Alejandro Fernández covered this gorgeous mariachi song once sung by his own father, the great Vicente Fernández. Penned by Manuel Monterrosas, Alejandro sings with pathos about his father growing old, wishing time would stop. “My father was strong, intelligent, better than any other/ Today, I don’t want the years to pass, because my father is old, his hands covered with wrinkles and his hair covered with snow.”

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In the 1995 song, the singer-songwriter expresses the feelings of a son who, growing up, can appreciate the sacrifices made by his father. “Today I have finally realized, that you added me from your subtraction,” he sings. It is a memorable ballad for those who identify with the artist’s desire to reciprocate a father’s efforts: “And let me, for tonight, be the hands that wrap you up, and let me give you a new coat in good condition/ And let me shout how proud I am of you, and that you are that friend who gave me life.” 

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With a bolero with deeply moving rap rhymes, the Puerto Rican artists writes to his father — who suffers from Alzheimer’s, a disease that has taken away some memories, but not the ability to remember music and play the guitar. “Because today I see your eyes and I contemplate your look, that you want to tell me something, but you don’t tell me anything/ Sometimes I feel that you are leaving and that you have lost track, but you come back, again, and we sing another song.” At the end of the video, you can see an emotional clip of his father listening to the song and recognizing that it belongs to his son.

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The bond between a father and daughter is a special kind of love, and it’s beautifully depicted in this song. The Aguilars combine traditional mariachi music with the harmony of Ángela and Pepe’s potent vocals, creating a heartfelt tribute to this everlasting connection.

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Multiple artists have recorded this classic by songwriter Raúl Osuna Pérez, including Banda Camino and the “Puma” from Sinaloa. But the most popular version is undoubtedly by Antonio Aguilar, included on multiple greatest hit albums and compilations. “How I miss my father/ With each step I take/ How lonely my mother is/ Now my God took him away,” goes the sad, heartfelt Mexican ballad, which pays homage to a late father and the teachings he left behind. More recently, Chuy Lizárraga performed it in a tribute to Aguilar, who died in 2007.

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Powered by a nostalgic requinto, Becky G’s tribute to her grandfather “Querido Abuelo” is a tearjerking track that can be described as an open letter to Becky’s late abuelito, as she honors his existence and the influence he had on her ever since she was little. “Querido abuelo,” she sings emotionally, “Your memory in my soul is always present/ I would give anything to hug you once more.”

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In a nostalgic music video filled with printed images, Edén Muñoz fondly remembers some of the best moments of his childhood and expresses gratitude towards his father. He even wishes that there is another life so that his father can be with him again — as he mentions in the song “Ahí te va Rodolfo.”

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In a heartfelt pop ballad titled “Quizás” (Perhaps), Enrique Iglesias sings about losing touch with his father over the years but never forgetting about him. He narrates how he’s been working hard but feels alone nonetheless. “Perhaps life separates us more each day more/ Perhaps life distances us from reality/ Perhaps you’re looking for a desert and I’m looking for an ocean/ Perhaps, thanks to life, I love you more,” he chants.

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Música Mexicana hitmakers Fuerza Regida and Peso Pluma join forces to deliver an impassioned ode to their father, “Igualito a Mi Apá.” Leading with brassy melodies and whirling requinto interplay, the two regional acts pay respect to their own fathers, while embracing the tradition of the ever-expanding genre. Although they boast about a life of luxury (“The jacket is Paz/ And the sunglasses are Prada”), Fuerza and Peso sing about being proud to be like their father as they take after his footsteps. The single peaked at No. 80 on the Billboard Hot 100.

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The Colombian artist gives us a gem full of love and feeling with “Feliz Día, Padre,” a bittersweet and elegant ranchera that cuts straight to the heart. With classic trumpet and guitar combo enriched by accordion melodies, this song achieves a perfect balance between traditional and modern. The lyrics are a sincere tribute to the Urbe’s father, highlighting the love and respect she feels towards that irreplaceable pillar in life. “Happy day, father/ God bless you every step/ May you go forward/ And let me be there to help you/ And accompany you every moment that you are,” he sings. This piece not only celebrates parents, but reminds us of the importance of expressing our feelings in life.

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“Padre Mío” is a heartfelt ode to a father’s unconditional love and sacrifices. Jaramillo reflects on the unwavering guidance and wisdom passed down by a father who shaped his journey through life. He painfully acknowledges the inevitability of time, while expressing gratitude for a parent’s strength and devotion. A true classic in Latin America, “Padre Mío” continues to resonate and connects us to the bittersweet emotions of love, respect, and nostalgia for the first hero many of us come to know: our father.

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In “Confieso,” García opens up about her loving relationship with her late father, who passed away in 2017. “He was the closest person to me,” she previously said to Billboard. “When he was first diagnosed with cancer, I wrote him a song called ‘Demasiado Bueno,’ and I was with him until his last breath. I was lucky enough that he heard 90 percent of the songs on this album.”

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Italian singer-songwriter Laura Pausini gets personal with “La Meta de Mi Viaje,” a stripped-down ballad in which she pays tribute to that father figure. “With your kisses we woke up/ You slept while Silvia and I went to that school/ You told us, ‘You go to learn.’/ And you taught us how to live every day more and more/ With your eyes full of that love for two daughters, crazy with hope,” Pausini sings.

