Non-Cheesy Father Daughter Dance Songs

By nature, the father-daughter dance is a little bit sappy. If you do it right, there won't be a dry eye in the house. But that doesn't mean that you have to choose a trite song that your guests have heard at every wedding. Here are dozens of non-cheesy father-daughter dance songs from every genre.

Scroll down for Folk, Indie, Pop, and Rock.
Go to Page 2 for R&B, Jazz, Country, and Classic Father-Daughter Dance Songs

Folk and Indie Father-Daughter Dance Songs

Father and Daughter – Paul Simon Listen
I almost included this song in the "classics that might be overplayed" section, but I think it's still fresh enough that your guests will enjoy it. (Confession time: The lyrics make me cry a bit when I think about my dad.)

Daughter – Loudon Wainwright III Listen
You may already know this quirky sweet song from the "Knocked Up" soundtrack. I like it because it's not too fast, not too slow, and it honors all the things dad has taught you.

Gracie – Ben Folds Listen
The sweetness of Ben Folds love songs make several of them work as father-daughter dance songs, but this one was written for his little girl.

Sweet Pea - Amos Lee Listen
If your dad's nickname for you was "Sweet Pea", this song is adorable.

How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You) - James Taylor Listen
You may also like the recording by Marvin Gaye

Classic Rock and Modern Rock Father-Daughter Dance Songs

Sweet Child o' Mine – Sheryl Crow. Listen
You may get a few chuckles when people realize that this is a cover of the Guns n' Roses classic hit, but for rock and metal lovers, this is a great way of including GnR in your wedding without alienating the grandparents.

When You Need Me - Bruce Springsteen Listen
This is a lovely way for a dad to say he'll always be there for his little girl.

Wildflowers - Tom Petty Listen
The lyrics say both that "You belong where you feel free," but also, "You belong somewhere close to me."

Thank You – Led Zeppelin Listen
The dads of today's brides are more likely to be Led Zeppelin fans than swing music fans. Appeal to your dad's music taste with a little classic rock.


To Make You Feel My Love - Bob Dylan Listen
If your dad would do anything to let you know how much he loves you, this is a good choice. For whatever reason, the Billy Joel cover is a more popular choice for weddings than the original. And recently the Adele cover has become popular for mother-son dances.

You're My Best Friend - Queen Listen

Pop Father-Daughter Dance Songs

Daughters – John Mayer Listen
Particularly good for daughters who haven't always had smooth relationships with their fathers, Daughters tells fathers to be good to their daughters, and mothers to be good to them too.

How You've Grown - 10,000 Maniacs Listen

I'll Stand By You - The Pretenders Listen

Brown-Eyed Girl - Van Morrison Listen
This is an awesome and fun song to dance to, as well as a nostalgic look at childhood.

Girls Just Wanna Have Fun - Cyndi Lauper Listen
If you were a rebellious kid, or you had a rocky relationship with your dad, check out this amusing '80's song. If it's too irreverent for you, you might choose Ben Gibbard's (Death Cab for Cutie) cover of it.

You Got It – Roy Orbison Listen

I Turn to You - Christina Aguilera Listen

Dancing on Daddy's Shoes - Leon Redbone Listen
It's hard to say exactly what genre Redbone's music belongs to. His interpretations of early 20th-century music cover rock, folk, jazz, and bluegrass. It's old fashioned while being just a teensy bit modern too.

Previous

• 1
• 2

Next