Mother Son Dance Songs: Personalized to Your Relationship

Updated November 14, 2023 | Author: Matthew Campbell

The mother and son (groom) dance during the wedding reception is a very special moment between parent and child. The dance celebrates your relationship.

Know popular mother-and-son songs chosen from real weddings – and unique hits.

mom and son dancing at wedding
Photo Credit: M Place Productions @mplacepro

When picking out the song to dance the mother-son wedding dance, you must consider the following 3 factors:

  1. Does the song have a special meaning to both of you?
  2. Does the song’s meaning describe your relationship?
  3. What is the tempo of the song (fast or slow) to determine the style of dance that fits best?

As an experienced wedding DJ, I’ve assembled a list of songs for the mother-son dance. Songs are selected by the meaning of the song and popular hits by today’s brides. Besides the relationship type between the mother and groom, additional lists are grouped by genre to match your taste in music.

Below is a list of popular and unique alternative mother-son dance songs. The songs on the left are popular mother-son dance hits. The songs on the right are similar alternative tracks in the same music style, tempo, and mood – but not played at every wedding.

Popular SongsVS.Unique Songs
My Wish – Rascal FlattsvsCan She Have This Dance – Drew Baldridge
Humble And Kind – Tim McGrawvsMost People Are Good – Luke Bryan
You’ll Be In My Heart – Phil CollinsvsNo Matter What – Calum Scott
A Song For Mama – Boyz II MenvsMother – Michael Bublé
Simple Man – Lynyrd Skynyrd / ShinedownvsLoves Me Like A Rock – Paul Simon
Days Like This – Van MorrisonvsDays Like This – Dermot Kennedy
I Hope You Dance – Lee Ann WomackvsYou Are My Sunshine – Chris & Morgane Stapleton
What A Wonderful World – Louis ArmstrongvsPerfect Day – Al Green
Landslide – Fleetwood Mac / The ChicksvsGlitter In the Air – P!nk
Thought You Should Know – Morgan WallenvsI Called Mama – Tim McGraw
Forever Young – Rod StewartvsStory Of Love – Bon Jovi
Boy – Lee BricevsYou Will Always Be My Son – Caleb and Kelsey
Because You Loved Me – Celine DionvsWhen God Made You My Mother – Riley Roth
Her Little Man – Jami GroomsvsHe’s Her Life – Waylon Nihipali
In My Life – BeatlesvsYou’ve Got a Friend in Me – Randy Newman
Stand By Me – Ben E. KingvsOne Call Away – Charlie Puth
You Raise Me Up – Josh GrobanvsNo Prayer Like Mama’s – Jay Allen
93 Million Miles – Jason MrazvsHouse of Gold – 21 Pilots
Don’t Blink – Kenny ChesneyvsNext Thing You Know – Jordan Davis
You’re Gonna Be – Reba McEntirevsThe Good Ones – Gabby Barrett
Never Alone – Jim Brickman, Lady AvsCall My Name – Lukas Graham
You Are The Sunshine Of My Life – Stevie WondervsI Got You – Ciara
Your Song – Elton Johnvs I Love You Mom – Jackson Nance
Like Jesus Does – Eric ChurchvsMama Ain’t Jesus – Jordan Rowe, Lainey Wilson
Perfect Fan – Backstreet Boysvssuperhuman – Bishop Briggs
How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You) – J. TaylorvsYour Mama Don’t Dance – Loggins & Messina
Lean On Me – Bill WithersvsWill You Be There – Michael Jackson
 

Mother-Son Dance Songs by Relationship

Mother and Son Are Friends

A short curated list of songs that reflects a friendship between a mom and son.

You’ve Got A Friend – James Taylor

You’re My Best Friend – Queen

In My Life – Beatles

Mom’s Love For Her Son

A short curated list of songs that signifies a love of a mother for her son.

Dance With Me, Baby – Toni Becker

See song details

No Matter What – Calum Scott

Everything – Matthew John

Boy – Caleb and Kelsey

He’s Her Life – Waylon Nihipali

You’re Gonna Be (Always Loved by Me) – Reba Mcentire

Mama’s Hand – Queen Naija

Son’s Love For His Mom

A short curated list of songs that show a love for a mom from her son.

