Just Try Not to Sing Along to These Sweet Mother-Daughter Songs

"Hearst Magazines and Yahoo may earn commission or revenue on some items through these links."

Mom. Just the word evokes a certain kind of feeling—of warmth, of love, of needing to correct your posture—and it conjures up even more emotion come the Mother's Day holiday. As selfless as they come, chances are your own mom doesn't want anyone making a big fuss over her, but that's precisely what you're looking to do. (You've always had a rebellious streak.)

Whether you're plotting a few special Mother's Day activities, shopping for the perfect sentimental gift, or planning a Mother's Day brunch—or even better, breakfast in bed complete with a do not disturb door hanger—you want to make the day as special as she is. It's hard to find just the right words to express your appreciation. If you're looking to write a sentimental message in a card, you'll find plenty of inspiration in these heartwarming Mother's Day quotes as well as sweet quotes about stepmoms. But sometimes there's simply nothing like a good ol' song to say it the best. Enter this list of the best mother-daughter songs.

Whether you're looking to create a soundtrack for a Mother's Day brunch or hoping to make her a playlist, this assortment of songs—including timeless classics, contemporary country, and lesser-known gems—are sure to make her day even more meaningful. Some songs are upbeat, some might (okay, will) make you a little teary, and some may make you nostalgic for the days of dancing with her in the kitchen, wooden spoon microphone in hand. Psst: You're never too old to dance on the counter.

Round out the mother-daughter singalong a treat or craft:

• Mother's Day Desserts (Including Hummingbird Layer Cake and Double Strawberry Pie!)

• Heartfelt Gift Ideas to DIY for Mother's Day

• Easy Mother's Day Crafts (The paper flower bouquet is precious.)
  

"The Best Day (Taylor’s Version)" by Taylor Swift

This tender ode was a Christmas gift to Taylor's Mother, Andrea Swift, aka the World's First Swiftie.

Lyrics We Love:

"I know you were on my side, even when I was wrong /And I love you for giving me your eyes, staying back and watching me shine..."

Related: Meet Taylor Swift's Parents

"That's What Mamas Are For" by Chris Lane

This song was a gift to the country singer's mother on Mother's Day 2021.

Lyrics We Love:

"And she put her blood, sweat, and tears into raising me / And maybe a little more / Thank the Lord, that's what mamas are for"

"Sweetest Devotion" by Adele

Written as an ode to Adele's son Angelo, this song touches on the unique and enduring connection forged during motherhood.

Lyrics We Love:

"The sweetest devotion, hitting me like an explosion / All of my life, I've been frozen, the sweetest devotion I've known..."

"Coat of Many Colors" by Dolly Parton

Dolly has said that this song is a personal favorite, and it's easy to see why. It's a story of love, of family, and of making the most of your lot in life.

Lyrics We Love:

"Now I know we had no money / But I was rich as I could be / In my coat of many colors / My momma made for me"

Related: Dolly Parton and Carl Dean's 60-Year Love Story

"Lean on Me" by Bill Withers

After spending his childhood in a coal mining town, the West Virginia native found himself missing that "lean on me" sense of community after relocating to Los Angeles.

Lyrics We Love:

"If there is a load you have to bear / That you can't carry / I'm right up the road / I'll share your load / If you just call me"

"You Are My Sunshine" by Johnny Cash

The singer's iconic baritone lends this childhood staple a beautiful gravitas.

Lyrics We Love:

"You are my sunshine, my only sunshine /You make me happy when skies are gray / You'll never know dear, how much I love you / Please don't take my sunshine away."

"Just the Way You Are" by Billy Joel

This Grammy-winning song about unconditional love through good and bad applies to motherhood as much as it does to marriage.

Lyrics We Love:

"I would not leave you in times of trouble / We never could have come this far, mmm / I took the good times, I'll take the bad times / I'll take you just the way you are"

"I'll Stand by You" by The Pretenders

Try not to feel your feelings as lead vocalist Chrissie Hynde pledges her eternal devotion to a friend in need.

