Old songs have the power to transport us back in time and space. Just a few bars of melody can remind us, vividly, of someone we love (or would rather forget) and the moments we shared with him or her. When it comes to loved ones, a song we haven’t heard in forever can make us think fondly of a friend, a sibling, or a parent.
For me, I can’t listen to any song on U2’s “Joshua Tree” album without seeing my dad and his best friend, back in 1990, painting the living room of our (then) new house. I was six years old at the time, but I get just two notes in, and everything about that day comes rushing back. My dad’s early nineties ‘stache, his friend’s mullet, both of their paint-spattered overalls, and Bono, belting out a tinny, “Where the streets have no name…” from a rectangular cassette deck.
Since music is a great way to recall fond memories and celebrate your pops, we compiled a playlist of famous songs about dads for you to play on Father’s Day.
Enjoy: