deserve it, or just can’t see it in plain sight.
4. Daughters by John Mayer
In “Daughters,” John Mayer implies that the kind of love daughters receive from their fathers is the exact same one they grow to show men who come into their lives. Children first learn how to love from their parents and will most likely follow the examples of those relationships when they grow up. That’s why the song stresses the importance of fathers showing love to their daughters. So that when they grow, they can accept love from another good man. It also advises mothers to be good to their children to establish traits like gentleness, a nurturing heart, and the kind of support men always need in their lives.
5. Don’t Forget To Remember Me by Carrie Underwood
“Don’t Forget to Remember Me” is a song by Carrie Underwood that chronicles the singer moving away from home. Though she has moved out and now has her own place to live, her mother tells her not to forget her because she will be there anytime she’s in need. This song is ideal for when you’re trying to start a new chapter in life. At some point, you realize that you have to live on your own to grow as a person, but this doesn’t mean you have to forget the people who raised you. This is a sweet song that you can listen to when you’re trying to go through difficult times of missing your family members. See our songs about missing someone article.
Songs For a Daughter or a Son
The bond between a parent and a child is special and irreplaceable. These heart-warming family songs are the best way to describe those feelings.
6. My Little Love by Adele
“My Little Love” is the third track on Adele’s latest album, “30”. Adele dedicates it to her son Angelo as she tells her feelings about her relationship with his father. The song talks about her love for her child and how he will grow up in a broken home, but she apologizes for it upfront. Between soothing verses and refrains, you will hear snippets of Adele and Angelo’s vulnerable and heartfelt conversations about their love for each other and the singer’s confusion post-divorce. This song was the singer’s sincere way of communicating to her son about what she was going through in this trying period of her life.
7. Father and Daughter by Paul Simon
In “Father and Daughter,” Simon expresses his love for his daughter Lulu. The straightforward theme of the song is contained in its chorus: “There could never be a father / who loved his daughter more than I love you.” The father sings how he will protect, comfort, and love his daughter for eternity. He expresses this through metaphors like how he will not only comfort his daughter when she wakes up from a nightmare but will also stay until she returns to sleep peacefully. This song about protective and fatherly love melts the hearts of listeners everywhere. This song was written for the animated family film, “The Wild Thornberrys.”
8. Beam Me Up by Pink
This heartbreaking song is about the loss of a child. The song is very personal and close to the singer’s heart, and having it sung in the first person gives it a new level of intimacy. In the lyrics, the mother wants to reach her son in this “parallel universe” so she can be with him, even just for a minute. However, she knows that in those sixty seconds, she won’t be able to formulate a thought but only enjoy the happiness of being there holding the tender face of her child.
9. Father and Son by Cat Stevens
This song features two distinct characters, a “father” and a “son.” The father and son aren’t having a dialogue with each other. Rather, the father is addressing the son, and the son is countering the father’s argument as if he is speaking to himself. The father tells his son to find a girl, but the son wishes to leave home because he feels unheard by his father. It is a well-known story, but Cat Stevens treats it with honesty that it becomes both appealing and realistic.
10. Blue by Beyonce ft. Blue Ivy Carter
“Blue” is the last track on her eponymous fifth solo studio album, “Beyonce.” She dedicated this song to her daughter Blue Ivy Carter after becoming a mother for the first time in 2012. This song finds the proud mom singing about being in love with her daughter forever. You can practically feel the love Beyoncé cherishes for her daughter through the lyrics. It’s about their relationship and the undying love most mothers have for their children.
Songs To Dedicate To Your Siblings
Music, just like siblings, helps you get through the tough times and celebrate with you during the good times! These songs about family show the irreplaceable bond you share with a brother or sister.
11. I Learned From You by Miley Cyrus
“I Learned from You” is a pop song by American singer-songwriter and actress Miley Cyrus. This song is about acknowledging the person in your life who guided you and taught you to be strong. This song is perfect to dedicate to a brother or a sister who taught you meaningful life lessons, as you appreciate how much you have learned from them. Check out our article on songs about sisters for more related songs.
12. We Are Family by Sisters Sledge
Having a bond with someone who shares your blood can be very comforting, but if you don’t have that in your life, you may still find it in other ways, such as friendships. The song “We Are Family” by Sisters Sledge is about strength in unity and togetherness that you find in sisterhoods. These lyrics focus on respecting each other and accepting others for who they are. This empowering song will help you appreciate your sisters and the strong feeling of friendship and support you share with each other.
