When I got married, we couldn’t afford to have a reception. There was no meal and certainly no dancing. Even so, I can’t imagine the pressure there is to choose an unforgettable mother-son dance song for a wedding.
To narrow down the options, I scoured the internet and Spotify to see what songs were the most popular mother-son dance songs for some inspiration. I was shocked to see the number of songs that were completely inappropriate, so I set out to find classy and timeless options that will make your day one to remember.
The songs below may not be specifically written for moms, but you can definitely make them work, and I promise there won’t be any awkward lyrics to take you by surprise. The key lyrics of every song are listed to help you pick the perfect song for your mother-son dance so you can celebrate the new adventure of your beloved son with the perfect moment that’s just for the two of you.
31 Mother-Son Dance Songs for Weddings
1. “You’re My Best Friend” by Queen
Key lyric: “You’re the best friend that I ever had”
2. “God Only Knows” by The Beach Boys
Key lyric: “God only knows what I’d be without you.”
3. “What a Wonderful World” by Louis Armstrong
Key lyrics: “I hear babies cry/I watch them grow/They’ll learn much more/Than I’ll never know/And I think to myself/What a wonderful world.”
4. “Stand By Me” by Ben E. King
Key lyrics: “No I won’t be afraid/Oh, I won’t be afraid/Just as long as you stand, stand by me.”
5. “She’s Got a Way” by Billy Joel
Key lyrics: “She’s got a way about her, mmh / I don’t know what it is / But I know that I can’t live without her”
6. “Three Times a Lady” by Commodores
Key lyrics: “Thanks for the times that you’ve given me / The memories are all in my mind.”
7. “Landslide” by Fleetwood Mac
Key lyrics: “Well, I’ve been afraid of changin’/’Cause I’ve built my life around you/ But time makes you bolder/ Even children get older/ And I’m getting older too.”
8. “Your Song” by Elton John
Key lyric: “And you, you’ll be blessed/You’ll have the best/I promise you that/I’ll pick a star from the sky.”
9. “Days Like This” by Van Morrison
Key lyric: “When everything falls into place like the flick of a switch/ Well my mama told me there’ll be days like this”
10. “Forever Young” by Bob Dylan
Key lyrics: “May your heart always be joyful/ May your song always be sung/ May you stay forever young.”
11. “Just the Way You Are” by Billie Joel
Key lyrics: “I said I love you, that’s forever / And this I promise from the heart, mmm / I couldn’t love you any better / I love you just the way you are, right.”
12. “Simple Man” by Lynyrd Skynyrd
Key lyrics: “You’ll find a woman, and you’ll find love/ And don’t forget, son, there is someone up above.”
13. “Let It Be” by the Beatles
Key lyrics: “And in my hour of darkness / She is standing right in front of me / Speaking words of wisdom / Let it be.”
14. “Over the Rainbow” by Israel Kamakawiwo’ole
Key lyrics: “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.”
15. “You Are So Beautiful to Me” by Joe Cocker
Key lyrics: “You’re everything I hoped for / You’re everything I need / You are so beautiful / To me.”
16. “You’ve Got a Friend” by James Taylor
Key lyrics: “You just call out my name / And you know, wherever I am / I’ll come runnin’ / To see you again.”
17. “Sweet Child O’Mine” by Sheryl Crow
Key lyric: “I’d hate to look into those eyes and see an ounce of pain
18. “Here Comes the Sun” by the Beatles
Key lyric: “Little darling/ It feels like years since it’s been here/ Here comes the sun/ Here comes the sun/ And I say, It’s all right.”
19. “You Are the Sunshine of My Life” by Stevie Wonder
Key lyrics: “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.”
20. “Make You Feel My Love” by Adele
Key lyric: “I’d go hungry, I’d go black and blue / I’d go crawling down the avenue / No there’s nothing that I wouldn’t do / To make you feel my love.”
21. “Songbird” by Fleetwood Mac
Key lyrics: “For you, there’ll be no more crying / For you, the sun will be shining / And I feel that when I’m with you / It’s alright, I know it’s right.”
22. “How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You)” by Marvin Gaye
Key lyric: “How sweet it is to be loved by you.”
23. “A Song for Mama” by Boyz II Men
Key lyric: “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.”
24. “All You Need Is Love” by The Beatles
Key lyrics: “All you need is love/ All you need is love/ All you need is love, love/ Love is all you need.”
Country Mother Son Dance Songs
25. “I Hope You Dance” by Lee Ann Womack
Key lyrics: “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.”
26. “Godspeed” by the Dixie Chicks
Key lyric: “Godspeed little man / Sweet Dreams little man / Oh, my love will fly to you each night on angel’s wings / Godspeed (Sweet Dreams).”
27. “I Cross My Heart” by George Strait
Key lyrics: “I cross my heart / And promise to / Give all I’ve got to give / To make all your dreams come true / In all the world / You’ll never find / A love as true as mine.”
28. “Life’s a Dance” by John Michael Montgomery
Key lyrics: “Life’s a dance you learn as you go / Sometimes you lead, sometimes you follow / Don’t worry about what you don’t know / Life’s a dance you learn as you go.”
29. “Forever and Ever, Amen” by Randy Travis
Key lyric: “As sure as I live, this love that I give / Is gonna be yours until the day that I die.”
30. “To Make You Feel My Love” by Garth Brooks
Key lyrics: “When the evening shadows and the stars appear / And there is no one there to dry your tears / I could hold you for a million years / To make you feel my love.”
31. “You Are My Sunshine” by Morgane Stapleton and Chris Stapleton
Key lyrics: “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.”
Which one of these is your favorite mother-son song for a wedding? Share it with me in the comments!
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