Regardless of where we go, how far we reach, and how much we achieve, our parents will always be by our side, untiringly giving us love and support. On your special day, a mother-son and father-daughter dance take place to honor the role our parents have played in our lives.
Countless songs in countless genres have been written to applaud and show gratitude for our mothers. These include records from artists such as Adele, Beyoncé, The Beatles, Garth Brooks, and Jason Mraz.
20 Best Songs for the Mother-Son Wedding Dance
1. 93 Million Miles – Jason Mraz
93 Million Miles is the second single from Jason Mraz’s studio album Love Is a Four Letter Word released in 2012. The title is a reference to the distance between the Earth and the Sun. The song’s message is that regardless of where we are and what we achieve, we always have someplace to call home and a family who will welcome us. “Son, in life you’re gonna go far / If you do it right / You’ll love where you are / Just know that wherever you go / You can always come home.”
2. A Mother’s Prayer – K. Michelle
Michelle, a mother herself, released A Mother’s Prayer in 2013 and dedicated it to her son, Chase, and all the mothers in the world. The lyrics of this song detail a mother’s sentiments and wishes for her child’s future. “Those dreams you have, I want you to chase ’em, chase ’em / This bond that we got, let nobody break it, break it / Even when I’m on the road, and I can’t see your face, this music will never take your place / I love you Chase, I love my Chase.”
3. A Song For My Son – Mikki Viereck
Mikki Viereck’s A Song For My Son is a nostalgic and heartwarming song wherein a mother reminisces about her “little boy.” The chorus is a message from a mother to her son about married life and how he should be kind to his wife. But even if he is already married and will have his own family soon, he will always be her “loving son.”
4. Child of Mine – Carole King
Carole King’s Child of Mine was released in 1970 as a track in the album Writer. As the title of indicates, the song is a mother’s love song to her child. The lyrics speak of a mother’s wonder and appreciation for her child, and her confidence in how far they will go. “Nobody’s gonna kill your dreams / Or tell you how to live your life / There’ll always be people to make it hard for a while / But you’ll change their heads when they see you smile.”
5. Halo – Beyoncé
Beyoncé released Halo in 2009, which she co-wrote with Evan Bogart and Ryan Tedder. This song is one of her most successful and well-received pieces; the music video’s one billion views on YouTube is a testament to how popular it is. Although written with romantic love in mind, the lyrics could also describe the power of the love between a mother and her child.
6. House of Gold – Twenty One Pilots
7. How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved by You) – James Taylor
First sung by Marvin Gaye, James Taylor released his version of How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved by You) in 1975. It received commercial success, peaking at number five on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and number one on the Easy Listening chart. The lyrics talk about how special it is to be loved by someone one views as heaven-sent. The song shows gratitude not only for the love but also for how that love can help someone be a better version of themselves.
8. I Will Be Here – Steven Curtis Chapman
I Will Be Here was released in 1989 as part of Steven Curtis Chapman’s album More to This Life. The lyrics were written by Chapman as a vow to his wife that no matter what happens, regardless of their circumstances, he will stay by her side. With that said, the song can also be interpreted as a parent’s promise of unending and secure love to their child.
9. In My Life – The Beatles
Released in 1965, The Beatles’ In My Life has received critical acclaim for its composition and lyrics. The song has been included in numerous “best of all time” lists, including Rolling Stone and Mojo. According to Lennon, the lyrics are a “generalized meditation on his past,” remembering and honoring the places and people that were significant to him. “Though I know I’ll never lose affection / For people and things that went before / I know I’ll often stop and think about them / In my life I love you more.”
10. Mama Hold My Hand – Aloe Blacc
Aloe Blacc’s Mama Hold My Hand tells the story of a mother’s love and care throughout one’s life; it starts in one’s childhood and only gets stronger over time. “Momma told me that life’s gonna get rough / Take it day by day / But every once in a while I get scared / And I wish I could say / Mama, hold my hand / I don’t think I can cross this road by myself.” As we get older, so does our mothers. This song ends sweetly with a child now taking care of their mother.
11. Mom – Garth Brooks
Garth Brooks’ Mom is a conversation between God and an unborn child. God tells the child about what a mother is, “There’s someone down there waiting whose only goal in life / Is making sure you’re always going to be alright / A loving angel tender, tough, and strong / Come on, child, it’s time to meet your mom.”
12. Mother – Sugarland
Sugarland’s 2018 release Mother is a sweet and heartfelt tribute to a mother’s love and what it encompasses. More than acts of service and comfort, a mother provides emotional support and shelter. “She’s a beacon, a harbor / A lighthouse, her armor / A promise and a blanket when it’s cold / You’ll understand it more when you get older / You’ve got each other.”
13. My Mother’s Eyes – Frankie Valli
Frankie Valli’s 1953 rendition of My Mother’s Eyes was a cover of George Jessel’s song, which was released in 1929. The lyrics speak of a mother’s ability to comfort, guide, and support her child, especially with her kind and tender eyes. “One bright and guiding light, / That taught me wrong from right, / I found in my mother’s eyes. / Those baby tales she told, / That road all paved in gold, / I found in my mother’s eyes.”
14. No Matter What – Calum Scott
15. Sweet Love of Mine – Joy Williams
From the album Venus, Joy Williams’ Sweet Love of Mine was released in 2015. According to Williams, the lyrics to the song came to her while her son, Miles, was asleep in her arms. Because of this, the lyrics are incredibly personal and heartfelt. “Oh, my darling, sweet love of mine / I’ll hold you all through the night / I gave you your name; you gave me back my life / You’re the heart of me, oh, sweet love of mine.”
16. Sweetest Devotion – Adele
Sweetest Devotion is a track from Adele’s album “25,” released in 2015. Adele said in an interview that the song was written for her son; she described how “something much bigger has happened in my life.” With sweet lyrics such as “I’ve been looking for you, baby / In every face that I’ve ever known / And there is something ’bout the way you love me / That finally feels like home,” the song is a heartwarming tune ideal for the mother-son dance.
17. That’s What Mamas Do – Jason Matthews
From the 2008 album Hicotine, Jason Matthews’ That’s What Mamas Do is an homage to mothers and their acts of service borne out of love. The lyrics show how timeless and tireless a mother’s love is, “They raise you / Ground you / Build their whole world around you / With no care for the hell they’ll go through / That’s what mamas do.”
18. The Man You Have Become – No Limitz
19. The Perfect Fan – Backstreet Boys
The Perfect Fan was written by Brian Littrell, a member of the Backstreet Boys, in collaboration with Thomas Smith. The song is the last track on their third studio album Millennium, which was released in 1999. As the title of the song denotes, the lyrics describe how one’s mother is usually their biggest supporter. One line from the song goes, “You were always there for me / Pushing me and guiding me / Always to succeed,” and the song ends with Brian saying, “I love you, mom.”
20. You’re Gonna Be – Reba McEntire
Reba McEntire’s You’re Gonna Be is a loving message from a mother to her child, a promise that whatever happens, nothing is going to change her love for them. It expresses a mother’s desire to do everything for her child, to give them everything she has to offer and more. “You’re gonna see that sometimes bad is good / We just have to believe things work out like they should / Life has no guarantees, but always loved by me / You’re gonna be.”