Grandparents and grandchildren have a very special relationship. It surprises many people when their parents seem to treat their children differently than when they were being raised, but it’s a natural part of life. The relationship grandchildren have with their grandparents is full of love and support in almost every scenario, with the grandparent acting as an important role model in the child’s life.
And though their time together is often not long enough, the life lessons and advice grandparents give their grandchildren are just as important as the way their parents raise them. In this article, we’ll look at 35 songs about grandchildren and the relationship they have with their grandparents, from touching tributes to a few funny entries.
1. Monument in Green – Big Head Todd And the Monsters
Monument In Green is a haunting, beautiful ballad about the passage of time. For kids, time passes quickly, but they tend not to notice. For older folks, it puts into perspective how fleeting life can be. The song itself stands as a tribute to the people who make an impact on our lives and with whom we have our fondest memories. It’s an excellent representation of the relationship between grandchildren and grandparents, full of incredible imagery and emotion.
2. Grandpa (Tell Me ‘Bout The Good Old Days) – The Judds
Grandpa (Tell Me ‘Bout The Good Old Days) is a timeless country classic from The Judds that was released in 1986. It serves as a conversation between a grandchild and their grandparent, in which the child wants to hear stories about their grandparent’s younger years. It’s the perfect representation of passing down wisdom through the generations and captures the loving relationship between grandchildren and the grandparents they look up to so often.
3. Dreaming Fields – Trisha Yearwood
Trisha Yearwood captures the essence of the country way of life, depicting the natural beauty of a rural area and the way it puts things into perspective. Dreaming Fields is a contemplative song that touches on hopes, dreams, and the way time can pass you by in the blink of an eye. It’s both a tribute to how beautiful a rural landscape can be and a touching reminder to cherish the little moments with your grandchildren. Her vocal performance is almost haunting, serving also as a warning that things won’t last forever.
4. Pissin’ in The Wind – Jerry Jeff Walker
Pissin’ In The Wind is a classic country song that just feels like something a grandparent would be telling their grandchild. It’s a funny track but it comes off as good-natured advice about how life can get complicated and that struggling is a natural part of it. In the end, it provides exactly the reality check that grandchildren should be getting from their grandparents, coming from a place of love just the way it would if your grandparents were saying the words to you.
5. Child of My Child – Jennifer Gaffney
Child Of My Child is a beautiful and emotional song that describes the relationship between mothers and daughters and then extends it to granddaughters specifically. Jennifer Gaffney’s performance is as tender as it is powerful, eloquently wishing the grandchild in the track a lifetime full of happiness.
It’s one of the most popular songs for grandparents to dedicate to their grandchildren, simply because it sums up what they want for them so well and serves as an amazing depiction of the love they feel for their grandchildren.
6. Song for My Grandchildren – Papo Lucca
Song For My Grandchildren is another touching ballad, but this one celebrates the relationship between a grandfather and all of his grandchildren. The nostalgia-laden song expresses the deep love he has for each of them, complete with the memories they’ve made together and the welcoming environment he hoped to cultivate in his own home. There’s a bit of longing in the track as well, as the grandfather talks about wanting more time with his grandchildren and how important the memories he makes with them are to him.
7. The Cajun Queen – Jimmy Dean
The Cajun Queen is a tribute to the Cajun people of Louisiana and their traditions. It pays homage to the women of the bayou, especially grandmothers who tend to have a major impact on their grandchildren in that area. The song stays upbeat and practically joyful, extolling the virtues of the Cajun culture and celebrating the way family plays an important role in all of their lives.
It’s not a track that calls out grandchildren or grandparents by name, but the implications about family make it an excellent piece of music for this list and a snapshot of the region’s unique culture.
8. Little Peanut – Nancy Stewart
Little Peanut is much more playful and fun than many of the heartfelt ballads on this list. Nancy Stewart sings about the joy that enters a grandparent’s life when a grandchild is born, with all the excitement and happiness that surrounds welcoming a new baby into the family. It’s a great track to dedicate to grandchildren and one that younger ones will enjoy, full of imagery like peanuts and elephants and monkeys. This one works incredibly well at baby showers, but it can be a great song for grandchildren of all ages.
9. Gravedigger – Dave Matthews Band
Gravedigger is a song that uses the image of a gravedigger as a symbol that life doesn’t go on forever. There’s an acceptance of the singer’s own mortality in the track that gives it an eerie yet beautiful tone. When it comes to grandchildren, their grandparents are often their first experience with death, making the song both a valuable lesson for them and a sad reminder to cherish the little bit of time they have with their family members before it’s too late.
