Weddings can be the most joyous event in anyone’s life. It can also be one of the most stressful for all the parties involved in planning a wedding from the bride and groom to the parents of the couples being married and to anyone else involved in planning a wedding. There are so many details to work out from the church to the catering hall to the limousines, flowers, videographer and photographer, food, dinner, appetizers and of course the music. Couples must decide between a band or DJ and once they do, they get left with the incredible task of picking specific songs for weddings classic rituals.
One of those rituals surrounds the father daughter traditional dance. For many that is a joyous moment during the wedding and one of the most sentimental. It can often lead to many tears especially on the father’s side but it is usually a very festive and emotional part of the wedding. However, sometimes for many different reasons either the father or the daughter or another family member wants to choose a song that will keep that dance as short as possible.
As a wedding musician I can’t tell you how many times family members either being the daughter of the father or the mother have asked me if I knew any father daughter dance songs that weren’t too long. Sometimes, it’s just because it’s possible that the father is not in really good health and can’t stand for too long. Other times it’s because the relationship just really isn’t going that well or hasn’t gone that well over the years and the whole point of that particular father daughter dance is too just please other people. Of course it’s often just too emotional of a time for a father who is losing his much love young girl to another household and the stress of that moment may be too much to deal with. It’s not always a good bet to pick very emotional songs so this list will mix it up to provide you with some good non-emotional father daughter dances as well as some so called tear jerkers
For whatever reasons that people want a short father daughter dance, we have decided to help out with this article and pick 10 really good songs that will serve the purpose of keeping the father daughter dance not too long. Some of these have a traditional feel while other do not, but the one thing in common is they are all not too long. We really mixed it up on this list presenting music from all genres and time periods.
# 10 – In My Life
We open up our Best Father Daughter Dances That Are Not Too Long list with the fabulous Beatles song entitled “In My Life.” This is definitely one of the most common traditional dances done at weddings. It also has a bit of a groove to it so there can be a little swing in the dance if you don’t want the really slow up close ballad. It can work as either a father daughter dance or any other parent dance. Most Beatles songs were short anyways. “In My Life,” closes in at just under two and half minutes at 2.24. The song was originally released on The Beatles album Rubber Soul. It was released in 1965.
# 9 – She’s The One
If you don’t want to slow dance and feel like having a rock and roll father daughter dance that is not too long and wont shed any tears this rocking Ramones song entitled “She’s The One,” is perfect. With a hook line that repeats over and over “yeah yeah she’s my girl,” this one will be just perfect. It also pretty short clocking in at just over two minutes at 2.10. The song was released on the album entitled Road To Ruin in 1978.
# 8 – I Will Walk With You
In the number eight spot is this very cool John Fogerty song that has a nice subtle country swing to it. It’s a little sentimental but not too much. It’s a little longer than the previous two songs but still clocks in just around the three minute mark. For a songwriter who wrote so many huge hits in the 1960s, this is one of his most recent songs as it was released on his Deja Vu (All Over Again) album just a few years back. This is a good one that just might be the right fit.
# 7 – Now And Forever
Carole King has written so many classic songs that can be used for wedding dance rituals. This has always been one of the most effective ones we have played at the thousands of weddings my group has performed at. The lyrics are very generic so it will really work . The melody is beautiful and the feel is great. It comes in just a little over three minutes but it flows wonderfully and feels shorter. This is a great pick for any situation.
# 6 – Daddy Little Girl (The Shires song)
Landing in the number six spot is not the Al Martino version of “Daddy’s Little Girl,” that was the most popular father daughter dance of all time in the 19th century. This “Daddy’s Little Girl,” is a completely different song for the modern world. It’s a beautiful song and maybe a little too sentimental, but if that what you are looking for you got a great one here with a hook that will surely get applause and a lot of tears from those watching the dance. It’s just a little over three minutes long.
# 5 – Forever
A lot of people choose the Beach Boys song “God Only Knows”, but the lyrics in that song just don’t work at all. This is a much better pick from a lyrical standpoint if your looking for some Beach Boys music to lift the spirits and have some fun.There won’t be as many tears with this one, just smiles and it’s over pretty quick. Isn’t that why you came to this article? It clocks in at 2.42.
# 4 – This Little Girl Of Mine
If you want a short rocking father dance that will also keep a little space between both of you but that still have that father daughter dance song spirit, well here you go. This one will work so well and it will keep the party swinging. If this version is too fast, check out the Ray Charles version which is slower but also funkier. This is one of the shortest songs on the list coming in just at over the two minute mark.
# 3 – First Man
This song is definitely one of the longest ones on the list but it still comes in at under four minutes. Nonetheless, this one seems to be written for father daughter dances. Because it’s so recent we wanted to include it on this list. Plus we love Camila Cabello.
# 2 – Glory
This one comes in at just over four minutes and is definitely the longest song on this Father Daughter Dance songs list but we were sure some may be looking for a hip hop Father Daughter dance and this one is as real as it gets. This one will have everyone joining in anyways and so it won’t feel that long. Jay Z nailed it on this one. Beyonce’s song “Blue,” is also perfect but that one runs a little longer.
# 1 – Goodbye To You
Come on have a sense of humor. You know there are some daughters or fathers that are feeling exactly like the words to the title of this song read. So why not? The great vocalist Patty Smyth sang this song when she was with Scandal and it remains one of the great 80s gems of all time. Perfect for a wedding for so many reasons.
Best Father Daughter Dances That Are Not Too Long article published on Classic RockHistory.com© 2021
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