Ooh child: 20 essential songs about having a baby

In 1998, Lauryn Hill released her solo debut album The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill. One of the standout tracks is “To Zion,” which is a song dedicated to her oldest child. On the track, she details the moment she found she was expecting and the different emotions and criticisms that followed with this life change. As she sings on the track, “And I thank you for choosing me / To come through unto life to be / A beautiful reflection of his grace / See I know that a gift so great / Is only one God could create / And I’m reminded everytime I see your face.” 

In 2000, Celine Dion decided to take a hiatus from her music career and focus on her personal life. During that time, she gave birth to her first child René-Charles Angélil and her 2002 single “A New Day Has Come” was dedicated to him. As she sings in the second verse, “Where it was dark, now there’s light / Where there was pain, now there’s joy / Where there was weakness, I found my strength / All in the eyes of a boy.” 

Stevie Wonder’s 1976 hit song “Isn’t She Lovely” is a track in dedication to his first-born child Aisha Morris. The song begins with a baby crying before Wonder goes into singing, “Isn’t she lovely? / Isn’t she wonderful? / Isn’t she precious? / Less than one minute old.” 

In 1995, country singer George Strait released his box set album Strait Out of the Box, which featured the track "I Saw God Today." In the song, Strait gives the perspective of a couple who just gave birth. As he sings towards the end of the song, "She's got my nose / She's got her momma's eyes / My brand new baby girl / She's a miracle / I saw God today."

Ed Sheeran takes on a different approach of expectancy with his 2012 song “Small Bump.” The song first starts with Sheeran describing a woman being five months pregnant, who knows they have four months until their baby is officially welcomed into the world. However, at the end of the song, Sheeran highlights how the woman unfortunately has a miscarriage. As he sings in the outro, “‘Cause you were just a small bump unborn / For four months then torn from life / Maybe you were needed up there / But we’re still unaware as why.”

In 2015, Ciara released her sixth album Jackie which featured the deep cut “I Got You.” Written by in-demand songwriter Diane Warren, Ciara uses the track as a letter to her oldest child Future. The beginning of the track finds Ciara singing a lullaby with Future cooing in the background before she tells him that she’ll always be there to protect him. As she sings in the third verse, “I’ll be there to stop the bleeding / I’ll be there to start the healing / I will give you what you’re needing / I’ll be right there.” 

“You’re Gonna Be (Always Loved By Me)” is the lead single from Reba McEntire’s compilation alum Reba #1’s. McEntire uses the track to give a mom’s perspective on having her first child and the advice she hopes her child will learn. It’s evident from the first verse as she sings, “6lbs. and 9oz. Looking up at me / Like I have all the answers / I hope I have the ones you need / I’ve never really done this / Now I know what scared is.” 

In 2024, Big Sean released his sixth album Better Me Than You. On the single “On Up,” Sean dedicates the track to his son, in which he reflects on how he wants to teach and protect him as he continues to grow and eventually have a family of his own. As he says on the track, “The older that I get I’m feeling the resemblance / I look into my son’s eyes and still see his innocence / I see my inner child in him and still the remnants / Will he lose it to the world, is it imminent / Or is it something me and his mama had instilled in him” 

In 2015, country singer Carrie Underwood released her fifth studio album Storyteller. One of the standout tracks is “What I Never Knew I Always Wanted,” in which Underwood reflects on how becoming a mother has changed her life for the better. As she sings in the second verse, “Never pictured myself singing lullabies / Sittin’ in a rockin’ chair in the middle of the night / In the quiet, in the dark / You’re stealing every bit of my heart with your daddy’s eyes / What a sweet surprise.” 

Will Smith took some sample inspiration from Bill Withers and Grover Washington Jr. on his 1997 hit single “Just the Two of Us.” On the track, Smith recollects when his first child Trey was born and his desire to be a good father. His stance is evident from the first verse as he says, “From the first time the doctor placed you in my arms / I knew I’d meet death ‘fore I let you meet harm / Although questions arose in my mind, would I be man enough / Against wrong, choose right and be standing up?” 

Tim McGraw reflects on how his daughter is growing up on his 2006 single “My Little Girl.” On the track, he details how no matter how old his daughter gets, she’ll always be his little girl in his eyes. As he sings in the first verse, “I remember I thought you looked like an angel wrapped in pink / So soft and warm / You’ve had me wrapped around your finger since the day you were born."

DJ Khaled recruited Chance The Rapper on his 2017 track “I Love You So Much,” a song he dedicated to his son. Along with Chance handling the hook, Khaled uses the verses as speeches to celebrate the love he has for his child saying, “Mom and daddy love you / There’s nothing that you can’t do / You the greatest that ever did it / You’re born blessed.” 

In 2015, Macklemore and Ryan Lewis released their sophomore album This Unruly Mess I’ve Made. They teamed up with Ed Sheeran on “Growing Up (Sloane’s Song),” a track dedicated to Macklemore’s daughter Sloane. In the song, they highlight how parents typically have hopes and fears with this new life change. As Macklemore says in the first verse, “They say boys don’t cry / But your dad has shed a lot of tears / They say I should be a strong man / But baby, I’m still filled with fear.” 

Kenny Chesney’s “There Goes My Life” is the lead single from his eighth album When the Sun Goes Down. On the track, Chesney gives the perspective of a teenage boy who finds out that his girlfriend is pregnant. While he initially thinks his life and dreams are ruined, the baby grows up and the boy realizes it was a life blessing. 

Jhene Aiko teams up with her daughter Namiko Love on her 2017 track “Sing to Me.” In the song, they showcase how a mother and daughter have a special bond and love for each other. 

In 2006, The Chicks released their seventh album Taking the Long Way which featured the track "Lullaby." On the track, The Chicks describe the feelings a parent has when they have a child. 

In 1970, Carole King released her debut album Writer, which featured the deep cut “Child of Mine.” On the track, King describes how each generation is different from the last, and not only do parents teach lessons to their children, but they can learn something from their kids as well. As she sings in the third verse, “The times you were born in may not have been the best / But you can make the times to come better than the rest / I know you will be honest if you can’t always be kind / Oh yes, sweet darling / So glad you’re a child of mine.” 

Just two years after releasing her debut album, Carrie Underwood returned with her sophomore project Carnival Ride. The album featured the hit single “All-American Girl,” in which the first verse details how a father hopes for a baby boy but gets a little girl instead, and the third verse details how the girl’s husband hopes they’ll have a daughter just like her. 

Rock band Creed knows how emotions can be all over the place when people find out they’re going to be parents in their 1999 song “With Arms Wide Open.” On the track, they highlight how the news can be shocking and know their lives will change. As they sing on the second verse, “Well I don’t know if I’m ready / To be the man I have to be / I’ll take a breath, I’ll take her by my side / We stand in awe, we’ve created life.”

In 2017, Brandi Carlile released her sixth album By the Way, I Forgive You, which featured the track “The Mother.” In the song, Carlile gives details to how her life has changed since entering motherhood such as having free time and the need to cancel plans.