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One of the most beautiful songs in Maná’s catalog, “El Reloj Cucú” is an emotional track about the grief that comes after losing a father. Part of their 1995 Cuando Los Ángeles Lloran album, lead vocalist Fher Olvera sings, “This love song is for my papa, who left to be part of the wind, he left us alone.”

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Last year, Mexican artist Mario Bautista premiered “Pa’l Viejo” just in time for Father’s Day. The song is an emotional bolero ballad dedicated to Mario’s dad, Carlos Daniel Bautista, whom he honors for showing him pure love and teaching him not to fear anything in life.

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Not precisely a song from son to father or father to son, but in “Mi Viejo,” Chilean newcomer Mati Gómez tells the story of the best dating advice he’s received from his dad. “One day my old man told me/that just as you win you also lose sometimes/ To not give my heart to those who do not deserve/ To not fall in love with all the ones I kiss,” he sings in the pop-reggaetón track.

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In the midst of the global pandemic, on Father’s Day 2020, Ozuna dropped “Mi Niña,” a sweet reggaetón track that was released as “a gift to my daughter primarily and for all of you. Congratulations to all the fathers of the world on their week and always,” he expressed in the caption of his YouTube video. The music video features the Puerto Rican artist and his baby girl.

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An all-time classic, this 1960s ballad was originally released by Italian-Argentine artist Piero and is dedicated to his father — or as the title indicates, “my old man.” The timeless Father’s Day anthem tells a story about an older gentleman whose years have finally caught up to him, and whose son is his very own reflection. “Mi Viejo” has been covered by many artists, including Vicente Fernández, Leo Dan, Elefante and Antony Santos.

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Roberto Carlos created a true classic in this song about friendship that is perfect to dedicate to a close and loving father: “You are my soul friend every day/ A smile and a festive hug at each arrival/ You tell me such great truths with open phrases/ You are really the most certain thing in uncertain hours,” goes part of the lyrics. Co-written by Roberto Carlos and his frequent collaborator Erasmo Carlos, to whom the singer dedicated the song, “Amigo” originally debuted in Portuguese as part of his self-titled album in 1977. Two years later, its popularity got a boost when a children’s choir sang it for Pope John Paul II during his visit to Mexico.

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On his song “Luka” from his 2022 album Mundo, Santa Fe Klan pours his heart out, smoothing his usual hard-hitting bars to a more melodic approach. “Let’s walk the world together/ Ask the moon how much I love you/ This is true love and the love is so true,” sings the Mexican rapper in Spanish against the tender, stripped-down piano ballad. “The song ‘Luka’ was written for my unborn son at the time […] I also have his name on my fingers,” he told Billboard Español in March. 

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Set against a smooth, soulful hip-hop beat, Tego Calderón’s “A Mi Papá” is a touching rap tribute to his father. Lyrically rich and emotionally vulnerable, the song paints a portrait of love and respect for the man who shaped his life. Calderón’s raw honesty in reflecting on his father’s sacrifices and wisdom evokes a similar conviction as Tupac’s “Dear Mama.” El Abayarde, as he’s also known, delivers an homage that resonates with anyone who cherishes the enduring impact of a parent’s love.

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Few songs capture the innocence of childhood quite like “Hoy Tengo Que Decirte Papá” by Timbiriche. With its joyous lyrics sung through a youthful lens, this classic Mexican pop ballad feels like an earnest letter to all fathers. The upbeat melody contrasts beautifully with the tender message: an expression of love, appreciation, and admiration for the sacrifices and wisdom of a father’s role. As the ‘80s children’s group harmonizes, their words evoke universal feelings of connection and nostalgia, making it a song that has stood the test of time as a cherished anthem for Father’s Day or any occasion honoring dads.

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Accompanied by nostalgic sierreño guitars and a soulful tuba, Ulises Chaidez’s “Para Ti Papá” is an intimate tribute to the quiet sacrifices of fatherhood. With lyrics like “I know you love me even though you hardly say so/ I know you miss me, your hugs tell me so,” the Mexican singer reflects on the unspoken bond between father and son. The song blends tender melodies with heartfelt storytelling, honoring the legacy of love and lessons passed from one generation to the next.

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The Mexican ranchera star has many anthems that could be sung on many occasions. But a must for Father’s Day is his nostalgic “El Hombre Que Más te Amó (The Man That Loved You the Most)” sung from a father’s perspective dedicated to his kids. “When you miss your father, who’s gone to heaven with God/ If you want to hug him or show him your love, the kisses that you give your children/ I will receive them also.”

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Víctor Manuelle opened his heart in 2015 with the emotional “Algo Le Pasa A Mi Héroe,” a song dedicated to his father in which he addressed the disease that was afflicting him: Alzheimer’s. “Something’s wrong with my hero, something’s wrong with him/ I only see a void in his gaze/ Something’s wrong with my hero, he doesn’t say anything/ He doesn’t repeat the stories he used to tell me,” begins the moving track. In 2020, two years after the death of his dad, the salsa star released a new version of the song with Tommy Torres, Kany García, Gilberto Santa Rosa, Pedro Capó, and Noel Schajris to benefit the Association of Alzheimer’s and Related Disorders of Puerto Rico.

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