Lyrics We Love:

"Well I'm a lot like you / When you're standing at the crossroads / And don't know which path to choose / Let me come along / 'Cause even if you're wrong / I'll stand by you."

"Ain't No Mountain High Enough" by Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell

The message of this 1967 Motown classic has always been apt for mothers and daughters but the song secured its place on lists like this after its cameo in the 1998 film Stepmom, when a dying Susan Sarandon sings along to it with her kids.

Lyrics We Love:

"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"

"Blue" by Beyonce and Blue Ivy Carter

Be sure to listen for the toddler's giggles in the background of Beyonce's pure and poetic expression of love for her daughter.

Lyrics We Love:

"Sometimes / These walls seem to cave in on me / When I look in your eyes I feel alive"

"You're Gonna Be" by Reba McEntire

Reba danced to this sentimental song with her son, Shelby Blackstock, at his wedding in February 2022.

Lyrics We Love:

"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"

Related: Voice Coach Drops Major Career News Ahead of ACM Awards

"I'll Be There" by the Jackson 5

There's a reason this ballad is the most successful single recorded by the group.

Lyrics We Love:

"Let me fill your heart with joy and laughter / Togetherness, well it's all I'm after / Just call my name, and I'll be there"

"There You'll Be" by Faith Hill

For anyone missing their mother this time of year, this song will surely resonate.

Lyrics We Love:

"In my dreams, I'll always see you soar above the sky / In my heart, there'll 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"

Related: Tim McGraw and Faith Hill Share Their Secret to a Long Marriage

"Girls Just Want to Have Fun" by Cyndi Lauper

Although this popular singalong song was actually written my a man (!), it has become a feminist anthem.

Lyrics We Love:

"I come home in the morning light / My mother says when you gonna live your life right / Oh mother dear we're not the fortunate ones / And girls they want to have fun"

"Loves Me Like A Rock" by Paul Simon

Paul Simon mentions his mother "rocks me like the rock of ages," which is a reference to God's permanence in the Book of Psalms.

Lyrics We Love:

"Oh, my mama loves me, she loves me / She get down on her knees and hug me / Like she loves me like a rock"

"This One's for the Girls" by Martina McBride

While this song is not specifically about mothers and daughters, it's very much a moment to blast the speakers and roll down the windows in female solidarity.

Lyrics We Love:

"This one's for the girls / Who've ever had a broken heart / Who've wished upon a shooting star / You're beautiful the way you are"

"Mother Like Mine" by The Band Perry

The sibling group referred to this song about their mom, Marie, as the most honest song they wrote for their sophomore album.

Lyrics We Love:

"She's the sky that holds the clouds / She's the lady of the house / A blind believer in all I dare to be / There's no safer place I've found"

"Lovin' You" by Minnie Riperton

Minnie Riperton wrote this beautiful song for her baby daughter (Maya Rudolph). The "la la la la la, la la la la la" chorus is the ultimate singalong moment.

Lyrics We Love:

"And we will live each day in springtime / 'Cause lovin' you has made my life so beautiful / And every day of my life is filled with lovin' you"

"In My Life" by The Beatles

Released in 1965, this song touches on love of all sorts—friendly, familial, romantic—and will appeal to her nostalgic Beatles-loving side.

Lyrics We Love:

"Tho' 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."

"Forever Young" by Rod Stewart

Okay this one always makes us teary. The famed British songwriter has said he wrote this song about his kids Sean and Kimberly, who (at the time) were 8 and 9.

Lyrics We Love:

"And when you finally fly away / I'll be hoping that I served you well / For all the wisdom of a lifetime / No one can ever tell"

"You Are The Sunshine Of My Life" by Stevie Wonder

A popular choice for weddings, this lighthearted song was written for Stevie's then-wife, Syreeta, who also co-wrote many of the artist's songs.

