North Texas Daily

This story is dedicated to all of the dads who are there for their kids and serve as positive role models for them. I would also like to dedicate this article to my dad and late uncle Tim, who I miss every day.

Rest In Peace Timothy Clyde Tittle, Aug. 7, 1956 to Jan. 20, 2020

With Father’s Day being tomorrow, I’ve been spending some time reflecting on my family experiences and getting excited for the day. I’ve also considered whether or not I would like to become a dad, and often I feel I would enjoy it. For those reasons and more, some pieces of media over the years have connected with me on an emotional level, especially as someone who would love to become a parental figure someday. With that in mind, I’ve compiled a list of my top songs to check out this Father’s Day weekend.  There’s no shame if you shed a tear or two while looking over the entries, so grab a box of tissues if you need to.

There have been plenty of songs written on the topic of fatherhood. While they aren’t always in the most optimistic circumstances, they’re still worth discussing. Hopefully, while we go over the songs, one will get to find gems among the crowd that can be enjoyed. 

1. “My Little Girl” by Tim McGraw: Tim McGraw is a performer who has been an all time favorite for me. I remember listening to his albums growing up and memorizing them by heart, and as someone who doesn’t cry often if any, there are two of his songs I’ve discovered brings tears to my eyes. “My Little Girl,” lyrically, tells the story of a man who cares for his daughter immensely, will always be there for her and how, even though she may be growing up, she’ll still always be his little girl. When hearing this song, it makes me think of how much joy being a parent can be and that, alongside Tim’s vocals, the writing and the production, melts my heart every time and causes me to go through plenty of tissues whenever I hear it. This song does make me cry, but those tears are joyful. 

2. “Live Like You Were Dying” by Tim McGraw: 

Lyrically, this song tells the tale of an individual in his early forties who’s learned that his father has a fatal illness. Due to the inevitable loss he’ll have to face, his son asks his father what he would do if he had the time to before his death. The father explains how he’d always wanted to go sky diving, mountain climbing, fishing and bull riding, but may never get the chance to. The son does these things, becomes a better husband and friend and works hard to become a better person and takes part in the activities that his father never got to do. Not only is this one of the best written songs that Tim’s had in his discography, but the sentiment behind it as well as his emotional performance and the production behind it has helped this song age well and has rightfully been considered a classic for those reasons among others.

3. “Cats In The Cradle” by Harry Chaplin: In this 1974 classic, Happy Chapin tells the story of a father who’s too busy with his job and responsibilities to spend time with his son while he’s growing up, and as a result, the son, who always wanted to be with his dad, ends up growing up to be just like him and ends up being too busy himself to spend time with his dad years later. The vocals, lyricism and production in this song help add to the Aesop intended of how, if one takes their time with another for granted, time will slip by and their chances they could’ve had will be far too late. This song, like the previous songs, has stood the test of time and has proven to be timeless and excellent.

Overall, there are plenty of pieces of media that one can enjoy when it comes to the topic of fatherhood. Being a parent is something that can bring someone much joy, happiness and lessons to learn. Hopefully, y’all will have a wonderful Father’s Day spending it with those you love.

Featured Illustration by Miranda Thomas