These 70 Mother-Son Dance Songs Won’t Leave a Dry Eye in the House
March 27, 2021 | riley
Image by Kristen Marie Parker. Keep scrolling to see our favorite mother-son dance songs
We’ll be the first to admit that emotional groom moments make us cry like nobody is watching, and the mother-son dance is no exception. The mother-son dance is more than just a tradition. It’s a way for the groom to thank his mother—the first love of his life—for raising him. With this in mind, we’ve curated a mother-son dance songs playlist fit for unique weddings—full of everything from sentimental classics and old school dance songs to tear-jerker new hits and music fit for any country wedding songs.
With the right music and a trusted photographer, these touching mother-son dance moments will be captured memories that will last long beyond the wedding day. As a bonus, we’ve included our favorite lyrics for every song. If listening to the options in search of the oneis more your speed, then tune in to the Spotify playlist at the bottom of this post and get your planning notepad ready.
Image by The Times We Have.
Country Mother Son Dance Songs
Mother Like Mine – The Band Perry
Oh the wars would all be over / ‘Cause she’d raise us all as friends / Tonight would be easier / And our dreams would all be deeper / If the world had a mother like mine
My Wish – The Rascal Flatts
My wish, for you, is that this life becomes all that you want it to / Your dreams stay big, your worries stay small / You never need to carry more than you can hold / And while you’re out there getting where you’re getting to / I hope you know somebody loves you, and wants the same things too
Humble and Kind – Tim McGraw
Go to church ’cause your mamma says to / Visit grandpa every chance that you can / It won’t be wasted time / Always stay humble and kind
You Are My Sunshine – Morgane Stapleton and Chris Stapleton
You are my sunshine, my only sunshine / You make me happy when skies are grey / You’ll never know, dear, how much I love you / Please don’t take my sunshine away
Don’t Blink — Kenny Chesney
Don’t blink / Just like that you’re six years old and you take a nap and you / Wake up and you’re twenty-five and your high school sweetheart becomes your wife / Don’t blink / You just might miss your babies growing like mine did
He Gets That From Me — Reba McEntire
His curly hair and his knobby knees / The way the sun brings those freckles out / Talkin’ talk never miss a beat / Yeah he gets that from me / He gets that from me
What I Never Knew I Always Wanted— Carrie Underwood
- Never pictured myself singing lullabies / Sitting in a rocking chair in the middle of the night / In the quiet, in the dark / You’re stealing every bit of my heart with your daddy’s eyes / What a sweet surprise
Mother Like Mine — The Band Perry
- ‘Cause she’d raise us all as friends / And no one would ever wonder if somebody wanted them / Tonight would be easier / And our dreams would all be deeper / If the world had a mother like mine
There You’ll Be – Faith Hill
In my dreams, I’ll always see you soar above the sky / In my heart, there will always be a place for you, for all my life / I’ll keep a part of you with me / And everywhere I am, there you’ll be
I Hope You Dance – Lee Ann Womack
I hope you never lose your sense of wonder / You get your fill to eat but always keep that hunger / May you never take one single breath for granted / God forbid love ever leave you empty handed / I hope you still feel small when you stand beside the ocean / Whenever one door closes I hope one more opens
Mom — Garth Brooks
- ‘Cause there’s someone down there waiting whose only goal in life / Is making sure you’re always gonna be alright / A loving angel tender, tough and strong / It’s almost time to go and meet your mom.
Then They Do – Trace Atkins
Then they do / And that’s how it is / It’s just quiet in the morning / Can’t believe how much you miss / All they do / And all they did / You want all the dreams they’ve dreamed of to come true / Then they do.
