Country music is beloved for its relatable songs about real life. And is anything more relatable than a parent’s love for their child? Here are five songs from country singers ranging from Tim McGraw to Kane Brown about the artist’s hope and love for his or her daughters.
Videos by American Songwriter
Tim McGraw, “My Little Girl”
McGraw, dad to three daughters, co-wrote “My Little Girl” with Tom Douglas.
Lyrics include:
You beautiful baby from the outside in. Chase your dreams, but always know the road. That’ll lead you home again. Go on, take on this whole world| But to me, you know you’ll always be. My little girl.
“My Little Girl” was featured in McGraw’s 2006 movie, “Flicka,” and is his first career single on which he had a co-writing credit.
Lee Ann Womack, “I Hope You Dance”
Written by Mark D. Sanders and Tia Sillers, “I Hope You Dance” was a phenomenon in 2000 for Womack, the mother of two daughters.
Lyrics include:
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 I hope you dance.
Womack recorded “I Hope You Dance” with Drew and Tim Womack of Sons of the Desert. The song went to No. 1 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks and Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks charts. “I Hope You Dance” is the only song either artist had that went to No. 1. It won the 2001 CMA and ACM Award for Single of the Year and won the Grammy Award for Best Country Song.
Womack’s daughters are featured in the music video.
Martina McBride, “In My Daughter’s Eyes”
While McBride is the mother of three daughters, she didn’t write “In My Daughter’s Eyes” as that distinction goes to James T. Slater. McBride co-produced the song with Paul Worley for her self-titled seventh studio album.
Lyrics include:
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.
“In My Daughter’s Eyes” was McBride’s 18th Top 10 hit.
Alan Jackson, “You’ll Always Be My Baby”
Like McGraw and Womack, Alan Jackson also has three daughters. He wrote “You’ll Always Be My Baby (Written for Daughters’ Weddings)” for his daughter Mattie’s wedding in 2017. But he said it was so hard to write that he told his daughters the song was for all three of them.
Lyrics include:
16, first car. 21 and there’s a broken heart. High heels, strong will| In my eyes, I see a young child still| But you’re a woman on your own. All in love and nearly gone.
“You’ll Always Be My Baby” is from Jackson’s Where Have You Gone album.
Kane Brown, “For My Daughter”
Brown is the dad of two daughters and an infant son. But before the birth of his oldest daughter, Kingsley Rose Brown, Brown co-wrote “For My Daughter” as a promise to her. His co-writers on the song are Tom Douglas and Chase McGill.
Lyrics include:
Someone to play catch with, out in the backyard| To pick up the pieces of your first broken heart. Someone to say slow down when you turn 1. Yeah, I grew up without a dad| I’m gonna be the best one I can be.
“I wrote this song when I found out we were officially going to become parents. I meant every word and cannot wait to watch her grow up,” Brown said in a statement around the song’s release.
Brown released “For My Daughter” in 2019.
Jason Kempin/Getty Images for ABA
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