We have a post about non-sappy father-daughter dance songs, but we don’t have one about mother son wedding dance songs! Let’s rectify this!
One cute idea? The groom can dance with his mom to the song she used to sing him to sleep with when he was a baby. If you’re looking for something slower and unique to you, it may be something you can consider for your wedding day.
I’ll start with a few mother son wedding song I’ve seen at weddings:
Some of these tunes are special moment classics, but some of them are more upbeat than you might be used to seeing on the dance floor…
- That guy I married and his mom danced to “If Not For You” by Bob Dylan (they’re big Dylan fans!)
- Everyone’s favorite ukulele song: “Somewhere Over The Rainbow/What A Wonderful World” by Israel “Iz” Kamakawiwo’ole
- “House Of Gold” by 21 Pilots
- “You’ve Got A Friend In Me” by Randy Newman
- “Simple Man” by Lynyrd Skynyrd for an obvious mother and son theme
- And perhaps my most favorite suggestion: “A Biologist’s Mother’s Day Song” (great lyrics!)
A few ideas from our readers for mother-son dance songs they used at their wedding reception:
- Stevie Wonder’s “Sunshine of my life” (because who doesn’t want to be the apple of my eye?!)
- Switchfoot’s “This Is Home“
- “The Gambler“
- “Mama Told Me (Not To Come)” By 3 Dog Night
- “Kooks” by David Bowie
- “If We Hold On Together” by Dianna Ross
- “Loves Me Like A Rock” by Paul Simon
- Rod Stewart Forever Young
- Guns n’ Roses “Sweet Child of mine“
- “God Only Knows” by the Beach Boys
- “Landslide” by Fleetwood Mac
- “Beautiful Boy” by John Lennon
- “Wild Horses” by The Rolling Stones
- “Fields of Gold” by Sting
- “Smooth” by Santana & Rob Thomas
Protip: some of these could also be great for a first dance!
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16 responses to “Non-cheesy songs for the mother/groom dance”
This was a tough decision for my husband. I ultimately has to choose for him with the guidelines of no country or anything too “mushy”. He and his mom danced to Switchfoot’s “This Is Home“. They both loved it!!
My husband danced with his mom to The Gambler. He had no idea what to pick, so I asked him to name the first song that comes to his head when he thinks about his mom. It was a surprise for her, and it turned out amazing! Guests still tell me it was the best mom/son dance they’ve seen. They danced their hearts out – I mean fully boogying – and it was all totally unplanned!!! It was amazing! I think the song can be anything if it’s meaningful!
LOVE that 21 Pilots song. If you haven’t heard of them before – you should check them out. House Of Gold is a good entry point, but the whole album is amazing!
We aren’t actually doing preset dances but I’d recommend: “Mama Told Me (Not To Come)” By 3 Dog Night. Ya mama knows!
my husband pranked his mom with the help of our DJ (also a good friend). all night she thought they would be dancing to a song by Slayer… “dont worry mom, its one of thier nice ones I promise” mind you, his mom was also the minister (UU) who performed our wedding so she was grittily determined to smile thru it, no matter how bad it was…. well when they got up to dance she looked like she was about to pass out, then the DJ started playing “All you Need is Love” by the Beatles. she started laughing and chasing him and hit him with a bouquet then they danced. it was perfect 🙂
“Kooks” by David Bowie 🙂
I danced with my mom to the song she used to sing me to sleep with when I was a baby. If you’re looking for something slower and unique to you, it may be something you can consider.
Obviously, YMMV on that, but it worked for us.
This is a wonderful choice. At my friend’s wedding, she and her father danced to a song he used to sing her. We were all WEEPING. I have never been so moved by a parent dance.
My husband and I thought really hard on this! In the end he went with a favorite song from a childhood movie: “If We Hold On Together” by Dianna Ross.
My fiance and his mom are dancing to “Two Piña Coladas” by Garth Brooks. It was “their” song while he was growing up, and they even made up special dance moves for it.
Not sure if this is overdone, but Paul Simon’s “Loves Me Like A Rock” is perfect for mom dances.
Personally, the song I associate with my mother is “Mama Said There’d Be Days Like This,” but it might be too downbeat for some couples.
Oh that’s such a great idea! (The Paul Simon song) That song fits my FH growing up so much. LOL!
My partner’s mother isn’t in the picture, but we both know my mother would be over the moon touched if he danced with her. We’ve planned to combine the father/bride and mother/groom dance. It will be to INXS’s “Never Tear Us Apart.” It was the first concert I ever went to and a family favourite.
I’m having trouble keeping it together just thinking about that moment. Probably we should dance to something not too sad and switch to a Latin dance since I’m Venezuelan.
I like “Beautiful Boy” from John Lennon, “Wild Horses” by The Rolling Stones, “Fields of Gold” by Sting but I’m leaning towards “Smooth” by Santana & Rob Thomas since it won’t make me cry.
I plan on dancing to Paul Simon’s “Love me like a rock” with my son in February!
My first so …. Beautiful Boy by John Lennon
My second son…. Wildflowers by Tom Petty