Godspeed – The Chicks
Godspeed little man / Sweet Dreams little man / Oh, my love will fly to you each night on angel’s wings / Godspeed (Sweet Dreams)
Never Alone – Lady A
May your tears come from laughing, you find friends worth having / As every year passes, they mean more than gold / May you win and stay humble, smile more than grumble / And know when you stumble, you’re never alone
Like Jesus Does – Eric Church
All the crazy in my dreams / Both my broken wings / Every single piece of everything I am / Yeah, she knows the man I ain’t / She forgives me when I can’t / The devil, man, no, he don’t stand a chance / ‘Cause she loves me like Jesus does
Mother – Sugarland
She’s your mother, you love her / There won’t be another / place like her again that you call home / She stands here to help you / there’s nothing she won’t do / As long as she’s alive / you’re not alone / you’ve got each other / That’s your mother
Teach Your Children – Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young
The one they picks, the one you’ll know by. / Don’t you ever ask them why, if they told you, you will cry / So just look at them and sigh / And know they love you.
Image by The Portos.
R&B Mother Son Dance Songs
A Song For Mama –Boyz II Men
Mama, Mama you know I love you (You know I love you) / Mama, Mama you’re the queen of my heart / Your love is like tears from the stars, yes it is
Hero – Mariah Carey
And then a hero comes along / With the strength to carry on / And you cast your fears aside / And you know you can survive / So when you feel like hope is gone / Look inside you and be strong
Image by Kaoverii Silva.
Vintage Mother Son Dance Songs For Any Mom
Unforgettable – Nat King Cole
Unforgettable / In every way / And forever more (And forever more) / That’s how you’ll stay (That’s how you’ll stay)
God Only Knows – The Beach Boys
I may not always love you / But long as there are stars above you / You never need to doubt it / I’ll make you so sure about it / God only knows what I’d be without you
You Are The Sunshine of My Life – Stevie Wonder
You are the sunshine of my life / That’s why I’ll always be around / You are the apple of my eye / Forever you’ll stay in my heart
Moon River – Frank Sinatra
Moon river, wider than a mile / I’m crossing you in style some day / Oh, dream maker, you heart breaker / Wherever you’re goin’, I’m goin’ your way
I Say A Little Prayer – Aretha Franklin
I run for the bus, dear / While riding I think of us, dear / I say a little prayer for you / At work I just take time / And all through my coffee break-time / I say a little prayer for you
What A Wonderful World – Louis Armstrong
It’s a wonderful world / I’m just walking on air / Talk of heaven on earth / I’ve got more than my share / Haven’t got a care / Happy all day through / It’s a wonderful world / Loving wonderful you
My Mother’s Eyes – Frankie Valli
Just like a wandering sparrow / One lonely soul / I’ll walk the straight and narrow / To reach my goal / God’s gift sent from above / A real unselfish love / I found in my mother’s eyes
Image by Valerie Thompson Photography.
Rock n’ Roll Mother Son Dance Songs
Simple Man – Lynyrd Skynyrd
And be a simple kind of man / Oh, be something you love and understand / Baby, be a simple kind of man / Oh, won’t you do this for me, son, if you can
You’ll Be In My Heart – Phil Collins
For one so small / You seem so strong / My arms will hold you / Keep you safe and warm / This bond between us / Can’t be broken / I will be here / Don’t you cry
The Wish – Bruce Springsteen
I remember in the morning, ma, hearing your alarm clock ring / I’d lie in bed and listen to you gettin’ ready for work / The sound of your makeup case on the sink / And the ladies at the office, all lipstick, perfume and rustlin’ skirts / And how proud and happy you always looked walking home from work
Beautiful Boy – John Lennon
Out on the ocean sailing away / I can hardly wait / To see you to come of age / But I guess we’ll both / Just have to be patient / ‘Cause it’s a long way to go
Just the Way You Are – Billy Joel
I wouldn’t leave you in times of trouble / We never could have come this far / I took the good times; I’ll take the bad times / I’ll take you just the way you are
Blessed – Elton John
And you, you’ll be blessed / You’ll have the best / I promise you that / I’ll pick a star from the sky
Do I Make You Proud – Taylor Hicks
This is what we dream about / But the only question with me now / Is do I make you proud / Stronger than I’ve ever been now / Never been afraid of standing out / Do I make you proud
I’ll Have to Say I Love You in a Song – Jim Croce
Well, I know it’s kind of late / I hope I didn’t wake you / But what I’ve got to say can’t wait / I know you’d understand / ‘Cause every time I tried to tell you / The words just came out wrong / So I’ll have to say “I love you” in a song
Letter to My Mother – Edwin McCain
Mama, how do I write the words to you / You were the only one who loved me true
Wildflowers –Tom Petty
You belong among the wildflowers / You belong in a boat out at sea / You belong with your love on your arm / You belong somewhere you feel free
I Will – Matchbox Twenty
And if you go / Take a little piece of me / Hang it by the place you sleep / And dream of me / Don’t leave
Landslide – Fleetwood Mac
Well, I’ve been ‘fraid of changin’ / ‘Cause I’ve built my life around you / But time makes you bolder / Even children get older / And I’m gettin’ older, too
Your Song – Elton John
I hope you don’t mind / That I put down in words / How wonderful life is while you’re in the world
Image by By Amy Lynn Photography.