13. Sister Christian by Night Ranger
Night Ranger’s drummer, Kelly Keagy, wrote this song about his sister Kristy, who is 10 years younger than him. It’s from a perspective of a big brother looking after his little sister when she’s growing up. In the song, the girl being sung to is still young enough to get a happy, fulfilled life but lives a life of resignation like her time is due. The singer is telling her that she will be alright. Her time has come, and her dreams are in front of her. She just needs to open her eyes and heart.
14. Hey Brother by Avicii
“Hey Brother” is a song by Swedish superstar DJ and music producer Avicii. It is about a boy growing up in wartime while his father died during the Vietnam War. The song’s narrator imagines his father as an older brother who is very protective of him. The song’s message is that nothing is more important than family. This song is also perfect for assuring your brother or sister that you will always be there for him or her regardless of what happens in life. Indeed, blood is always thicker than water.
15. Brother by Kodaline
Sometimes, family is not only about blood relations. It can also be found within deep and sincere friendships. The song “Brother” encapsulates that strong bond where the singer says that he doesn’t care if they’re not related by blood; he’ll always love and protect him no matter what. Despite their differences and time apart, they will still have a long-standing, deep trust for each other and know they can count on the other throughout their life. This is a song about being there when it really counts, no matter what happens.
Songs For the Whole Family
This list of songs is about the whole family in general, so it’s perfect for sharing with all family members.
16. It Don’t Have to Change by John Legend
John Legend sings when he gets together with his family, especially on holidays and family gatherings, so he wanted to capture the importance of family and their strong influence on his music on this album. The song is about how John’s family kept him grounded throughout his life. He mentions that he came from humble life, and he was able to make something of himself because of the help of his family. The song conveys that it doesn’t matter where you come from, as long as you have a loving family.
17. I’ll Be There by Jackson 5
Although it’s also considered a love song, “I’ll Be There” is a heartwarming and innocent tune about love, protection, and support, which is exactly what family should be all about. This song is about promising to show up, stand up, and be counted in a loved one’s life when it’s important. It’s a beautiful promise of unconditional love that reminds us that we need to show our love and support for each other through the hard times and the good ones. See our post on songs about friendship, we think you’ll love it.
18. The House That Built Me by Miranda Lambert
“The House That Built Me” is a song recorded by American country singer Miranda Lambert. Lyrically, Lambert reflects on the home she grew up in, and how it helped shape her into the person she is today. As she visits her old childhood home, she hopes to rediscover the person she used to be. Indeed, being surrounded by your old childhood memories can allow you to feel a sense of restoration of your true identity. This song reflects how childhood and upbringing significantly impact a person’s life. You might also enjoy our songs about hope article.
19. Family Is Family by Kacey Musgraves
“Family Is Family” by Kacey Musgraves is a song about the importance of family and blood relations. Musgraves sings that blood is thicker than water, and one should never take for granted their loved ones, as they will always be there for them. Musgraves’ message is that although families may have their problems, it’s still better to have a family than be without one. The song was the first track on her 2018 album “Golden Hour.”
20. Never Grow Up by Taylor Swift
In this song, Taylor Swift reminisces about the security and love you feel as a young kid. It’s a heartfelt song that makes you realize how quickly you grew up and had to deal with the world on your own. The song switches from a lullaby addressed to a young child to Taylor feeling alone as she spends her first night in her new apartment. As you listen to the song, you will think about your own moments with your family and appreciate them as a grown person. See a related article on our songs about time post.
21. Who Says You Can’t Go Home by Bon Jovi and Jennifer Nettles
When you think about home, you remember your family and the moments where you feel most comfortable, safe, and happy. You may have traveled a million miles, but you are always welcome to your one true home. With its nostalgic guitars and stirring lyrics, the song “Who Says You Can’t Go Home” is about remaining true to your roots no matter where life takes you. Not only is it a great tune to sing along to, but it also has some interesting family connections. No matter where you go, you will always go back to where you came from.
Final Words
Indeed, songs about family can be a great way to express your love and admiration for them when words alone are not enough. We hope you had a great time listening to these family-themed songs and reading about how they can relate to your own. Make sure to share them with your own family members!