10. ’39 – Queen
The song 39 is a lesser-known track from Queen and might seem like an odd choice for this list. It dives into sci-fi themes like time dilation, space travel, and going into the future. The protagonist goes on a space journey and returns to Earth to find that many years have passed despite not aging. It’s a song that tells some incredible stories, all of which serve as a reminder to cherish your loved ones and not take them for granted.
11. Easy Listening – Steve Taylor
Easy Listening by Steve Taylor is both a satirical song about the passage of time and the good old days that grandparents often tell their children about, and a tribute to the relationship between grandparents and grandchildren. The singer gathers their grandchildren around them, laments the state of the future, and talks about bringing back the things that were popular during their era.
It’s a bit of a common trope that talks about the passage of time and looks back on the past through rose-colored glasses, but it’s done in such a unique and funny way that it’s worth listening to in this case.
12. Kooks – David Bowie
Kooks was written by David Bowie for his newborn son in 1971, but the message in the song can be just as important for grandchildren as it would be for a person’s child. It mostly focuses on telling the child to be themselves, even if they might be thought of as weird because that allows them to stay free. It’s full of life observations and wisdom that only comes with age, which makes it the perfect track about the relationship between grandparents and grandchildren.
13. As – Stevie Wonder
As was one of Stevie Wonder’s best tracks on his album Songs In The Key Of Life. It focuses primarily on the way he feels for his partner, his love and dedication making him want to stick beside them through anything. This isn’t one that directly talks about grandchildren, but the actual themes of the song are perfect for expressing the way a grandparent loves their grandchildren. No matter what they do or what they go through, a grandparent is always going to stand beside and love their grandchild.
14. Heaven Somewhere – Common
Heaven Somewhere is an electronic song that explores the hope that we have somewhere to go when we die. It’s an especially poignant track for grandchildren who know they will, or already have, lost one of their grandparents. Everyone hopes that the people we love are able to look down on us and smile, and this song from Common captures that hope and the peace it can bring during times of loss extremely well.
15. Holify – PHOAC Feat. A.SAINT
Holify is a song that captures the joyous nature of the relationship between grandparents and grandchildren better than most. The infectious electronic track includes heartfelt lyrics about how precious that intergenerational relationship is and how impactful the memories shared between the two are. It’s a modern take on how grandchildren feel about their grandparents and an excellent representation of the happiness the relationship brings both sides.
16. Nine Little Grandkids – Bill Thwing
Nine Little Grandkids is a happy song about how joyful it is to be a grandparent. Grandchildren bring some of the best happiness life has to offer and a growing family is something worth celebrating. Bill Thwing’s beautiful track is sure to put a smile on your face and remind you to cherish the time you get to spend with your loved ones, as well as remind listeners of the things that are truly important in life.
17. Four Leaf Clover – Bending Rodriguez
Four Leaf Clover is a song all about luck and positivity. These are the very things grandparents wish for their grandchildren throughout their lives, hoping they will find happiness and be true to themselves. It’s a track full of heartfelt lyrics, sounding almost like a parent or grandparent is wishing these things for their grandchild and coming off ultimately as supportive. Released in 2020, it’s a song that hasn’t made its way to tribute for grandchildren yet, but it’s well on its way to being one of the most popular.
18. Looking After Us – Aster & the X Band
Looking After Us is a song that explores the idea of someone who is always looking out for and looking over us. Having a protector or guide in a challenging life is a major comfort, and many grandchildren think of their grandparents in this way, especially after they’ve passed on. This is a great track from Aster and the X Band about love, hope, and comfort.
19. Something Left to Give – The Starting Line
Something Left To Give is a powerful song about how people still have a lot to offer as they age and a reminder to grandchildren to not discount their grandparent’s experiences. Even if an older person isn’t as strong as they once were, the generational wisdom they have to offer is priceless. It’s up to younger generations to latch onto it and make something of themselves, with this track producing a heartfelt reminder of those things.
20. That’s What Grandpas Do – Gord Bamford
That’s What Grandpas Do is a special song that captures the way grandfathers treat their grandchildren and how much love they have to give. From sharing special moments together to teaching the grandchildren lessons about life. It’s a song that shows the dedication and love grandparents show to their grandchildren.
21. When I’m Sixty Four – The Beatles
The Beatles’ When I’m Sixty Four is a timeless classic that explores the idea of growing old and the love of a family. It perfectly captures the love and bonds between generations, especially when partners are able to stay together and never let go of their love. When it comes to grandchildren, this song is a sentimental track about how much joy they bring and the love a grandparent has for them.
22. We Are The Stars – Elizabeth Chan
We Are The Stars is a heartwarming and uplifting song about the legacies we leave behind. It talks about grandparents as the stars that watch over their grandchildren throughout their lives. Even if the only thing we’re left with is memories, those are the things that can keep us going when times get tough.