Pop Mother Son Dance Songs
How Long Will I Love You – Ellie Goulding
How long will I love you? / As long as stars are above you / And longer if I can / How long will I need you? / As long as the seasons need to / Follow their plan
I’ll Stand By You – The Pretenders
I’ll stand by you / I’ll stand by you, won’t let nobody hurt you / I’ll stand by you / Baby, even to your darkest hour, and I’ll never desert you / I’ll stand by you.
Because You Loved Me – Celine Dion
You were my strength when I was weak / You were my voice when I couldn’t speak / You were my eyes when I couldn’t see / You saw the best there was in me / Lifted me up when I couldn’t reach / You gave me faith ’cause you believed / I’m everything I am / Because you loved me
In My Life – The Beatles
There are places I’ll remember / All my life, though some have changed / Some forever, not for better / Some have gone, and some remain / All these places had their moments / With lovers and friends, I still can recall / Some are dead, and some are living / In my life, I’ve loved them all
You Raise Me Up – Josh Groban
You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains / You raise me up to walk on stormy seas / I am strong when I am on your shoulders / You raise me up to more than I can be
The Only Fan – Backstreet Boys
You showed me / When I was young just how to grow / You showed me / Everything that I should know / You showed me / Just how to walk without your hands / ‘Cause mom you always were / The perfect fan
Forever Young – Rod Stewart
May good fortune be with you, may your guiding light be strong / Build a stairway to heaven with a prince or a vagabond / And may you never love in vain / And in my heart you will remain
Ain’t No Mountain High Enough – Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell
Listen baby, ain’t no mountain high / Ain’t no valley low, ain’t no river wide enough baby / If you need me call me no matter where you are / No matter how far, don’t worry baby / Just call my name I’ll be there in a hurry / You don’t have to worry
Close to You – The Carpenters
On the day that you were born the angels got together / And decided to create a dream come true / So they sprinkled moon dust in your hair of gold and starlight in your eyes of blue
Take Your Mama – The Scissor Sisters
When you grow up, livin’ like a good boy oughta / And your mama, takes a shine to her best son / Something different, all the girls they seem to like you / Cause you’re handsome, like to talk and a whole lot of fun
No Matter What – Calum Scott
She said, “I love you no matter what / I just want you to be happy and always be who you are” / She wrapped her arms around me / Said, “Don’t try to be what you’re not / ‘Cause I love you no matter what” / She loves me no matter what
All You Need Is Love – The Beatles
All you need is love / All you need is love / All you need is love, love / Love is all you need
Image by Sarah Joy Photo.
Soul Mother Son Dance Songs
Days Like This – Van Morrison
When it’s not always raining there’ll be days like this / When there’s no one complaining there’ll be days like this / When everything falls into place like the flick of a switch / Well my mama told me there’ll be days like this
I’ll Be There –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 (I’ll be there)
Lean on Me –Bill Withers
Lean on me, when you’re not strong / And I’ll be your friend / I’ll help you carry on / For it won’t be long / ‘Til I’m gonna need / Somebody to lean on
Stand By Me – Ben E. King
When the night has come / And the land is dark / And the moon is the only light we’ll see / No I won’t be afraid / Oh, I won’t be afraid / Just as long as you stand, stand by me
I’ll Always Love My Mama –The Intruder
I’ll always love my mama / She’s my favorite girl / You only get one, you only get one, yeah / I’ll always love my mama / She brought me in this world
Mama Hold My Hand –Aloe Blacc
When I was just a little boy / I would go to play / And I would wander so far from home / That I would lose my way / Then I call my Mama to help me / And she came right away / To help me get back home, where I wanna be
Image by Nicole Nero Studio.
