Songs About Grandparents

Grandparents get fewer songs than parents do, but the ones that exist tend to land hard: the worn hands, the long memory, the same story told one more time. A couple here are for saying goodbye, and one is purely for laughs.

Updated 2026

  1. 1

    Grandma's Hands by Bill Withers 1971

    A grandson remembering a whole woman through her hands.

  2. 2

    Grandpa (Tell Me 'Bout the Good Old Days) by The Judds 1986

    A child asking an elder whether the world was ever simpler.

  3. 3

    My Grandfather's Clock by Henry Clay Work 1876

    A clock that stops the moment the old man does, sung for over a century.

  4. 4

    Time in a Bottle by Jim Croce 1973

    Wishing you could save time and spend it with the people you love.

  5. 5

    Remember When by Alan Jackson 2003

    A lifetime together looked back on from the far end of it.

  6. 6

    Have I Told You Lately by Van Morrison 1989

    A tender gratitude that fits anyone who raised you.

  7. 7

    Unforgettable by Nat King Cole & Natalie Cole 1991

    A daughter singing with her late father, a whole legacy in one duet.

  8. 8

    Old and Wise by The Alan Parsons Project 1982

    An old soul looking back with calm and no regret.

  9. 9

    Forever Young by Rod Stewart 1988

    A blessing handed down to the next generation.

  10. 10

    Seasons in the Sun by Terry Jacks 1974

    A gentle goodbye to the family left behind.

  11. 11

    Visiting Hours by Ed Sheeran 2021

    Wishing for one more afternoon with someone now gone.

  12. 12

    Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer by Elmo & Patsy 1979

    The novelty classic every family plays to break the tension.

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