Songs about adoption have a way of touching our souls as they are a way to express a personal experience, whether as a parent or adoptee.
These songs can make you smile or cry in joy as they tell different stories of families’ journeys to adopt. Maybe words may fail, but the music speaks it all.
Though the adoption journey can be hard, its outcome can be one of life’s best joys. Adoption is a very long process; there can be different songs that narrate each step taken.
Some of the songs in this playlist are composed specifically on the subject of adoption, while others just have an underlying theme that seems to fit.
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21 Songs About Adoption
Check out some of the best tracks that focus on adoption, and they will truly make you smile and be hopeful during your adoption process.
1. My Boy – Elvie Shane
Elvie Shane was inspired to write this track after reading a Facebook post that said, “I don’t have a stepson. I have a son that was born before I met him.”
The heartfelt country ballad is about his love for his stepson and his desire to adopt him. The Kentucky singer participated in American Idol and is among the few artists that found music success despite not winning.
This Christian song from Slugs and Bugs is an adoption song from a child’s perspective. The song expresses the happiness of finding a family that loves you unconditionally as their own.
Though there is an echo of sadness within the narratives of many adoption stories, the artist took a different direction.
3. I Will Wait – Mumford & Sons
“I Will Wait” is one of this playlist’s most popular songs, as it has over 220 million views. The song’s message fits perfectly into the playlist’s theme, especially for adoptive parents who are waiting for their blessing.
The song’s instrumentals feature a lush arrangement of banjo, horns, and stumping drums, creating a unique symphony.
4. Dear Jane – Jenn Nikole
Jenn Nikole is a child of adoption, and when she was encouraged to write a letter to her birth mother, she decided to write this piece to express her feelings instead.
Even though shes so young, she still has a sense of clarity about the adoption by the way she expresses herself. It’s also amazing how much she misses her despite never meeting her.
5. One Less – Mathew West
One Less is a record from The Story of Your Life album, one of the best songs about adoption I have ever listened to. The uplifting piece relates that there is hope for children who are without a family.
The song is a message to any prospective adoptive parent that their efforts to create a loving home leave one less broken heart in the world.
6. Already There – Casting Crowns
“Already There” is a song that was inspired by the real event of Casting Crowns frontman Mark Hall. The artist adopted a girl who has special needs, and her first year with her new family was very tough.
It is a heartwarming piece that encourages the family to have strength and have faith despite their difficult times.
7. A Thousand Years – Christina Perri
A Thousand Years is a love song that applies to the theme of adoption. In the song, Christina Perri depicts herself as a person who has been waiting for love her entire life.
The song acknowledges that someone is always there waiting to love us unconditionally. The song idea is perfect for adoptive parents waiting for their future child to enter their home.
8. So Far To Find You – Casting Crowns
Other than Already There, Casting Crowns wrote this piece about the adoption process of their band Mark Hall. The song narrates the journey he and his wife took in order to hold their adopted child’s hand.
Their Child Meeka Hope is from China, and the family had to travel there from America.
9. From God’s Arms To My Arms To Yours – Michael McLean & Felicia Sorenson
If you were looking for heartwarming songs about adoption and a major tearjerker, this piece shouldn’t miss a spot on your playlist. The track is written from the birth parent’s perspective.
The lyrics narrate the thoughts and feelings of the parent as she recounts the decision to give up their child for adoption. It clearly shows the love and special bond between two mothers who love the same child.
10. Orphan – John Waller
Orphan is a more spiritual adoption piece in this playlist compared to the other song. In this song, John Waller felt a higher power calling him to adopt a child.
The song features the whole family in the music video and the sentiment that an adoptive parent is willing to move heaven and earth for their adopted child.
11. When Love Takes You In – Steven Curtis Chapman
When Love Takes You In, lyrics show a prospective adopted child’s heartfelt desire to find a home. The song shows that many children out there have the dream and hope of ending up in a loving home; that is the same case as adoptive parents.
It’s a powerful track for all dreamers who hope their loneliness will one day end, and they will have a new family.
12. Every Day (The Guatemala Song) – Anna Huckabee Tull
The joy of adoption by a parent can be so overwhelming, and one of the ways to express it is through music, which is why Anna wrote this piece.
The song tells the story of the composer’s literal journey to Guatemala for adoption. The lyrics describe the child’s place of origin so that perhaps he would be proud of Guatemala one day.
13. Mine All Mine – Kortney & Dave
This duet by the couple is one of this compilation’s best country songs about adoption. Both of their voices are magical and perfectly complement each other.
The song is about the couple’s longing to adopt a child to complete their family. They are happy in every step they have taken and can’t wait for either a boy or a girl to share their love unconditionally till the end of time.
14. I Will Remember You – Sarah McLachlan
This song by Sarah McLachlan was recorded and released in 1995, but its inspiration came from Seamus Egan’s instrumental song. The song enjoyed great success and even managed to appear on Billboard’s Hot 100 chart.
The song’s message of appreciating good and treasuring memories with loved ones fits the underlying feeling of love by the adoptive child’s birth parent.
15. Naleigh Moon – Josh Kelley
Neileigh is the adopted daughter of Josh Kelly and the inspiration for this story of an adoptive father. The artist feels that his life really begins the moment he adopts a child.
The song shows that parenthood, by whatever means, can really change a person’s life for the better. This track is perfect for dads who want to express themselves to their adopted children and inspires those who want to adopt.
Lullaby for Wyatt is a tender ode written by Sheryl Crow for her adopted son Wyatt. The poetic determination by the composer shows what it means for her to express her love as a mother to her son.
Though it is a lullaby meant for children to sleep, the lyrics will leave you with a tear or two of joy.
17. Somewhere Out There – Linda Rondstadt & James Ingram
The song was part of An American Tail film’s soundtrack. Though the movie is about a mouse who gets separated from his family during their journey to America, its lyrics are relatable to this playlist of songs about adoption.
If you are a child in a foster home and are wondering when you will meet your future family, then this piece will give you the strength and hope that they are somewhere out there.
18. Lullaby In Blue – Bette Midler
Lullaby In Blue is a heartfelt song about a mother who gave up her child for adoption when she was seventeen. The mother reflects on her choice years later when she gets another daughter and is reminded of the child she briefly knew.
The song shows that no matter how much time passes, a birth mother’s love for their child will always be with them, even if the child is in the care and love of another family.
19. Amos Story – Aaron Ivey
In most cases, the adoption process can face many hurdles and obstacles, and Aaron Ivey explains that. The lyrics tell the story of his adopted son and his determination to bring him home no matter what it takes.
20. Everything to Me – Mark Schultz
Everything to me is a touching narration from an adopted child. The song is a dedication towards the child’s birth mother showing love for her despite her choices.
He expresses that he understands that it will be difficult for the birth mother, and he believes that they will soon be able to meet all again.
21. I Hope You Dance – Lee Ann Womack
The last song on this playlist can be important advice for an adopted child. As a parent, you might want to pass down wisdom, and the words from Lee Ann Womack can be encouraging for your adopted child to make their way through life.
Last Words
Some composers in this list of songs about adoption have made pieces that focus on the waiting process, while others focus on adopted parents and their feelings toward the child’s birth mother.
Let the songs in this playlist offer a sensory bonding experience in your new family.
Music is the lifeblood of my veins. I love to listen, play and write music. Being a music band manager is what I love to do mostly because I love working with artists on their personal branding and brand building while helping them find the next level of success.