Solo Singer/Songwriter Mother Son Dance Songs
Home – Jack Johnson
So I, try, to understand, what I can’t hold in my hand, and where ever we are / Home is there too / And if you, could try to find it too / Cause this place is overgrown into with works in bloom / Home is wherever we are, if there’s love there too
Kind & Generous –Natalie Merchant
You’ve been so kind and generous / I don’t know how you keep on giving / For your kindness I’m in debt to you / And I never could have come this far without you
Child of Mine – Carole King
You don’t need directions / You know which way to go / And I don’t want to hold you back / I just want to watch you grow / You’re the one who taught me / You don’t have to look behind
Loves Me Like A Rock – Paul Simon
Oh, my mama loves me, she loves me / She get down on her knees and hug me / Oh, she loves me like a rock / She rock me like the rock of ages / And loves me
Over the Rainbow – Israel “IZ” Kamakawiwoʻole
Somewhere over the rainbow, way up high / There’s a land that I heard of once in a lullaby / Oh, somewhere over the rainbow skies are blue / Clouds high over the rainbow, makes all your dreams come true, ooh
93 Million Miles – Jason Mraz
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
A Mother’s Song –Daniel Kirkley
Be faithful and be true / Show love in all you do / Then you’ll know, just how / You make your mother proud
Home – Phillip Phillips
Hold on, to me as we go / As we roll down this unfamiliar road / And although this wave is stringing us along / Just know you’re not alone / ‘Cause I’m going to make this place your home
Old Pine –Ben Howard
We stood / Steady as the stars in the woods / So happy-hearted / And the warmth rang true inside these bones
Image by With Love and Embers.
Indie/Folk Mother Son Dance Songs
Time After Time – Iron and Wine
If you’re lost, you can look and you will find me / Time after time / If you fall, I will catch you, I’ll be waiting / Time after time
Here Comes The Sun Again – M. Ward
Kingdoms and queens they all bow down to you / Ranches and ranch hands are bowing too / And I’m takin’ off my straw hat for you, singin’ / Here comes the sun again
How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You) – James Taylor
I needed the shelter of someone’s arms and there you were / I needed someone to understand my ups and downs and there you were / With sweet love and devotion
Bridge Over Troubled Water –Simon & Garfunkel
When you’re weary, feeling small / When tears are in your eyes, I will dry them all, all / I’m on your side, oh, when times get rough
Mother –Overcoats
Mama, don’t you love him so? / Just wanna light the way wherever he goes / And kiss his forehead when he needs to know / He’ll have a home with you / You won’t be alone
Sweet Love of Mine (Acoustic) – Joy Williams
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
Oh! My Mama – Alela Diane
Oh my Mama / She took my little hand and held on tight / Oh the Mamas / Give the waters of their wells / Oh the Mamas / Give the babies this very dirt we’re walking on
The mother-son dance closely rivals the father-daughter dance for our favorite scene of the evening. Whether you’ve chosen a sentimental slow dance or a new age pop jam, you can be confident that you and your guests will cherish this perfect moment between a mom and her son. Once you’ve got this song picked—or choices narrowed down—it’s time to pick your DJ and find the perfect outfit for your dance. We’ve gathered a carefully collected list of Junebug-approved DJs for you. Just be sure to give them this list of wedding reception songs that are guaranteed to keep your guests on the dance floor!
Lastly, don’t neglect a wedding photographer to document your mother-son dance, either. At Junebug Weddings, we’re here to help you find your dream vendor team and make sure every moment is picture-perfect.
Image by Vo Photo Co
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