Weddings are about celebrating a new marriage, while also generally paying homage to the families that helped bring the to-be-weds to where they are today. That’s why memorable moments, like father/daughter dance or a mother/son dance are often included in the wedding reception. They’re a fun way to spotlight special people amid the rest of the evening’s dancing and festivities.
Here are some of the most popular father/daughter, mother/son dance songs.
Father/Daughter Dance
1. “WILDFLOWERS” BY TOM PETTY:
“You belong among the wildflowers / You belong somewhere close to me / Far away from your trouble and worries / You belong somewhere you feel free.”
2. “YOU’LL BE IN MY HEART” BY PHIL COLLINS:
“You’ll be in my heart / Yes, you’ll be in my heart / From this day on / Now and forever more.”
3. “KIND AND GENEROUS” BY NATALIE MERCHANT:
“Oh, I want to thank you for so many gifts you gave / The love, the tenderness, I want to thank you / I want to thank you for your generosity, the love / And the honesty that you gave me.”
4. “WIND BENEATH MY WINGS” BY BETTE MIDLER:
“Did you ever know that you’re my hero / And everything I would like to be? / I can fly higher than an eagle / For you are the wind beneath my wings.”
5. “I’LL BE THERE” BY JACKSON 5:
“I’ll reach out my hand to you / I’ll have faith in all you do / Just call my name and I’ll be there.
6. “THEY CAN’T TAKE THAT AWAY FROM ME” BY ELLA FITZGERALD, LOUIS ARMSTRONG:
The way you wear your hat, / The way you sip your tea, / The memory of all that, / No, no! They can’t take that away from me!”
7. “MOON RIVER” BY ANDY WILLIAMS:
“Two drifters off to see the world / There’s such a lot of world to see / We’re after the same rainbow’s end, waitin’ ’round the bend / My huckleberry friend, Moon River, and me.”
8. “MY WISH” BY RASCAL FLATTS:
“And my wish, for you, is that this life becomes all that you want it to / Your dreams stay big, and your worries stay small / You never need to carry more than you can hold.”
9. “LEAN ON ME” BY BILL WITHERS:
“Sometimes in our lives / We all have pain / We all have sorrow / But if we are wise / We know that there’s always tomorrow.”
10. “FOREVER YOUNG” BY BOB DYLAN:
“May God bless and keep you always / May your wishes all come true / May you always do for others / And let others do for you / May you build a ladder to the stars / And climb on every rung.”
Mother/Son Dance
1. “A Song for My Son,” by Mikki Viereck:
Lyrics you’ll love: “I don’t know where/ The time has gone/ Since those little boy days/ Doesn’t seem that long/ Yet here you are/ It’s your wedding day”
2. “Bridge Over Troubled Water,” by Simon & Garfunkel:
Lyrics you’ll love: “When tears are in your eyes, I will dry them all, all/ I’m on your side, oh, when times get rough”
3. “Do I Make You Proud,” by Taylor Hicks:
Lyrics you’ll love: “You were the one/ The one to guide me through/ Now I can see/ And I believe/ It’s only just beginning”
4. “Forever Young,” by Bob Dylan:
Lyrics you’ll love: “May your heart always be joyful/ May your song always be sung/ May you stay forever young”
5. “Greatest Love of All,” by Whitney Houston:
Lyrics you’ll love: “Because the greatest/ Love of all is happening to me/ I found the greatest/ Love of all inside of me”
6. “Wind Beneath My Wings,” by Bette Midler:
Lyrics you’ll love: “Did you ever know that you’re my hero/ And everything I would like to be/ I can fly higher than an eagle/ for you are the wind beneath my wings”
7. “Beautiful Boy,” by John Lennon:
Lyrics you’ll love: “Before you go to sleep/ Say a little prayer/ Every day in every way, it’s getting better and better”
8. “Mother and Child Reunion,” by Paul Simon:
Lyrics you’ll love: “Oh, the mother and child reunion/ Is only a motion away”
9. “Mom,” by Lucero:
Lyrics you’ll love: “With time, all things must change/ The road, it might take its own course/ But at its end, we’re still your boys”
10. “Mother,” by Pink Floyd:
Lyrics you’ll love: “Mama’s gonna keep baby healthy and clean/ ooh baby, ooh baby, ooh baby/ You’ll always be baby to me”
