***AUTHOR’S NOTE***
I wrote this quite awhile ago, and I’m thrilled that it is still my most popular post and I continue to receive comments with additional songs.  Make sure you read the comments after the post because the list goes on long after the post ends.

I love music.  It helps me escape a bad mood and gets me through a tough workout.  It helps me relive memories and dance away stress.  That’s why I couldn’t live without music while my husband is deployed. 

My last deployment song was “Broken” by Amy Lee and Seether.  This time around, it’s “Need You Now” by Lady Antebellum.  I also like “American Soldier” by Toby Keith, but that song is reserved only for those days when I need a good cleansing cry.

Thanks to my mil spouse friends and fans on Facebook and my Twitter cohorts, I’ve compiled a pretty good list of favorite deployment songs.  A special thanks to Christina over at Married to a Sailor: The Journey of a Navy Wife for sharing the “short” version of her deployment playlist.  (Keep an eye out for her future blog post of deployment songs, which will be MUCH longer than mine!)

Freeland ~ Miss Willie Brown
Until I Get Home ~ Zac Charles
Talking to the Moon ~ Bruno Mars
Sleeping to Dream ~ Jason Mraz
Never Alone ~ BarlowGirl
Sleeping With the Telephone ~ Reba McEntire and Faith Hill
The Longer the Waiting ~ Josh Turner
I Still Miss Someone ~  Martina McBride
Everyday ~ Buddy Holly
While the Night is Still Young ~ Billy Joel
Come Home Soon ~ SHeDAISY
Happy Together ~ The Turtles
Smile ~ Uncle Kracker
If You’re Going Through Hell ~ Rodney Atkins
Lucky ~ Jason Mraz and Colbie Caillat
I’m Already There ~ Lonestar
The Chain ~ Ingrid Michaelson
Lucky ~ Bif Naked
Bring It On Home ~ Little Big Town
Coming Home ~ New Found Glory (song and whole album)
On My Mind ~ New Found Glory
Far Away ~ Nickelback
Airplanes ~ B.o.B.
Bring It On ~ Steven Curtis Chapman
Held ~ Natalie Grant
Fix You ~ Coldplay
When I Look to the Sky ~ Train
Take This Job and Shove It ~ Johnny Paycheck  (LOL!)
All My Loving ~ Sara Mann or the Beatles
Haven’t Seen for a While ~ Pat McGee Band
Miss You ~ Blink 182
Wait for You ~ Atreyu
Wait for Me ~ Theory of a Deadman
All or Nothing ~ Theory of a Deadman
Alone in this bed ~ Framing Hanley
Your Guardian Angel ~ The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus
Never Gonna Be Alone ~ Nickelback
Have Faith in Me ~ A Day to remember
You Had Me at Hello ~ A Day to Remember
Far From Here ~ Alissa Moreno
Dear God ~ Avenged Sevenfold
Calling You ~ Blue October
I’m Missing You ~ Bobby Tinsley
I Don’t Want Anything to Change ~ Bonnie Raitt
So Small ~ Carrie Underwood
Just a Dream ~ Carrie Underwood
As Much as I Ever Could ~ City and Colour
Comin’ Home ~ City and Colour
Hello, I’m in Delaware ~ City and Colour
Let’s Fall in Love ~ Diana Krall
If I Die Before You Wake ~ Dustin Evans
I’ll Be ~ Edwin McCain
The Distance ~ Evan and Jaron
You Give Me Sometime ~ James Morrison
I’m Yours ~ Jason Mraz
Photographs and Memories ~ Jason Reeves
The Other Little Soldier ~ Josh Gracin
Never Alone ~ Lady Antebellum
Ocean Love ~ Leigh Nash
Need To Be Next To You ~ Leigh Nash
Everything ~ Lifehouse
From Where You Are ~ Lifehouse
Storm ~ Lifehouse
Home ~ Michael Buble
Come Home ~ OneRepublic
My Hero ~ Paramore
Cat and Mouse ~ Red Jumpsuit Apparatus
The Call ~ Regina Spektor
Right Here Waiting ~ Richard Marx
Have You Seen My Love ~ Rosie Thomas
Your Call ~ Secondhand Serenade
Nothing Compares 2 U ~ Sinead O’Connor
Kiss Me Through the Phone ~ Soulja Boy
One Thing is for Sure ~ The Spill Canvas
Letters ~ Stellar Kart
Boston and St. Johns ~ Great Big Sea
Dude (I Totally Miss You) ~ Tenacious D
Goodnight Moon ~ Jack Ingram
Feels Like Home ~ Chantal Kreviazuk
Life After You ~ Daughtry
Home ~ Daughtry
Seasons ~ Good Charlotte
Better In Time ~ Leona Lewis
Superman Tonight ~ Bon Jovi
Here Without You ~ 3 Doors Down
Start Saving Me ~ Mike Corrado
On My Watch ~ Mike Corrado
Stand ~ Mike Corrado

What’s your favorite deployment song?

