Over the weekend, Jay-Z and Beyoncé welcomed their first child, a daughter named Blue Ivy, and Jay-Z promptly released “Glory,” a new song celebrating her birth. There’s a long tradition of pop stars expressing parental joy; here is “Glory,” along with some other highlights.
1. Jay-Z, “Glory” (2012)
Glory—Jay-Z feat. Blue Ivy Carter by Warhol2011
Jay-Z welcomes Blue Ivy, though he doesn’t explain her name, and recalls earlier chapters in his relationship with Beyoncé, including a previously undisclosed miscarriage.
2. Stevie Wonder, “Isn’t She Lovely” (1976)
The mother of all proud-father songs, this was written in honor of Wonder’s daughter Aisha, though she’s not the baby crying in the opening seconds—if you want to hear Aisha, you’ll have to wait until the end, which features audio of Wonder helping to give his daughter a bath. Get out of the water, baby.
3. Sly and the Family Stone, “Small Talk” (1974)
Though many people dismiss this as a copy of “Isn’t She Lovely,” it was released two years before, for Sly and Kathy Silva’s son, Sylvester, Jr. Most new parents will be able to identify with the lyrics: “Don’t let him cry.”
4. John Lennon, “Beautiful Boy” (1980)
Sean Lennon wasn’t an infant when his father recorded this song; he was closer to five. Still, it’s one of pop music’s most straightforward love letters to a child, made immeasurably sad by the lyrics (“I can hardly wait to see you come of age / But I guess we’ll both just have to have patience”). At the end, John Lennon whispers good night to Sean.
5. Lauryn Hill, “To Zion” (1998)
In this frankly autobiographical song, Hill recounts the circumstances surrounding the birth of her first son; many people warned her that a pregnancy would interfere with her career. The song features guitar by Carlos Santana.
6. Loudon Wainwright III, “Rufus Is a Tit Man” (1975)
In hilarious and typical Wainwright fashion, he turns the song about his new son into a song about himself, expressing more than a little competitiveness and jealousy for the nursing infant.
