The best birthday songs for dad are the ones he already turns up in the truck. Below are classic rock songs for his party, country songs he will sing along to, soul for the cookout and a few worship songs. At the end is what our orders show about birthday songs for fathers.
Classic rock for his party
The songs dads have been turning up for decades.
- Old Time Rock and Roll by Bob Seger (1978). The dad anthem. Expect him to slide across the floor.
- Takin' Care of Business by Bachman-Turner Overdrive (1973). For a dad who always took care of business.
- Sweet Home Alabama by Lynyrd Skynyrd (1974). Every dad knows the opening riff.
- Margaritaville by Jimmy Buffett (1977). For a dad who would rather be on a beach.
- Born to Run by Bruce Springsteen (1975). Big and loud. For a dad who still feels young.
- Life Is a Highway by Tom Cochrane (1991). A road-trip song for a dad who drove every family vacation.
- Mustang Sally by Wilson Pickett (1966). Old-school soul with a car in it. Dads love both.
Country songs for his birthday
Country is the most-chosen genre for the birthday songs people write for their dads.
- Chicken Fried by Zac Brown Band (2008). About the simple things. Made for a backyard birthday.
- Pickup Man by Joe Diffie (1994). For a dad who loves his truck a little too much.
- Should've Been a Cowboy by Toby Keith (1993). A sing-along for any dad who dreams of the open range.
- Something Like That by Tim McGraw (1999). Nostalgic and fun. About the summer you never forget.
- It's Five O'Clock Somewhere by Alan Jackson and Jimmy Buffett (2003). For a dad who has earned the day off.
- Thank God I'm a Country Boy by John Denver (1975). Fast and happy. Good for the toast.
- Boot Scootin' Boogie by Brooks & Dunn (1992). For a dad who will line dance if you ask nicely.
Soul for the cookout
R&B is the second most-chosen genre for dad birthday songs. These are for the grill.
- Brick House by Commodores (1977). A funk classic every dad knows.
- Let's Groove by Earth, Wind & Fire (1981). Gets the whole family moving.
- Got to Give It Up by Marvin Gaye (1977). A party song for a dad who still has moves.
- Happy Feelings by Frankie Beverly and Maze (1977). Smooth and warm. A cookout favorite.
Worship songs for dad
For a dad whose faith is the center of the family.
- Good Good Father by Chris Tomlin (2015). A worship song about a father. Fitting for a godly dad.
- 10,000 Reasons (Bless the Lord) by Matt Redman (2011). A song of thanks for every year.
What 500,000 custom songs tell us about birthday songs for dad
Here is what our orders show about the birthday songs people have had written for their fathers, anonymized and rounded.
| Measure | What the orders show |
|---|---|
| Most-chosen genre | Country (39%), then R&B (24%), then worship (9%) and rock (7%) |
| Compared with mom | Country is chosen more than twice as often for dad's birthday as for mom's (17%) |
| Voice | 49% choose a female voice, 31% male, 20% leave it to us |
| When people order | Half of orders come in on a Friday, Saturday or Sunday |
| How often it gets played | Median of 15 plays per song after delivery, well above the site-wide median of 11 |
Dads are harder to shop for and easier to surprise. Birthday songs for fathers are among the most replayed songs we write. The ones that land name his sayings, his truck, his team and the thing he taught you that you still use.
None of these quite say it?
Have one writtenRelated reading
- How a custom song for dad works
- 20 Songs for Dad: Classic, Country and Songs for a Dad You Miss
- 20 Birthday Songs for Mom: Party, Worship, R&B and More
- 21 Birthday Songs for Adults: Party, Milestone and Feel-Good
Questions people ask
What is a good birthday song for my dad?
Pick a song he already loves. Old Time Rock and Roll, Sweet Home Alabama and Chicken Fried are dad favorites. For a song only about him, ForeverSongs® writes one from your memories.
What song should I play for my dad's 60th or 70th birthday?
For a big birthday, mix one party song with one that looks back. Born to Run for the party and a song about fathers, like those in our songs for dad list, for the toast.
Can I get a birthday song written for my dad?
Yes. Tell us his name, his sayings and the memories you have with him, and ForeverSongs® writes and produces it in under 24 hours.