51 Comments on Deployment Songs

  1. What a HUGE list! I cannot wait to go check them out for my playlist (the one I haven't made yet)! Thank you so much for sharing!!!
    Happy Friday!

  2. You must listen to "Good Night Moon" by Jack Ingram. It is amazing and makes me cry every time. It was my deployment song this past time.

    Don't just read the lyrics though part of what makes it so beautiful is the guitar.

    Also, Feels Like Home by Chantal Kreviazuk. After that song helped carry me through deployment, it became our wedding song.

  3. my husband will be gone by the end of this month. i will soooooooooo be consulting this list. thank you! "life after you" by daughtry, "seasons" by good charlotte, "better in time" by leona lewis, "superman tonight" by bon jovi

  4. "Boston and St. John's" by Great Big Sea is a favorite of my husband and myself. It's bittersweet, but for this Navy couple, it's comforting to think that "there isn't that much ocean between Boston and St. John's" — or between where I am and where he is.

  5. My song right now is already in the list. Lucky by Jason Mraz but my husband and I also like I'm Yours as it reminds us of our honeymoon in Hawaii!

    I left you an award over at my blog today – stop by and pick it up when you get a chance!

  6. Woo Hoo! haha 😀
    Glad I could help! I started going through my ipod some last night and adding to my playlist on my ipod called "While youre away". I'm stealing a few you posted that I don't have. I may have to break my post into to 2 different posts if it keeps growing! haha

  7. You already have my current favorite on here, Wait For Me by Theory of a Dead Man, but my old stand-by if I need a good cry is "Start Saving Me" by Mike Corrado, and I pink-glitter-heart-LOVE "On My Watch" also by Mike Corrado. His new single "Stand" is also a great one – check him out when you get a chance! In addition to being a singer/singwriter, he is a Marine Reservist and served in Fallujah during my hubby's first deployment there – II MEF provided the pictures for the official video for "On MY Watch", and my hubby is in there, TWICE. 🙂

  8. "Courtesy of the Red, White, and Blue" by Toby Keith.

    I couldn't make it through "American Soldier " without copious tears… especially when I'm listening to it via the video. The way, the respect Toby Keith sings it with. Just not a tear is left in me after that.

    "Till the last shot's fired" Trace Atkins.

  9. My favorite deployment songs were "When You're Gone" by Avril Lavigne, "Here By Me" by 3 Doors Down, "Sleeping with the Telephone" by Reba and Faith Hill, and "Come Home Soon." Music was definitely a sustaining force during the deployment. I allowed myself 1 time a week to put the sad songs on and just cry. Other than that, I TRIED to suck it up (emphasis on TRIED). Love this list!! Lots of good ones there 🙂

  10. New follower! Great topic!

    I've only gone through one three month deployment, right after we got married, and "Love Song" by taylor Swift got me everytime I heard it… We have one coming up though, so I'll let you know then.

  11. I'm already there by lonestar. Play that song and I'll be in a burst of tears. Also, Feels Like Home by Chantal Kreviazuk. I told my Marine that we're dancing to that one at one point at our wedding haha. 🙂 Thanks for making this list. There are a couple that I don't have and will be checking out!

    Just so you… I made my old blog private and created a new one! My new blog will look VERY similar since all of my old posts have been transferred to it, but this time around I'm not using names or pictures. Feel free to follow:

    http://www.life-itssomethingbeautiful.blogspot.com

  12. Nice list! I'll be adding some to my playlists

    "Red, White and Blue" by Brian McKNight and Rascal Flatts…
    Thats my all time fave.
    Also, "The General" by Dispatch

  13. I think I have a new favorite song thanks to you!

    Photographs and Memories ~ Jason Reeves…the acoustic version…LOVE!