Lyrics We Love:

"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"

"Mama Liked the Roses" by Elvis Presley

Elvis Presley may be The King but this tugs-at-the-heartstrings tune is an ode to a queen.

Lyrics We Love:

"Oh, mama liked the roses / but most of all she cared /About the way we learned to live / And if we said our prayers"

"The House That Built Me" by Miranda Lambert

This song speaks to the nostalgia of returning to the place you grew up—and the memories that live within those walls.

Lyrics We Love:

"Momma cut out pictures of houses for years / From Better Homes and Garden* magazine / Plans were drawn and concrete poured / Nail by nail and board by board / Daddy gave life to momma's dream"

*And Country Living, presumably ;)

"What A Mama Does" by Tyler Chase

Tyler's personal tribute to his mom debuted on Mother's Day 2021 and has since gained mom-entum with listeners who can relate to the twangy sentimental track.

Lyrics We Love:

"She's always there no matter what / because that's what a mama does."

"Because You Loved Me" by Celine Dion

This big-voiced ballad is a testament to the power of unconditional love and having someone believe in you wholeheartedly.

Lyrics We Love:

"You're the one who held me up / Never let me fall / You're the one who saw me through through it all"

"Wind Beneath My Wings" by Bette Midler

Pass the tissues! While recorded by other artists in the early 1980s, this song rose to No. 1 fame (and garnered a Grammy for Record of the Year) after it was featured on the soundtrack of the 1988 tearjerker Beaches.

Lyrics We 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"

"You're My Best Friend" by Queen

The band's bass player, John Deacon, wrote this upbeat song about his wife, but the lyrics can apply to mothers and daughters, too.

Lyrics We Love:

"Ooh, you make me live (Live, live, live) / I'm happy, happy at home / You're my best friend, oh oh, you're my best friend"

"Mom" by Meghan Trainor

This song, from Meghan's second studio album, features the artist's mom, Kelli Trainor, on the track.

Lyrics We Love:

"You might have a mom, she might be the bomb / But ain't nobody got a mom like mine / Her love's 'til the end, she's my best friend / Ain't nobody got a mom like mine"

"Mother" by Sugarland

Singer Jennifer Nettles has said this song intends to celebrate the beauty of an unconditional, open-ended kind of love.

Lyrics We Love:

"She'll rub your back all night when you're crying / She'll listen to you tell your story / Hold your fear and all your worries / Help you find the truth when they're all lying / Even when it's hopeless, she keeps trying"

"Mama's Song" by Carrie Underwood

This song, about a daughter leaving home, is a reassurance that even when we're all grown up we're still somebody's daughter

Lyrics We Love:

"Mama, you taught me to do the right things / So now you have to let your baby fly / You've given me everything that I will need / To make it through this crazy thing called life"

Related: Country Fans Are Praising Carrie Underwood for Her New Gospel Station

"My Wish" by Rascal Flatts

This timeless tune is about wanting the best for someone you love, and every parent can relate to that.

Lyrics We Love:

"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"

"Girl on Fire" by Alicia Keys

Blast this female empowerment anthem, which was written after the artist gave birth to son Egypt, as soon as mom emerges from the bedroom on Mother's Day.

Lyrics We Love:

"Looks like a girl, but she's a flame / So bright, she can burn your eyes"

"Mother" by Kacey Musgraves

When writing this song that appears on her album Golden Hour, Kacey told Taste of Country: "I started thinking about the cycle of mothers and the fact that I was sitting there in Tennessee missing my mom who was sitting there in Texas missing her mom. It just goes on and on..."

Lyrics We Love:

"Wish we didn't live / Wish we didn't live so far from each other / I'm just sitting here / Thinkin' 'bout the time that's slipping / And missing my mother"

"Like My Mother Does" by Lauren Alaina

Lauren Alaina sang this song at the American Idol finale, and it went on to be her first single.

