25 Songs About Losing Your Sister

Losing a sibling can be incredibly painful. The bond one has with their sister is often unique, and is sorely missed once it’s gone.

Many artists have tried to capture those feelings; there are songs that could help you relate to and deal with the pain that overwhelms you when you lose your sister. They can be a fitting accompaniment to honor them at their memorial service, or just a backdrop to think about them.

Here is our pick of songs about losing your sister.

1. “Sister” by Dave Matthews Band

Song year: 2010

Dave Matthews famously dedicated his first album to his older sister, Anne, after her husband murdered her in 1994. He released this acoustic ballad on the “Live In Las Vegas” album in 2010. Many fans assumed he was again talking about Anne.

He had stepped away from a party a few years later and found a place of isolation to complete this song about the bond he shares with his younger sister, Jane. The song is a tribute to the love a brother has for his sister.

2. “Have I Told You Lately That I Love You?” by Rod Stewart

Song year: 1993

Rod Stewart covered this famous Van Morrison song for his “Unplugged…and Seated” album in 1993. People interpret this song as a romantic message to a lover, playing it at countless weddings over the years.

While that is a good translation, many of the lyrics are to any loved one, not necessarily romantic. Taking away all sadness could very well be a line that one would say about their relationship with their sister.

3. “You Are So Beautiful to Me” by Joe Cocker

Song year: 1974

Originally recorded by Billy Preston and Bruce Fisher in the 1970s, this song was covered by Joe Cocker on his 1974 album “I Can Stand a Little Rain.” After losing someone as close as a sister, the lyrics of this song resonate deeply. With lyrics being everything that could be hoped for, it has meant enough to people to be re-recorded many times by the likes of The Beach Boys and Ray Charles.

4. “Why” by Rascal Flatts

Song year: 2010

Suicide is something that has touched the lives of a lot of people. If your sister committed suicide, the song “Why” by Rascal Flatts might have a lot of meaning for you. Having loved ones that committed suicide; they started performing this song on their “Nothing Like This” tour in 2010.

5. “There, There Katie” by Jack’s Mannequin

Song year: 2009

When Andrew McMahon was fighting Leukemia, his sister donated her bone marrow to save his life. He wrote this song to commemorate that moment and honor her. It may not be about losing a sister, but it is definitely about having a lot of love for your sister.

6. “Girl on Fire” by Alicia Keys

Song year: 2012

Many people look up to their sisters for the things they taught them in their lives. Or they admire how they have gone through obstacles and still managed to hold their head up high. It is a message of empowerment, about a woman that takes the world by storm.

7. “Wind Beneath My Wings” by Bette Midler

Song year: 1989

This song was originally recorded by Kamahl and covered by artists like Kenny Rogers and Lou Rawls. Bette Midler's version has become one of the more popular choices for fathers and daughters to dance to at weddings.

However, the lyrics make it clear that this song can be directed at anyone who is an inspiration to you. If your sister has been the one who held you up when you needed it, then this might be the best way to commemorate that.

8. “Over You” by Miranda Lambert

Song year: 2012

Miranda Lambert was married to Blake Shelton for four years before getting divorced in 2015. During their marriage, they co-wrote this song that Lambert recorded for her “Four the Record” album.

The story behind the lyrics is that Shelton had a brother who was tragically killed in a car accident in high school. Lambert sang the song for him because he could not deal with the emotions of performing it at concerts every night.

“Over You” is a good song for remembering a sibling who has passed. It conveys the many emotions that come from that kind of loss, including anger and someone for leaving and a promise never to forget them.

9. “Dust in the Wind” by Kansas

Song year: 1978

Kerry Livgren wrote this song for the “Point of Know Return” album. “Dust in the Wind” is a study on mortality that draws inspiration from many places, including the books of Genesis and Ecclesiastes.

The lyrics of this song have brought comfort to many people after losing a loved one. The idea that death is just another part of life and a part of the cycle we all go through can be comforting.

10. “In My Life” by The Beatles

Song year: 1965

A lot of people deal with grief by diving into nostalgia. The memory of happier times in life can help dull the pain of loss. John Lennon wrote this song about memories of a road trip and seeing those places earlier in his life.

11. “If Heaven Was Needing a Hero” by Jo Dee Messina

Song year: 2010

Many people have played this song at the funeral of parents, siblings, and children who lost their lives serving their country. It is fitting for that. But the lyrics can be about losing anyone. “Heaven needed them more.”

12. “Dream On, Hayley” by James Morrison

Song year: 2008

James Morrison wrote this song for his sister who was going through a difficult time in her life. The meaning of the song is to look up and keep moving, not to look down at the bad stuff around you. If you have recently lost your sister, the lyrics of the chorus may ring differently for you.

13. “How Can You Mend a Broken Heart” by Al Green

Song year: 1972

This song was originally recorded by the Bee Gees and was conceived as a song about breaking up and heartache. Some of the lyrics have meaning to people who are grieving the loss of someone close to them.