23. Honor The Earth – Nahko and Medicine for the People
Honor The Earth by Nahko And Medicine For The People is a song that serves as a tribute to how beautiful the natural world is and a reminder that we must be good stewards of it if future generations will be able to enjoy it too.
It puts the environment front and center, putting problems into perspective by talking about how it will affect our grandchildren despite not harming us too much. The lush atmospheric production gives it a feeling of importance and power, but it’s the vocal performance that makes the strong message in the track resonate so well.
24. I’ve Got a Thing About Seeing My Grandson Grow Old – Cat Stevens
I’ve Got A Thing About Seeing My Grandson Grow Old is a heart-wrenching song that dives into the desire to live on in order to see the biggest moments of a loved one’s life. It captures the feeling of grandparents who want to stick around to see their grandchildren get older, to get to see who they grow into as they age and how their life turns out.
It’s a deeply sad, yet nostalgic track from Cat Stevens about remembering to cherish the bonds between family members and make the most of your time with them.
25. You’re Gonna Be – Reba McEntire
You’re Gonna Be by Reba McEntire encapsulates the way grandparents believe in and feel about their grandchildren. It’s a song that follows the journey through life, from birth to adulthood, and the singer promises that she’ll be there every step of the way to support the subject of the track. It’s a powerful tribute to grandchildren and also a way to honor loved ones who have passed on and always supported you.
26. Grandpa Told Me So – Kenny Chesney
Grandpa Told Me So might be one of the more popular tracks at funerals for grandfathers. It does a great job explaining the relationship between grandfathers and their grandchildren, placing special importance on the lasting impact that they have on their grandchildren’s lives. It was a huge hit for Kenny Chesney, and it’s a song that will likely bring a tear to your eye as you ponder your own grandparents.
27. Grandaddy’s Gun – Blake Shelton
Guns are something that is passed down through the generations as a sentimental keepsake, but it’s more than just a valuable piece of property. For many people living in rural areas, their grandparent’s gun symbolizes all the time they spent with them outdoors, making memories. That’s the subject of Blake Shelton’s heartfelt song Grandaddy’s Gun.
28. Nan’s Song – Robbie Williams
Nan’s Song might be one of the most impactful singles on this entire list. It explores how personal and important grandparents and grandchildren’s relationships are with each other, with all the love they offer each other. It’s also an incredible piece of songwriting that shows how masterful Robbie Williams can be when it comes to penning meaningful lyrics.
29. Grandma’s House – Killer Mike
Grandma’s House is an R&B and rap tribute to grandmothers and their homes. They serve as a welcoming place where you can always get a good meal and find support, no matter what else has been going on in life. It’ll make even the most stoic feel at least a bit sentimental when they listen to it, remembering times they’ve spent with their grandmother.
30. I’m My Own Grandpa – Willie Nelson
Admittedly, I’m My Own Grandpa is a novelty song, originally performed in 1947 about a man who becomes his own grandfather through a set of unlikely marriages. Willie Nelson’s version of the track is the best-known one we have today, and it’s good for a laugh, even if becoming your own grandchild isn’t the easiest—or best—thing to try to pull off.
31. My Angel – Kellie Pickler
My Angel is a song that speaks from the perspective of a grandchild preparing for their grandparent to die. Kellie Pickler thinks of her grandmother as her guardian angel, singing about what a great guide and support she has been for her over the years.
32. Grandchildren – Steven A. Rue
Grandchildren by Steven A. Rue is one of the most popular tributes for grandchildren today. It’s been used across YouTube, TikTok, and other social media in touching tributes from grandparents who love their grandchildren more than life itself.
33. Lonely Road – The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus
Lonely Road is framed as a conversation between a grandparent and their grandchild. It’s full of life lessons that you would normally hear from your own grandparents and the best advice it gives is to cherish the journey rather than just the destination in life.
34. Granddaddy’s Song – Kyle Bennett Band
Granddaddy’s Song is a tribute from a grandson to their now-deceased grandfather. He talks about the way he was taught to be confident and respectful. Being humble is important, but knowing your worth is just as important. The grandfather in the track is the one who instilled love and strength in the narrator, and he carries those lessons with him each and every day.
35. Tomorrow – U2
Tomorrow is a beautiful song from U2 that talks about being able to visit the people we miss. It leans into the idea of wishing we could spend more time with our loved ones after they’ve passed on, making a touching tribute to the relationship between grandparents and their grandchildren.
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As a contributing writer for Music Grotto, Dakotah writes and produces professional music/media content. He works closely with editorial staff to meet editorial standards and create
quality content for the Music Grotto website. Dakotah is passionate about music in a wide variety of genres, from hip-hop to country and lo-fi to metal, and he enjoys creating music pieces for Music Grotto.