Lyrics We Love:

"She sees everybody / For who they really are / I'm so thankful for her guidance / She helped me get this far"

Related: Watch Lauren Alaina's American Idol Audition

"Superwoman" by Alicia Keys

The multitalented Alicia Keys (and mother/stepmother of five) speaks to the underlying superpowers of all mothers.

Lyrics We Love:

"Cause I am a Superwoman / Yes I am/ Yes she is / Even when I'm a mess / I still put on a vest/ With an S on my chest / Oh yes I'm a Superwoman"

"Butterfly Fly Away" by Miley Cyrus

Written for the Hannah Montana movie, this sweet father-daughter duet featuring Miley and Billy Ray Cyrus is about the transition into adulthood.

Lyrics We Love:

"Brushed my teeth and combed my hair, had to drive me everywhere / You were always there when I looked back"

"Days Like This" by Van Morrison

This easy-breezy song is the perfect background to a Mother's Day brunch. (While you're add it, go ahead and add Tupelo Honey to the playlist too.)

Lyrics We Love:

"When everything falls into place like the flick of a switch / Well my mama told me there'll be days like this"

"I Hope You Dance" by Leann Womack

This carpe-diem crossover country hit by Leann Womack, a mother of two (including artist Aubrie Sellers), is from the perspective of a parent toward their child.

Lyrics We Love:

"I hope you still feel small when you stand beside the ocean / Whenever one door closes I hope one more opens / Promise me that you'll give faith a fighting chance / And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance / Dance... I hope you dance."

"My Girl" by The Temptations

Perfect for a "month of May" holiday, this wedding dance favorite written by Smokey Robinson is also kitchen dancing approved.

Lyrics We Love:

"I've got sunshine, on a cloudy day / When it's cold outside, I've got the month of May (ooh) I guess you'd say / What can make me feel this way?"

"Mama Said" by The Shirelles

No mother-themed roundup is complete without this 1961 single that also inspired the Van Morrison hit mentioned above.

Lyrics We Love:

"Mama said there'll be days like this / There'll be days like this, my mama said (Mama said, mama said)"

"Good Mother" by Jann Arden

Children of the 90s may remember that this song was featured on the 1995 pilot episode of Dawson's Creek.

Lyrics We Love:

"I've got a good mother / And her voice is what keeps me here / Feet on ground, heart in hand / Facing forward, be yourself"

"In My Daughter's Eyes" by Martina McBride

Country artist (and mother of three daughters: Delaney, Emma, and Ava) sings about how there's power and strength in seeing yourself the way your children see you.

Lyrics We Love:

"In my daughter's eyes / I am a hero / I am strong and wise / And I know no fear / But the truth is plain to see / She was sent to rescue me / I see who I want to be / In my daughter's eyes"

"You Raise Me Up" by Josh Groban

This soulful song can be interpreted a variety of ways, but lyrics like those below beautifully capture a mother's relationship with her child.

Lyrics We Love:

"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"

"Where You Lead I Will Follow" by Carole King

If the words 'Stars Hollow' mean anything to you, you likely already have a soft spot for this Carole King classic, recorded as a duet with her daughter Louise Goffin to serve as theme song for the beloved WB series.

Lyrics We Love:

"Loving you the way I doI know we're gonna make it through / And I would go to the ends of the earth / 'Cause, darling, to me that's what you're worth"

"Never Grow Up (Taylor's Version)" by Taylor Swift

A little melancholy, this song is about a mother's desire for her child to remain little and a child's desire to leave the nest—until she realizes she misses home.

Lyrics We Love:

"Your little hand's wrapped around my finger / And it's so quiet in the world tonight / Your little eyelids flutter 'cause you're dreamin' / So I tuck you in, turn on your favorite night light"

You Might Also Like

• 70 Impressive Tiny Houses That Maximize Function and Style

• 30+ Paint Colors That Will Instantly Transform Your Kitchen