Mother – Michael Bublé

All To You – Scott Keo

I Love You Mom – Jackson Nance

A Song For Mama – Boyz II Men

I Love This Dance – Caleb Beachy

Putting Mom in High Regard

A short curated list of songs signifying a son who keeps his mom on a pedestal.

superhuman – Bishop Briggs

My Hero – Westlife

Perfect Fan – Backstreet Boys

Hero – Mariah Carey

Mama Ain’t Jesus – Jordan Rowe, Lainey Wilson

Moms and Sons Being There For Each Other

A short curated list of songs that reflect on a mother and son supporting each other through good times and bad.

Call My Name – Lukas Graham

One Call Away – Charlie Puth

You’ll Be In My Heart – Phil Collins

There You’ll Be – Faith Hill

I’ll Be There – Jackson 5

Stand By Me – Ben E. King

Unexpected & Fun About Moms and Sons

Looking for a fun-loving song to play for a mother and son dance? Here you go!

Sorry Mom – The Band CAMINO

Mama – Lunchmoney Lewis

Your Mama Don’t Dance – Loggins & Messina

Loves Me Like A Rock – Paul Simon

I’ll Always Love My Mama – Intruders

Mom’s Dedication To Son For The Future

A list of curated songs signifying a mother wishing her son a life full of happiness and joy.

Forever Young – Rod Stewart

Find Your Wings – Mark Harris

My Wish – Rascal Flatts

Simple Man – Shinedown

Days Like This – Van Morrison

Songs for Every Mom & Son

Cannot find a song to play for a parent-child dance? Here are a few great generic songs to play.

What A Wonderful World – Louis Armstrong

Teach Your Children – Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young

I’m Happy Just To Dance With You – Beatles

Over The Rainbow – Israel Kamakawiwo’ole

Songs For A Single Mom and Son

Enjoy a curated list of songs to play for a son who was raised by a single mom.

Mama Was Daddy Too – Tainted Lyric

Mother – Pink Floyd

Songs For A Stepmom and Stepson

A short curated list of songs to play for a dance between a stepmom and stepson.

Blended Family (What You Do For Love) – Alicia Keys feat. A$AP Rocky

Step by Step – Brandon Davis

My Boy – Elvie Shane

Groom and Mother-In-Law

Will the groom dance with his partner’s mother? Here are a few suggestions.

The Good Ones – Gabby Barrett

I Hope You Dance – Lee Ann Womack

Most People Are Good – Luke Bryan

Humble And Kind – Tim McGraw

Groom and Grandma

If the groom will dance with his GG/Mom-Mom/Grandma on his wedding day. Enjoy these song selections.

Mamaw’s House – Thomas Rhett, Morgan Wallen

Grandma’s Garden – Zac Brown

Grandma’s Hands – Bill Withers

You’ll Be in My Heart – Brent Morgan

Groom and Sister

Sibling love can be celebrated at weddings with this hits for brothers and sisters.

Brothers & Sisters – Coldplay

Come Dancing – Kinks

Rainbow Connection – JJ Heller

Tip

It’s a good idea to listen to the lyrics and select a love song or a special song that tells your story.

 
Groom and mom dance at reception
Photo Credit: M Place Productions @mplacepro

Tip

If you have selected a mother-son dance, don’t forget about the bride! Plan a father-daughter dance with a special song.

New Mother-Son Songs

  1. Journey of You and I – Kodi Lee (Singer-Songwriter – 2024)
  2. Sun/Son – Jhené Aiko (Soul – 2024)
  3. Mom Like You – Cade Thompson (Christian – 2023)
  4. Boy Mama – Jason Blaine (Country – 2023)
  5. Growing Up Raising You – Gabby Barrett (Country – 2023)
  6. Perfect Day – Al Green (R&B – 2023)
  7. Mama’s Do – The Dryes (Country – 2023)
  8. Raised Up Right – Riley Green (Country – 2023)
  9. Mother’s Love – Soul Payn (R&B – 2023)
  10. “Can She Have This Dance” by Drew Baldridge (Country – 2023)

Dance With Me, Baby – Toni Becker

Most Meaningful Lyrics: “Looking at you takes my breath away / from the moment your life began / to this strong and handsome man / On your wedding day”

The song is a love sentiment from a mother to her son. “Dance With Me, Baby” expresses all the love and emotion that a mom feels for her son as they dance for all that was and all that’s yet to be.

