Country music and tales of fatherhood, for better or worse make you raise your hand for your cowboy hat or grab the nearest box of tissues. With Holler’s list of the best country songs about dads, let’s take a heartfelt journey down memory lane. Get ready for a whole bunch of laughter, tears, and everything in between.
Tearjerkers and Timeless Tributes
As tearjerkers, and as timeless tributes to their gifts all at once.
Alan Jackson hits us with a solid start at #15 with ‘Drive (For Daddy Gene),’ tribute to his late father Eugene. Jackson’s memory of messing around with old cars becomes a multigenerational anthem of love to his daughters.
#14: Bobby Bare & Bobby Bare, Jr. ‘Daddy What’If’—Bobby Bare’s son Bobby Bare, Jr. walks the cringeworthy/adorable tightrope. Written by Shel Silverstein, it’s one of those dad jokes in song form that you smile through the embarrassment of.
At #13, Elvie Shane’s ‘My Boy’ honors stepfatherhood. This ballad inspired by a viral Facebook post captures the unconditional love of a stepdad perfectly, with an alternative version, ‘My Girl,’ adding a nicely executed twist.
#12, William Michael Morgan’s I Know Who He Is takes on the heartbreaking toll dementia takes on a dad-and-son relationship. In Morgan’s emotional storytelling, the son remembers his father with fond remembrances leaving no hanky unused.
Heartbreaks and Hopeful Melodies
Jamey Johnson breaks hearts at #11, as well, with a little tune about a young boy and 35 cents trying to buy his dad’s time. The story of a child who needs a parent finds great value in the act of having a parent around.
Kickstarting at #10 is Heartland’s ‘I Loved Her First,’ the ultimate father-daughter wedding anthem. Essential reminder to every groom from the father who loved her first.
At #9, Doug Supernaw’s I Don’t Call Him Daddy shows the struggles of a divorced family. Reassuring the son, his stepdad will never replace his father, is sure to reach some listeners.
Darius Rucker’s ‘It Won’t Be Like This For Long,’ coming in at #8 highlights the transience of childhood, moving from sleepless nights to wedding days. It is a song about how amazing it is to cherish whatever time we have, whether it’s easy or incredibly difficult.
Nostalgia and Faithful Reflections
At #7, Chris Stapleton’s ‘Daddy Doesn’t Pray Anymore’ opens us up to topics of faith, loss, and familial lineage. The song is especially poignant because the song was written before his father passed but became a heartfelt tribute to a man of Christian faith.
The closest we get to #6 is The Shires’ ‘Daddy’s Little Girl,’ a tender tribute to a dad gone too soon, who brought the cologne he carried just after it was released and wore a flat cap.
At #5 is Brad Paisley’s ‘He Didn’t Have to Be’, a love note to all of the stepdads in the world. It’s a ballad about a heartbroken guy and it’s co-written by Kelley Lovelace and it’s going to make your heartstrings tug.
Honky-Tonk Tales and Family Bonds
At #4 is Steak Night at the Prairie Rose, by Mike and the Moonpies about a boy living with his dad. What follows is honky-tonk anthem, unforgettable for the bond they form, with a gut-wrenching twist.
At #3, George Strait enjoys his best day with ‘The Best Day,’ about a father/son’s relationship through the years, including fishing trips to a wedding day. This is an ode to the sweetest memories in life.
Emotional Powerhouses
At #2, Guy Clark’s ‘The Randall Knife’ looks at the myriad emotions of loss over a family heirloom of the father-son relationship. It’s stunningly real, poetic, and emotionally moving.
Tom T. Hall’s ‘Homecoming,’ at #1, finally hits the bittersweet mark of what ‘home’ is and isn’t. This song is a masterpiece of country storytelling, a son’s wish to be approved why he can’t work out those family dynamics.
A Tribute to Dads Everywhere
Words that speak to these relationships, whether you’re a daddy’s little girl or a parent reminiscing on his best days. The music is a comfort to those who have lost their dads, and their love lives in those precious memories.
The memories, and the country songs that help you find the joy in it all. To the dads—we’ve had them, we’ve lost them, they’ve filled in for each other when necessary. May they live on in our hearts forever, and may we be lucky enough to have a song that still keeps them alive.
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Country Songs for Dads – A List of 15 of the Best
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