Parent-Child
Bricks, Vocals by Andra Day, music and lyrics by Andra Day and Jherek Bischoff, on the soundtrack for the film, Exhibiting Forgiveness. 2024. Warner Records. USA.
Mothers And Daughters, Fathers And Sons, Vocals by Neil Diamond, music and lyrics by Judy Parker and Bob Gaudi, on the album, You Don’t Bring Me Flowers.1978. Capitol Records. USA. [The song tells of the immigrant experience on families, and how together, they survive.]
No One Is Alone, Vocals by Bernadette Peters, music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim. From Sondheim’s 1987 musical, Into the Woods. USA. [This moving a cappella rendition, a televised performance on Zoom for Sondheim’s 90th birthday in April 2020 during the Covid-19 pandemic.]
That’s the Way I’ve Always Heard It Should Be, Vocals and music by Carly Simon, lyric by Jacob Brackman. The first track on Carly Simon’s debut album, Carly Simon. 1971. Elektra. USA. [An art song reflecting on how a parents marriage can model and complicate relationships for their children.]
Tryin’ Times, Vocals by Roberta Flack, music and lyrics by Donny Hathaway and Leroy Hutson. From Roberta Flack’s debut album, First Take. 1969. Atlantic Records. USA. [A powerful, thoughtful song that recognizes how institutionalized oppression can disrupt one’s family relationships.]
Father
Cat’s in the Cradle, Vocals, music and lyric by Harry Chapin, on the album, Verities & Balderdash. 1974. Elektra.
Daddy’s Little Girls, Vocals, music and lyric by Nick Edwards. 2022.
Father and Son, Vocals, music and lyric by Cat Stevens (a.k.a. Yusuf Stevens), on the album, Tea for the Tillerman. 1970. A&M.
Father to Son, Vocals, music and lyric by Phil Collins, on the album …But Seriously. 1989. Virgin.
How Do I Say Goodbye, Vocals, music and lyric by Dean Lewis, on the album, The Hardest Love. 2022. Island Australia. [Dean wrote this song as his father was fighting cancer. After, his dad went into remission.]
Leader of the Band, Vocals, music and lyric by Dan Fogelberg, on the album, The Innocent Age. 1981. Full Moon/Epic. [Dedicated to Dan’s father.]
Monsters, Vocals, music and lyric by James Blunt, on the album, Once Upon A Mind. 2019. Atlantic Records.
My Father, Vocals, music and lyric by Judy Collins on the album, Who Knows Where the Time Goes. 1968. Elektra Records.
My Father’s Song, Vocals by Barbra Streisand, music and lyrics by Rupert Holmes in collaboration with producer Jeffrey Lesser, on the album, Lazy Afternoon. 1975. Columbia. [Holmes wrote this poignant ballad Streisand, whose own father died when she was just 18 months old. He said he simply had to “put in…everything that a daughter might want to hear her father say.”]
Oklahoma Baby. Vocals, music, and lyric by Emile Mosseri, from his debut album, Heaven Hunters. 2023. Greedy Heart Records. [“I wrote it from the perspective of my wife’s dad — they’re estranged and haven’t spoken in over a decade…we found a card that he bought for her in her early twenties…inscribed ‘There was never a time that I didn’t love you’…it turned into this paternal love song about disconnection, regret and an impossible love under all of it.” Listen to the NPR interview.
Papa Can You Hear Me? Vocals by Barbra Streisand, music by Michel Legrand, lyric by Alan and Marilyn Bergman, from the soundtrack for the film, Yentl. 1983. Columbia.
Papa Don’t Preach, Vocals by Madonna, music by Brian Elliot, lyrics by Elliot and Madonna, on the album, True Blue. 1986.
Ships, Music, lyrics and vocals by Ian Hunter, on his fourth solo album, You’re Never Alone with a Schizophrenic. 1979. It was an international hit sung by Barry Manilow in 1979.
Song for my Father, Performance and music by Horace Silver, on the album, Song for my Father. 1965. Blue Note.
The Living Years, Vocals by Mike + the Mechanics, music by Mike Rutherford and BA Robertson, lyrics by BA Robertson, on the album Living Years. 1988. Atlantic.
To Our Fathers in Distress. Composition and libretto by Neil Hannon. 2014. Sony / ATV Songs LLC. [Inspired by Hannon’s childhood as the son of a Church of Ireland Bishop who later develops Alzheimer’s Disease. The Guardian, artist’s statement.]
Too Young to Be Old. Music, lyrics and vocals by Jax, on the album, Dear Joe,. 2024. Atlantic Mod. [See the TikTok video of Jax singing to her father.]
Mother
Dear Mama, Vocals, music, and lyric by Tupac Shakur (a.k.a. 2Pac), on the album, Me Against the World. 1995. Interscope Records.
Dear Mom. Vocals, music and lyric by Marc Goone, 2013. [Marc’s song for his mother who was fighting cancer. Read about it here.]
Grandma’s Hands, Vocals, music and lyric by Bill Withers, on the album, Just As I Am. 1971. Sussex Records. [Withers’ favorite song.]
Let It Be. Vocals, music and lyric by Paul McCartney, although credited to Lennon–McCartney partnership of the Beatles, on the album, Let it Be. 2011. Apple. [The song was inspired by a dream wherein Paul McCartney was reunited with his mother, Mary, who had passed a decade earlier.]
Mama Told Me (Not To Come), Vocals by Three Dog Night (1970), music and lyric by Randy Newman, 1966. On Three Dog Night’s album, It Ain’t Easy. UMG Recordings, Inc. USA. [Listen to your mama.]
Maman, Vocals, music and lyric by Laurie Darmon, 2019. Play Two. France.
Mother, Vocals, music and lyric by John Lennon, on the album, John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band. 1970. Apple Records.
Mother and Child Reunion, Vocals, music, and lyric by Paul Simon, a reggae song recorded in Jamaica from the album Paul Simon. 1971. Columbia. [There are several interpretations of the song. The title was inspired by the sad name for a chicken and egg meal at a diner, and the song was inspired by the death of a family dog killed by an oncoming car, two scenarios we explore in our Center for Families & Animals. Through this song, Simon recognized the fluidity of family across species.]
Sometimes I Feel Like a Motherless Child. The composer is unknown. It is an African American spiritual with many versions. As performed by Odetta in 1963.
Songs My Mother Taught Me (Czech: Když mne stará matka zpívat učívala). Music and lyric by Antonin Dvořák. Sung by various artists. As performed by Ernestina in 2018.
Sunday Candy. Performed by Chance the Rapper, Jamila Woods, and Nico Segal & the Social Experiment, with music and lyric by Nico Segal & the Social Experiment and Chance the Rapper, on the album, Surf. 2014. (Released for free on iTunes).
This Is To Mother You. Vocals, music and lyric by Sinéad O’Connor (a.k.a., Shuhada’ Sadaqat) on the album, Gospel Oak. 1997. Chrysalis.
Parent-Child Duets
How Deep Is the Ocean. Vocals by Jason Gould and Barbra Streisand. Music and lyrics by Irving Berlin.
Unforgettable. Vocals by Natalie Cole and Nat King Cole (posthumously). Music and lyrics by Irving Gordon.
Family Spirals® 