 

Other great modern mother and son dance songs.

  • A Song For My Son – Mikki Viereck
  • Angels – Randy Travis
  • Blessed – Elton John
  • Do I Make You Proud – Taylor Hicks
  • Dog and Butterfly – Heart
  • Forever Young – The Pretenders
  • God Only Knows – Beach Boys
  • God’s Been Good to Me – Keith Urban
  • Godspeed (Sweet Dreams) – The Chicks
  • Greatest Love Of All – Whitney Houston
  • Halo – Beyonce
  • He Gets That From Me – Reba McEntire
  • I Will Be Here – Steven Curtis Chapman
  • I’ll Stand By You – The Pretenders
  • If I Didn’t Have You – Thompson Square
  • In My Life – Johnny Cash
  • Letter To My Mother – Edwin McCain
  • Mama – B. J. Thomas
  • Mama, I’m Coming Home – Ozzy Osbourne
  • Mama’s Boy – Heidi Raye
  • Mama’s Boy – Ryan Griffin
  • MOM – Daniyel
  • Mom – Garth Brooks
  • Momma’s Love – Morray
  • Mommas – Swon Brothers
  • Mother – Sugarland
  • Mother Like Mine – The Band Perry
  • Mother’s Love – KEM
  • Mothers – Thomas Finchum
  • Mothers & Sons – Paul Bogart
  • My Baby You – Marc Anthony
  • My Little Boy – Chris Jasper feat. Margie Jasper
  • My Son – Frank Patterson
  • Nothing Else Matters – Metallica
  • She’s Magic – Mike Parker
  • Son Of A – Dillon Carmichael
  • Sunrise, Sunset – Cast from Fiddler on the Roof
  • Sweet Child O’ Mine – Guns N’ Roses
  • Sweet Child o’ Mine – Sheryl Crow
  • Sweet Thing – Van Morrison
  • Sweetest Devotion – Adele
  • Tell Me Twice – Chayce Beckham
  • Thank You – Dido
  • Thank You for Loving Me – Bon Jovi
  • Thank You, Mom – Good Charlotte
  • That’s What Mamas Are For – Chris Lane
  • That’s What Mamas Do – Jason Matthews
  • The Baby – Blake Shelton
  • The Best Day – Taylor Swift
  • The Man You’ve Become – Molly Pasutti
  • The One Thing – Shakira
  • Then They Do – Trace Adkins
  • Three Times A Lady – Commodores
  • Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus – Alan Jackson
  • What I Never Knew I Always Wanted – Carrie Underwood
  • When You Need Me – Bruce Springsteen
  • With A Girl Like You – The Troggs
  • With Arms Wide Open – Creed
  • Your Mama Don’t Dance – Poison
  • Your Mother Should Know – The Beatles
 

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FAQs

The best mother-son dance song is typically a song for a special dance during your wedding reception.

A good choice should represent the commonality and unique relationship between the groom and his mother.

The song can also be a slow song or an upbeat song.

The mother-son songs can also be awesome to celebrate a special moment like a birth.

The songs can also be used as a dedication song from a son to his mother on Mother’s Day.

It would be impossible to name all the great mother-son wedding songs to make a perfect choice on your big day.

Just be sure your wedding band or DJ has your requested playlist beforehand of your song choice.

Traditionally, the Mother-Son Dance is the dance between the mother of the groom and her son. It comes after the Father-Daughter Dance in the wedding reception timeline.

It is a heartfelt moment during the wedding reception. Most likely, it will be filmed and photographed, so be sure to choose a great song to celebrate your special relationship.

Some wedding couples combine the father-daughter dance with the mother-groom dance. Both couples dance to the same song. (See a list of music to play for both parents and wedding couple to dance at the reception)

If you decide to do this, talk to your wedding planner and DJ; they should be able to give great suggestions that will help you choose the song.

Traditionally at weddings, the groom will dance with his mother (or mother figure) during the wedding reception immediately following the father-daughter dance.

If his mother has passed, the groom can choose to dance with his mother-in-law or sister as a replacement. The mother-son dance signifies the love between a mother and her son.

The song you choose to dedicate to your son as a mother can be many of the songs listed here.

First, select the music style and from there listen to each song on the list to determine if the song tells the same relationship you have with your son.

Typically the groom or the mother of the groom will select the song for the mother-son dance.

