Father’s Day is around the corner and what better way to let Dad know how much you love him than making him a play list of songs to show how much you love him? While mix tapes may seem out of date and corny the sentiment behind them is timeless. It says you took time of your busy life to make a tape full of songs to show some love to dear old Dad. So whether you make a list and put it on an I-Pod if your fathers aren’t technologically challenged like mine, or a CD here are a couple of suggestions for songs to put on for the fathers in your life, be they your fathers or husbands.
All American Girl-this song by Carrie Underwood begins with a scenario familiar enough for most men; a father to be who has fantasies of a little boy only to be granted a daughter instead of a son. However, as is the case with most situations like this, the father ends up being completely enamored with his daughter, as is the boy who ends up being her husband later on in life. With the line “his heart belongs to that sweet little wonderful, beautiful, perfect All American girl.” The first time I heard this song, my heart warmed thinking that this is the song I want to play for my husband if and when we have a daughter.
Watching You-this is another sweet song by country singer about a father and his son and how the father is learning how to more observant in what he says and he does because he has a little “Buckaroo” who wants to be exactly like his dad and do everything he does. This is a special song for me because the first time I heard it I was riding home for some type of errand with my husband and newly born son and it made me smile to think of situations that would happen between the two just like there were in the song in the future. It’s a cute song and a wonderful addition to any Father Day’s play list.
Stealing Cinderella-A song that is told from a man’s point of view starting from when he was the boyfriend until when he became the father of the daughter, this song tells the tale of every father everywhere about how they are the Knight in Shining Armor, the Prince Charming as they are growing up pretending to be Cinderella among various other princesses but once they start dating it seems fathers lose their position of love and adoration. The singer realizes this in that moment and also realizes that he may be in this position one day himself so he understands the father’s point of view. This song is beautiful and serves as a reminder to all daughters that no matter what their father should always have a special place in their hearts.
Love Without End-Everyone has had that moment; where you do something that you think is so horrible that your parents will never forgive you. I’ve been there a couple of times and what I like about this song is that it seems to illustrate this fear but also points out that “Father’s don’t just love their children every now and then; it’s a love without end, Amen.” It’s a wonderfully uplifting song, showing that while parents may be completely disappointed in their children every once in awhile, that they should never doubt their love for them. This song is a little bit older but it’s always a classic.
My Girl-this song is a classic song by the Temptations and can be either used for a romantic song or a song about a father’s love for his daughter. It just illustrates how a daughter’s presence can brighten her father’s life; that he could lose everything else in the world but as long as he has his daughter in his life, he is a rich man indeed. This song is especially special to me as it is the song that my father and I danced to when I got married as well as being my parent’s songs so it is very special to me indeed. This would also be a good addition to a Father’s day play list.
Isn’t She Lovely?-Come on people, Stevie Wonder wrote this song with his daughter in mind so how can you not add it to your list? This song is a musical love letter from a father to his daughter, via telling people how wonderful his daughter is simply because she’s her. If you listen to the lyrics, it is as if Wonder wrote this the moment his daughter was born, when that over flowing love for your child first hits you. This song always makes me smile, even before I knew that it was one he had written for his daughter in mind. You just have to add it to your list.
Arms Wide Open-I never knew that this song was about a man becoming a father until I actually listened to and read the lyrics. I guess what I find somewhat bittersweet about this song is the lines that say that he wishes better for his son; he wants him to be a better man than he has been and quite honestly it takes a big person to admit that they think they are so flawed of a person that they don’t want their kids to be like them. Whatever prejudices you have against Creed, this is a sweet song about the moment that men realize that they are going to be fathers, when they become fathers, and when they realize the long and hard road that they have ahead of them.
Butterfly Kisses-okay I will admit that this is a really hokey song. Every single girl in the South wants this as her Daddy/Daughter dance. However you can’t deny that this is a good song about the father/daughter relationship so it stands to reason that it would be popular for this type of activity. As you listen to the journey the father takes from standing by his daughter as she rides a pony, to bedtime stories, through sweet sixteens and to her wedding, you can hear how much he cherished the moments that they had throughout their lives.
Dance with My Father-this song is unique in that it is suitable for both daughters and sons. It talks about how the singer loved dancing with his/her father and seeing the dad dance with the mother. It sung about how sometimes the father is the mediator between mother and child even though we know that this is a role both parents play at one time or another. The last verse of this song is what gets me, because the singer sings about how they know how much their mother misses her husband and wants nothing more than God to grant the wish that the father can come back to dance with the mother one last time. Without a doubt this song always makes me cry because I think of the love I have for my father and how much he’s done for me during my entire life.
Daddy’s Hands-another old time country song this song is about a daughter talking about how she remembers her father’s hands and everything those hands did. She says that her father’s hands were at times soft and kind, strong and firm, but no matter if he was administering love or punishment there was always love in her father’s hands. This song is a good one because it helps to show that no matter what a parent does there is always love behind their actions because they want nothing more than to have their children grow up and be a good person.
Just the Two of Us-From his son Trey saying “This is a very sensitive subject”, this Will Smith song is a classic because everyone knows it. This song is in the same vein of Wonder’s song but instead it is a love song from a father to a son talking about how no matter what life throws at them that he will always be there for his son. My favorite line of course is the one where Smith makes fun of his ears, telling him that his son has the exact ones he does. I love this song; always have and always will.
Holes in the Floor of Heaven-this song is another one that would be perfect for Father/Daughter dances. It tells the tale of a man from when he was a boy and how he watches all the important women in his life pass on, but always gets the promise that they will always be there for him, watching him Heaven next to holes to pull him through when it is time for him to move on as well. The final verse talks about the bittersweet joy he feels watching his little girl get married only to be reassured by her promise that her mother is watching over both of them on this wonderful day, waiting in Heaven to be reunited with them both.
Patches–another old song by B. B. King about a boy who watches his father from the time he is a child. He is nicknamed “Patches” because, he “was so ragged”, a teasing nickname but one that was ultimately given in love. A father who works hard to be able to provide for his family, letting life almost beat him down just to be able to provide for his family and then on his death bed calls him to his side and tells him that it is now his turn to be the man of the family and to take care of his mother and siblings like his father did.
My Father’s Eyes–this is a very bittersweet song by Eric Clapton about a reunion between father and could be taken in many different interpretations. It could be about a son reuniting with his father in the afterlife, or even about Clapton’s own expectations when he meets up again with his own son who’s passed on. It talks about looking into or from a father’s eyes and how you see things differently in either position. This is a tear jerker.
The Car–it could be argued that buying a car is one of the first things father and son bond over both as men. This song tells a story of a boy who tells his father how much he admires a certain Mustang, all the way knowing that his father could never really afford it as he is trying to make it as a widower. He chooses instead to enjoy the time he has with his father and when he buries his father many years later only to find that his father’s last gift to him was the car he always wanted. It will bring a tear to your eye.
These are just a few of the many songs you could make for your Dad this Father’s Day for a play list. Whatever song you choose, just remember to show your father love this Father’s Day; he deserves it.
