The 26 Best Father's Day Songs

This song is still so good and so hilariously dated—"Tryin' to pretend I know / On my PC where that CD go"—and it's also special to hear Will gushing about Jaden way back then.

An unimaginable tragedy—Clapton wrote this song about his son Conor, who fell to his death from an apartment building in 1991—inspired this unimaginably beautiful song.

While the song paints a rather somber portrait of a family of children who never met their father, the combination of wah-wah guitar and high-hat cymbals does not quit! The extended instrumental intro is part of the charm.

Yeah, yeah—this wasn't a song for Biggie's child, but it was one for your soul. And honestly, bet your dad loves this track.

Madonna does not want her dad telling her what to do. Seems reasonable, no?

What a fun dad! Taking mom out for a cool night of Latin ballroom revelry.

A B-side track from Raitt's seminal Luck of the Draw. Dare you not to get swept by early '90s nostalgia.

No dad would be that hype about getting a new bag—when Brown wrote about it, he meant a new interest, and in this case it's dancing. YESSS.

Look, Father's Day can bring up a lot of feelings. And even those of us with absentee father's deserve to sing about it. Maybe even especially those.

If your daddy never told you to let your soul shine, the Allman Brothers are here to tell you it's better than sunshine, moonshine, and damn sure better than rain. Jam band father's day FTW.

This 1976 track celebrates the birth of Wonder's TK# daughter, Aisha Morris. Lore has it the extended harmonica fade also features audio footage of Wonder giving his daughter a bath.

And then there is this wonderfully saccharine track that played at every graduation across the land circa '01. The daddy/daughter beats might be a little normative for some—pony rides, sweet sixteen, wedding day—the sentiment is lovely.

This lesser known track from his posthumous album Until the End of Time, is, like so much of 2Pacs music and legacy, strangely prescient. While he passed away without children, the sentiments—about racism, fate, and love—ring deeply true.

In a 2011 track Kanye, with borderline controversial intentions, vows: "I'll never let my son have an ego/ He'll be nice to everyone, wherever we go/ I mean, I might even make 'em be Republican /So everybody know he love white people." Ok!

Yes, Paul Simon is still dropping original tracks in the aughts, like this 2002 gem that he wrote for The Wild Thornberrys Movie: "There could never be a father who loved his daughter as much as I love you." Lulu Simon is one lucky daughter!

Do you and your dad sound like this when you duet? Didn't think so.

Your dad listened to this jam in the car and neither of you knew the sweet meaning, but we're guessing you can still sing (nearly) every word of this '70s bop. But just so you know, Kenny Loggins wrote this song for his brother to celebrate the birth of his son.

Okay, yes, this is a little dark for Father's Day—it tells the tale of a man sort of phoning in fatherhood and living to regret it—but what a fun chance to revisit this strangely catchy/haunting tune! "You know we'll have a good time then..."

A croony doo-wop not written for a child, but making great early use of Daddy's other meaning. Dudes just don't sing like this anymore! (Maybe a good thing.)

Even B-side Yoncé kills. Here, a sweet ballad to Papa Knowles. And then there's part 2, of course: "Daddy Lessons."