At a typical wedding, there is no formal dance for the groom to dance with his new mother-in-law.

However, the groom can dance with her during the dancing part of the reception to signify their new family bond.

If the dance is important to the wedding couple, you could choose to have an in-law dance where the bride dances with her new father-in-law and the groom dances with his new mother-in-law.

See our list of in-law dance songs.

Families have complex relationships these days. That’s okay. Same-sex couples can choose to dance with the family member of their choice: mother, or mentor.

A better way for stepmothers can have a second song. Estranged family members can have stand-ins. You can even dance with your in-laws if you wish for a sweet moment on your special day.

Grooms, if you have more than one mother in your life, there are options.

One can tap the other on the shoulder in the middle of the dance so you can dance with both of your moms. You may even want a sweet song for each.

Talk about it with your professional wedding planner or DJ.

No matter if the mom is the mother to one of the wedding couples or if she is the bride, many songs describe the love and bond between a mother and her son.

Just be sure to listen to the lyrics when selecting a song that describes your life journey with your son.

If one of the wedding couple’s parents is no longer living, you can adapt or skip the Mother-Son Dance.

This is an emotional decision, for sure. If your new spouse will dance with her father, then you’ll certainly want to have your time to shine.

Perhaps your mom passed away or you are estranged. If your mother isn’t alive, a common substitute is a mother figure.

Many of us have those people in our lives. Your sister or aunt would make a very nice gesture See our list of sister-brother songs.

If this dance is too painful because of a recent loss or estrangement, you can skip the Mother-Son Dance.

It’s your celebration. Talk to your wedding planner; they are experienced with this delicate relationship.

Country music is known for telling great stories. Many county songs describe a mother and son relationship including “Mama’s Boy” by Ryan Griffin, “I Called Mama” by Tim McGraw, “Boy” by Lee Brice, and “That’s What Mamas Are For” by Chris Lane.

Why trust Matthew Campbell?

DJ, Author, Music Lover

matt

Matthew (Matt) Campbell is the founder/editor of My Wedding Songs from his experience as a wedding DJ. He is the author of two wedding planners: ‘Wedding Songs Planner’ and ‘The Wedding Music Toolkit’. Matt is the host of the ‘Wedding Songs Podcast’. He shares music inspiration in his weekly newsletter the ‘Wedding MusicLetter’. His articles have been published on Rolling Stone, DJ Life Magazine, and DJ Times. Matt resides in the wedding capital of the world – Las Vegas.

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Charlene Fiorentino
Charlene Fiorentino
2 years ago

Suggestion for mother son dance when mom is the bride

My Wedding Songs
My Wedding Songs
2 years ago

Hi Charlene. Thank you for your question. Many of the above songs would be appropriate for a dance with your son. However, I will create a list for just the scenario and add it this page.

Lynne B
Lynne B
2 years ago

Love the song “I get to love you” by Ruelle. Does this seem appropriate?

My Wedding Songs
My Wedding Songs
2 years ago
Reply to  Lynne B

Hi Lynn. Thanks for your question. I love Ruelle’s song “I Get To Love You”. We have it on several ceremony songs. However, we would save the song for a moment between the wedding couple and not a parent-child moment. Hope this helps.

jeffrey
jeffrey
3 years ago

I’m getting married. I am older than my sister and my mother has passed on. My sister used The Wind Beneath my Wings for a dance for the two of us at her wedding. I want something to dance with her at my wedding that is equally special so please give me ideas.

My Wedding Songs
My Wedding Songs
3 years ago
Reply to  jeffrey

Hi Jeffery. Thanks for reaching out. Please see our list of Sister Brother songs. Listen to each song and the lyrics to see if one describes your relationship. However, we always recommend playing a song that is special to both of you over trying to find a song that describes your relationship. Hope this helps.

Dian
Dian
4 years ago

House of Gold
21 Pilots

Supermarket Flowers
Ed Sheeran

My Wedding Songs
My Wedding Songs
4 years ago
Reply to  Dian

Thank you so much Dian. We will definitely be adding your 2 song suggestions on our next update!

kikee
kikee
5 years ago

I’ll pick thank you for loving me by bon jovi

My Wedding Songs
My Wedding Songs
5 years ago
Reply to  kikee

Hi Kikee. Thanks for sharing. A great modern classic rock love song!