Salute to Father's Day Songs

Businesses make more money on Mother's Day in May than they do on Father's Day, which is really not surprising. Mothers have always seemed to get more accolades and recognition than do their male counterparts. Custody rulings for the final five decades of the 20^th Century almost always favored the divorced mother over the father, which is perhaps the most telling example of how the maternal parent has been considered more important than the father.

Even in the world of popular songs the trend seems to hold true. Popular songs with mother in their titles are more prominent than those mentioning father or dad. The Beatles have several songs about mother, but not even one that mentions dad. Pink Floyd dedicated an entire two-disc album to the Mother who built "The Wall."

However, not every band and recording artist ignored the importance of fathers. I made a list of father and dad songs, and here are the best ten among them.

10. "Daddy Don't Live in That New York City No More" by Steely Dan: I don't think Daddy moved out of the Big Apple. The lyrics from this Katy Lied track imply that Daddy was killed while driving drunk, although the happy melody seems to contradict such an interpretation.

9. "I Believe in Father Christmas" by Greg Lake (Emerson, Lake and Palmer): This is a beautiful acoustic song, one of the few pieces I look forward to hearing every winter.

8. "Daddy' Gone" by Glasvegas: This is one of the best tracks from the Scottish indie band's self-titled debut. Negatively directed towards a deadbeat father, this is not a song to play with the card you get dear old dad.

7. "Daddy Frank" by Merle Haggard: The country music legend touches everyone with this track about his deaf mama and her blind friend Frank, making music as they sleep in tents along the highway.

6. "A Father and Son" by Loudon Wainwright: One of the many autobiographical tracks from History, the folk singer here addresses his teenage son about their frequent disagreements. "When I was your age I was just like you" is the opening statement he makes to Rufus, who himself has grown into a revered musician.

5. "Father and Son" by Cat Stevens: This is a sad but beautiful composition that became one of the many hits for the singer-songwriter. The lyrics are comprised mainly of a conversation between a father and his son, and every male listener feels goosebumps by the song's closing acoustic chord.

4. "Father of Night" by Bob Dylan: This tribute to an unclear male parent is a quick-paced, piano-based highlight from New Morning. Both the song and the album are often unjustifiably overlooked because they were released between Dylan's 60s peak and his mid 70s landmark Blood on the Tracks.

3. "Gone Daddy Gone" by The Violent Femmes: The song is likely about the temptation of statutory rape ("Hey little girl love your dress, High school smile oh yes)," but the jaunty beat and rhythmical bells are far more seductive than any sexual temptress.

2."Daddy Raised a Boy" by Scott Miller and the Commonwealth: Miller's alternative country-folk hooked me from the first time I heard this track from Thus Always to Tyrants. The guy reflects on the disagreements he had with his dad, realizing that the son fell short of what his old man deserves in a son.

1. "Daddy Sang Bass" by Johnny Cash: This classic has always been my favorite Cash song. I love the way June Carter belts out Mama's tenor part, and the inclusion of the hymn "Will the Circle Be Unbroken?" makes this a perfect country song