There will always be a place for Al Martino crooning, “Daddy’s Little Girl” and for Boyz II Men’s “A Song For Mama,” but when you’re looking for something different for that father daughter dance or a mother son song that fits your personality…where do you look?

A few thoughts that may knock some ideas loose…

1. You don’t have to choose a song specifically written for a parent and child.  There are plenty of beautiful, quirky or sentimental songs that work perfectly as a parent dance.
2. Search your memories for songs that remind you of mom or dad.  Did your father sing you a song when you were little?  A particular artist your mom played over and over?  Your childhood memories often suggest a song that fits your relationship.
3. Use a story to make a non-traditional song the perfect fit.  If the song that comes to mind is a little weird, have your entertainer give a little explanation so your guests understand.  One of our grooms chose “Your Song” by Elton John for the dance with his mother.  Technically, it’s a love song, but his mom played it for him on the piano and it always made him think of her.
4. Have fun with it.  Choose a light-hearted or even silly song for your parent dance.  You’ll both be smiling…and so will your guests.

Here are 9 outside the box parent dances courtesy of our creative Hudson Valley couples..

A Little Bit o’ Country

• “Mama Tried” – Merle Haggard

• “For Baby” – John Denver

Lightening It Up

• “The Wind” – Cat Stevens

• “Do You Believe In Magic” – Lovin’ Spoonful

• “Days Like This” – Van Morrison

Soulful

• “Mother Father” – Musiq Soul Child

Alternative

• “Blue Does” – Blue October

Sweet & Sentimental

• “The One Who Knows” – Dar Williams

• “Edelweiss” – The Sound of Music

Of course, these aren’t one size fit all choices.  But that’s the point.

Have you already found the perfect parent dance song for your wedding?  Leave a comment here and share the knowledge!

Stewart Butterfield

In case you’re searching frantically for the perfect Parent Dance song…and coming up empty…here’s a trick I use to come up with totally unique and meaningful suggestions for our couples.

This may work for you if…

• You don’t want to choose a traditional “mother son” or “father daughter” dance.
• You want a song with personal meaning for you and your parent.
• You don’t know where to start and none of the recommended songs seem to fit.

*HINT:  Ask your dad or mom if he or she has a song in mind before starting your search.  If they have a preference…you’re off the hook!

First of all, don’t freak out.  There are thousands of beautiful songs out there and it’s not as tough to find the right parent dance song as you might think.

A few questions to lead the way…

1)  Is there a song from your childhood that makes you think of your mom or dad? Spend a few minutes thinking back to when you were a kid.  If you remember a song attached to a memory (for me it’s “Bus Stop” by the Hollies and “Daddy’s Home” by Shep and the Limelites) that could be the perfect choice.

2)  Does your mom or dad have a favorite artist? Sample a few of that artists’ tunes to see if you can find one that works as a parent dance song.

3)  Once you’ve found the right song, pair it with a special dedication to make it perfect. To use my example, I’d have my entertainer say, “Stephanie remembers her father singing this song to her every day when he got home from work…”

You can check the lyrics of potential songs at Lyrics.com, AZLyrics, LyricsMania or any number of other easily searchable online lyrics databases.

Here’s a peek at the inner workings of the Hudson Valley DJ in hot pursuit of the ever-elusive perfect parent dance song…

Michelle and Eric are searching for parent dance songs and coming up empty.  So they need not one…but two…danceable songs.  They would like a song by one of these artists: Elvis, The Beatles (but “In My Life” is out), Bob Dylan or Johnny Cash.

Digging through the archives, I came up with these potentials:

Elvis – “The Wonder of You” or “Memories“

The Beatles – “All You Need Is Love” or “Here Comes the Sun“

Bob Dylan – “If Not For You” or “Forever Young“

Johnny Cash – “Daddy Sang Bass” or “I Love You Because“

Maybe I got a little carried away…

Now I’ll send these over to our couple and get their verdict.

Got parent dance song trouble?  Leave me a comment and we’ll see what we can do…