Music can be your empathetic friend that amplifies the thoughts and feelings you might have bottled up for a long time. Listening to songs about abusive parents can be the first step in dealing with your past trauma to live a healthy life.
Parental abuse can take different forms, such as physical and psychological. Both types can have a lifelong impact on a child’s life, resulting in a cycle of abuse if not addressed.
Talking to a therapist can be helpful as it will get you the necessary counseling to put you on a path of healing. But I realized that not all victims are ready to open up to talk about their past. These songs can give you the strength to do what’s right for you and help in the healing process.
| Nr | Song | Artist | About |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Daddy | Queen Ifrica | Learn More |
| 2 | Older | Sasha Alex Sloan | Learn More |
| 3 | For The Love Of A Daughter | Demi Lovato | Learn More |
| 4 | My Mom | Eminem | Learn More |
| 5 | Family Portrait | P!nk | Learn More |
| 6 | Confessions Of A Broken Heart | Lindsay Lohan | Learn More |
| 7 | The Little Girl | John Michael | Learn More |
| 8 | Cleanin’ Out My Closet | Eminem | Learn More |
| 9 | Second Chance | Shinedown | Learn More |
| 10 | Because Of You | Kelly Clarkson | Learn More |
| 11 | Breakaway | Kelly Clarkson | Learn More |
| 12 | DNA | Lia Marie Johnson | Learn More |
| 13 | Piece by Piece | Kelly Clarkson | Learn More |
| 14 | Somewhere I Belong | Linkin Park | Learn More |
| 15 | Never Again | Nickelback | Learn More |
| 16 | Oh Mother | Christina Aguilera | Learn More |
| 17 | Emotionless | Good Charlotte | Learn More |
| 18 | A Broken Wing | Martina McBride | Learn More |
| 19 | Oh Father | Madonna | Learn More |
| 20 | Open | Demi Lovato | Learn More |
| 21 | Concrete Angel | Martina McBride | Learn More |
21 Songs About Abusive Parents That Will Help You Heal
The songs I have compiled for you to listen to feature songs about surviving childhood emotional, sexual, and physical abuse.
1. Daddy – Queen Ifrica
The scars can be lifelong if you are a victim of sexual abuse from a father figure who is supposed to be your protector. This was hard to listen to when I heard it for the first time.
The song is blatantly raw, bold, and straight to the point on the need to protect our daughters and sisters from abuse.
Recommended: 21 Best Songs About Wanting Someone Back.
2. Older – Sasha Alex Sloan
This emotional ballad by Sasha Sloan talks about her experience growing up with parents who were constantly fighting.
Older has plenty of healing elements from the artist as she now acknowledges that her parents were only humans and not heroes. Sasha later revealed that she was so emotional to pen down another track to talk about her parent’s divorce.
3. For The Love Of A Daughter – Demi Lovato
This is a very sad song about Demi’s past trauma. She wrote this song to talk about her father mentally and physically abusing Demi, her mother, and her sister. Writing personal songs like this is no easy task for artists.
4. My Mom – Eminem
It’s no secret that Eminem had one of the worst childhoods because of an absent father and an extremely abusive mother. The artist has written a couple of songs about abusive parents to address the type of torment that he was going through in his life.
“My Mom” addresses how his mom made Eminem a drug addict and how she tricked him into taking pills as a child.
5. Family Portrait – P!nk
Listening to the song and watching the music video can put you on a path to analyze every struggling moment growing up in a loveless home. The video from the song shows how P!nk is a great storyteller.
The child singing along to the lyrics reveals the lengths children can try to find a solution of peace and reunion when parents are separating.
6. Confessions Of A Broken Heart – Lindsay Lohan
Confessions Of A Broken Heart is one of the few songs that I have listened to and got heartbroken because of Lindsay’s lyrics and the visual representation of the music video.
Very few artists have the strength to be this venerable and address their past issues with parents to start healing. I found the song to be underrated, as there were negative critical reviews on the song.
7. The Little Girl – John Michael
If you are a country music fan, there are a couple of songs about abusive parents that can tug your heart. The little girl by John Michael describes the story of a young child living in a home where her parents are addicts, and the child is left to fend for herself.
The song has a tragic end as the father kills the mother and himself leaving the child orphaned. The says that Jesus had been always protecting her.
8. Cleanin’ Out My Closet – Eminem
If you are a fan of rap music, you need to hear this raw and emotional song by Eminem, which addresses his complicated relationship with his mother.
He addresses the multiple instances of abuse from his childhood. The rapper narrates how he doesn’t believe a parent would neglect and abuse their child and he has proven it by being a good parent himself.
Recommended: 21 Songs About Sacrifice.
