# Songs about parental advice **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 2, 2016, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-parental-advice/773641 "2016-12-02T15:33:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Human\_Action](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ac91a4/32.png) [@Human\_Action](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Human_Action)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2016, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-parental-advice/773641/1 "2016-12-02T15:33:40Z")
I’m a sucker for songs from a parent’s POV, giving life advice to their child. How many are there? 1. [“Simple Man”](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sHQ_aTjXObs), Lynyrd Skynyrd. 2. [“Outfit”](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BqOCOEdZ0uo), Drive-By Truckers / Jason Isbell. 3. [“Madeline”](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8YAJMkqEp98), BJ Barham. 4. [“Keep It Between The Lines”](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_-H1oxkpHps), Sturgill Simpson. ---
**Author:** ![buddha\_david](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ee7513/32.png) [@buddha\_david](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/buddha_david)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2016, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-parental-advice/773641/2 "2016-12-02T15:36:59Z")
“Coward of the County”, Kenny Rogers. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2016, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-parental-advice/773641/3 "2016-12-02T15:48:51Z")
“Father and Son,” Cat Stevens (or, half of it is). Not a song, but my favorite quote on the subject: “One of these days in your travels, a guy is going to show you a brand-new deck of cards on which the seal is not yet broken. Then this guy is going to offer to bet you that he can make the jack of spades jump out of this brand-new deck of cards and squirt cider in your ear. But, son, do not accept this bet, because as sure as you stand there, you’re going to wind up with an ear full of cider.” – **Guys & Dolls** ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2016, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-parental-advice/773641/4 "2016-12-02T15:58:47Z")
_[Shop Around](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AQGXa3FiXKM)_-The Miracles ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2016, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-parental-advice/773641/5 "2016-12-02T16:09:05Z")
[Don’t Eat the Yellow Snow](http://www.lyricsfreak.com/f/frank+zappa/dont+eat+the+yellow+snow_20056563.html) - Frank Zappa ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2016, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-parental-advice/773641/6 "2016-12-02T16:15:55Z")
[Mama Told Me Not To Come](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rKaQzQAlNn4) – Three Dog Night ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2016, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-parental-advice/773641/7 "2016-12-02T16:16:24Z")
[Still Fighting It](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kqPwR39VMh0) by Ben Folds Also, [Gracie](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SwQrFUi55rI)by Ben Folds about the other twin, but it’s not as advice-y as “Still Fighting It” it’s more of an admiration. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2016, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-parental-advice/773641/8 "2016-12-02T16:17:31Z")
[You Can’t Hurry Love](https://play.google.com/music/preview/Tmmidhikesc6jygi3ahysf72doa?lyrics=1&utm_source=google&utm_medium=search&utm_campaign=lyrics&pcampaignid=kp-songlyrics) - Supremes ---
**Author:** ![Walken\_After\_Midnight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/b487fb/32.png) [@Walken\_After\_Midnight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walken_After_Midnight)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2016, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-parental-advice/773641/9 "2016-12-02T16:19:05Z")
I like John Lee Hooker’s parents. From “Boogie Chillen’”: > [@](#): > > One night I was layin’ down, > I heard mama and papa talkin’. > I heard papa tell mama to “Let that boy boogie-woogie, > 'Cos it’s in him and it got to come out”. > Well, I felt so good, > And I went on boogie-woogiein’ just the same. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2016, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-parental-advice/773641/10 "2016-12-02T16:37:25Z")
[Momma Said Knock You Out](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vimZj8HW0Kg) - LL Cool J ---
**Author:** ![WOOKINPANUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wookinpanub/32/132_2.png) [@WOOKINPANUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WOOKINPANUB)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2016, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-parental-advice/773641/11 "2016-12-02T16:37:44Z")
_Mama Said There’d be Days Like This_ _Magic Man_ _Yakety Yak_ ---
**Author:** ![Ponch8](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ponch8/32/9883_2.png) [@Ponch8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponch8)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2016, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-parental-advice/773641/12 "2016-12-02T16:41:14Z")
Think - [“Once You Understand”](https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwiZmvSt-dXQAhWl24MKHamSArMQyCkIIDAA&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DhaCqD9Ps0co&usg=AFQjCNE198AMybyHlAFyXORA2SCHuU5S9A&sig2=51KpywIcfzecUzcbZG5OfQ). One of the most unintentionally funny songs ever (especially the part when the policeman visits the father). ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2016, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-parental-advice/773641/13 "2016-12-02T16:44:02Z")
Father to Son - Queen Distant Early Warning - Rush ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2016, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-parental-advice/773641/14 "2016-12-02T16:49:01Z")
[“Mama Says”](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PXILKwxEq_Y), The Beach Boys ---
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2016, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-parental-advice/773641/15 "2016-12-02T16:59:22Z")
I’m surprised no one mentioned [Que Sera, Sera](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=azxoVRTwlNg) yet. ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2016, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-parental-advice/773641/16 "2016-12-02T17:03:08Z")
[_Get a Job_](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Get_a_Job_(song)) by the Silhouettes. ---
**Author:** ![BubbaDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bubbadog/32/333_2.png) [@BubbaDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BubbaDog)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2016, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-parental-advice/773641/17 "2016-12-02T17:05:55Z")
[A Boy Named Sue](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WOHPuY88Ry4) and **Summer Time Blues** - Well, my mom and pop told me, “son, you gotta make some money” ---
**Author:** ![Labdad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/439d5e/32.png) [@Labdad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labdad)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2016, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-parental-advice/773641/18 "2016-12-02T17:22:40Z")
“Morning Girl” by the Neon Philharmonic ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2016, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-parental-advice/773641/19 "2016-12-02T18:55:48Z")
[“Don’t Take Your Guns to Town”](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=raXKeQ5qFwo) by Johnny Cash ---
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2016, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-parental-advice/773641/20 "2016-12-02T18:57:34Z")
**[I Hope You Dance](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RV-Z1YwaOiw)** by Lee Ann Womack [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-parental-advice/773641.md?page=2)