  14. please please please add these to your list 🙂

    by your side by tenth avenue north,
    you by switchfoot,
    so are you to me by peter bradley adams,
    home by kelly dalton (really really good one),
    and then you, greg laswell,
    save tonight by eagle eye cherry (perfect day before deployment song), unchained melody by the righteous brothers (an essential),
    this is the thing by fink,
    we by neil diamond (a happier song),
    ballerina by leona naess,
    see you soon by coldplay,
    arms of a woman by amos lee,
    over my head by the fray,
    comes and goes (in waves) by greg laswell,
    heartbeats by jose gonzales,
    man of the hour by pearl jam,
    annan waters by kate rusby (perfect),
    fare thee well by kate rusby,
    two by ryan adams,
    thirteen by big star,
    honey and the moon by joseph arthur,
    have a little faith in me by john hiatt,
    crazy love by aaron neville,
    my love by sia,
    tracks of my tears by smokey robinson,
    stand by me by ben e. king,
    these arms of mine by otis redding,
    you belong to me by anyone (every version of this song is awesome),
    since i dont have you by the skyliners,

  15. Stand by rascal flatts. Its not so much sad but it always makes me push myself to get over the obsticle in my way. And its my deployment song this time.

  16. Talking to the moon; Bruno mars
    Notbroken; Goo goo dolls
    Travelin' Soldier; Dixie chicks
    Right about now; Ryan calhoun
    Stay the night; James blunt
    Citizen soldier; 3 doors down
    Coming home; Diddy
    Paperweight; Josh radin
    Stay with you; Goo goo dolls
    This is war; Smile empty soul (kinda graphic…)
    By your side; Lifehouse
    I'd rather be with you; Josh radin
    Lost in you; Three days grace
    If it means alot to you; A day to remember
    From where you are; Lifehouse
    Come home soon; Shedaisy
    Far from home; Five finger death punch

  17. My man is deployed right now, our song is "See you When I See you" by Jason Aldean.

    Our favorite line is, "I'll see you when I see you
    Till then my prayers are with you
    And I hope it's someday soon"

  18. This is a great list My hubby just deployed out and I wanted to make him a mixed CD so he knows I'm thinking about him keep up the good word 🙂 I dont know if anyone is a Simple Plan Fan but they have a song called "Jet Lag" it's a good song

  19. I don't want to wait by Paula Cole
    Goodbye in her eyes by zac brown band
    This time around by Hanson
    Seasons of Love off of the Rent soundtrack

    During my husbands deployments I love to read about everyone else's experiences,songs tears and cheer-me-ups thanks ladies and way to keep those home fires burning

  20. dont jugde til you hear it. im currently on deployment while my fiance is home and this song hits deployment dead on. Stay by Miley Cyrus

  21. my 15 month old daughter and I are waiting for my wife to return from her first deployment she id due back in april. Before she left she told me to listen to stereo hearts by the gym class heroes when i am sad….which i constanty am

  22. Missing Me Some You by Toby Keith is one of my favorites!! 🙂 If you haven't heard it you should listen to it. And if your husband is deployed like mine is be prepared to possibly cry!!

  23. My Best friend-Tim McGraw
    More Time- NeedTobreathe
    Ours-The Bravery
    Better Together-Jack Johnson
    The Sweet Escape-Gwen Stefani
    I wanna- All American Rejects
    New Morning-Alpha Rev
    Safe-Britt Nicole
    Show me what I'm looking for- Carolina Liar
    Somewhere Only We Know- Keane (A MUST)
    You&Me-Dave Matthews Band
    Come A Little closer- Dierks Bentley
    Long Trip Alone-Dierks Bentley
    Think Of Me- Rosi Golan( A Favorite)
    Look After You- The Fray
    Satellite-Guster
    The Heart of Life-John Mayer
    I Run to You-Lady Antebellum
    Possibility-Lykee Li
    How Far We've Come-Matchbox Twenty
    Here With Me-MercyMe
    Breathe-Taylor Swift
    Neon Lights-Natasha Bedingfield
    Wonderwall-Oasis
    Marchin On-OneRepublic
    Vanilla Twilight&On The Wing- owl City

    Some of these songs are sad, other are uplifting and motivational while others are just personal ones that I love or share with my husband..Let me know if any help you in any way 🙂

  24. PS I love you Frank Sinatra's version 🙂
    A thousand years by Chirstina Perry
    Daylight by Maroon 5 makes me cry everytime just thinking about his last night home.
    The Space Between by Dave Matthews
    Wouldnt it be nice by the Beach Boys

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