9. Second Chance – Shinedown
The story behind this song is immensely empowering as it shows triumph despite being raised in an abusive home. The singer explains how he tried to make the best of his passion, but his parents probably didn’t believe in him.
Their lack of faith took a toll on him, but he eventually was fed up and separated from them to seek his path. In the end, we are the only ones who know what we want, and hopefully, the steps we take will bear fruits.
10. Because Of You – Kelly Clarkson
Gaining nearly half a billion views on YouTube, it’s clear that Kelly’s songs about abusive parents are popular. The song talks about emotional abuse and neglect that most parents don’t realize they are inflicting on their children.
Kelly wrote this piece when she was young and had been using music to express her emotions and speak out on parental abuse to help victims heal.
11. Breakaway – Kelly Clarkson
Kelly Clarkson had a tough childhood while growing up and penned her experiences to compose some of the most popular songs ever.
Breakaway is one of her many songs that motivate and give you the hope that you will break the cycle you experience. Listening to the song can set you through the path of healing that can help build a new you.
12. DNA – Lia Marie Johnson
DNA is a powerful song that always hits me to the core and addresses the fears I have myself from past childhood trauma. The song is sung from the personal perspective of Lia Marie Johnson.
Growing up and witnessing a parent suffering from alcoholism will make you question if you will go the same path.
13. Piece by Piece – Kelly Clarkson
I love this song from Kelly Clarkson as it empowers the audience. Despite Kelly’s father abandoning his family and putting her through a lot of pain, she shows that not all men are the same, and the singer found a partner who wouldn’t put her children through the same pain of abandonment.
Though the song might not fill the holes and gaps you might have experienced in your life, it can guide you to do better and be better.
14. Somewhere I Belong – Linkin Park
Somewhere I Belong by Linkin Park is a well-rounded song, as every verse and chorus has a meaning relatable to anyone who faced childhood trauma.
The deep meaning of this piece describes the needs of most victims of abuse and can help you through dark times. While it might take a while to reach where you belong, patience and faith can help you get there.
15. Never Again – Nickelback
Children who feel trapped in abusive households experience more trauma than their parents can understand. The thing that they witness can leave a permanent scar in their lives that can be complex to erase.
Never Again talks about the physical abuse the singer saw from his father towards his mother. With his father always getting drunk and doing nothing about it, the mother shoots the father’s child in self-defense.
Recommended: 21 Songs About Crazy People.
16. Oh Mother – Christina Aguilera
The pop song from Christina Aguilera addresses the impact of physical abuse. The singer’s vocal control is extraordinary, capturing the deep meaning of the song.
The piece’s message is towards the narrator’s mother, who is enduring physical abuse from her husband. Her mother finally finds the strength to leave her abusive relationship and walks away with her daughter.
17. Emotionless – Good Charlotte
Emotionless is a piece that is written from the perspective of his father’s kids. It talks about how his father cheated on his mom, gave the whole family trauma, and left when they were 16.
He address the songs they had previously written about him, full of insults, thinking that after all these years the father would be angry, but to their surprise he was proud that his kids were able to become such fine adults.
18. A Broken Wing – Martina McBride
Growing up watching one of your parents enduring abuse from the other can be a painful scenario. Not many songs about abusive parents talk about the impact that abuse from one parent can have on the overall family.
Martina puts this message clearly to the viewers to find the strength in knowing they deserve more and better in life.
19. Oh Father – Madonna
“Oh Father” was released in 1989 as one of the hit songs in Madonna’s album titled “Like a prayer.” Though it has been decades since they introduced us to this masterpiece, I find the song simultaneously sad and empowering.
It talks about the time Madonna’s mother died and when she decided to leave her violent father. No matter my mood, it always brings me tears as I have a personal connection to the song’s theme.
20. Open – Demi Lovato
This is an unreleased song by Demi Lovato. Here she’s recalling the same event, which is growing up with an abusive father.
She wrote this back when she was 13 years old, talking about she feels about her mentally and physically abusive father, who suffers from depression and an addiction to alcohol.
21. Concrete Angel – Martina McBride
The last song on our list is from Martina McBride. The song describes a brutal childhood that many children go through, but we tend to ignore it.
The song shows the result we can expect after physical abuse if we do not act upon it as soon as it starts. The song always sends chills down my spine and clearly shows that not every parent deserves a child, but every child deserves a parent.
Last Words
A troubling childhood that made a victim face abuse and neglect can do extensive damage to the child even going through adulthood. Listening to songs about abusive parents can help you connect with others who overcame a similarly troubled past.
Every child requires unconditional love from their parents; if you were a victim, you could break the cycle by showing love and care to your child. The good news is that it’s never too late to heal from abuse. The first step is to seek professional help, which will positively impact your life.
