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What are your funeral songs?

211 replies

RainbowZebraWarrior · 11/09/2024 18:48

Appreciate it's a bit of a morbid question, but an important one (I feel) nonetheless. My family have always been quite pragmatic and have wills, but also a document entitled 'in the event of my death' My Mum keeps a copy of hers in her mobile phone case.

I think it's a last opportunity to tell people who you are / how you feel / what music you loved. Apart from that, it's also an opportunity to leave some potential comforting 'words'

My sister died young - aged only 29 - of complications from a heart issue related to her Downs Syndrome. At her funeral she had Alone by Heart and Lily The Pink played. She alos had the theme from Heartbeat. For a short time afterwards I couldn't listen to the former, but now it makes me smile. Lily The Pink made us all smile, as did Heartbeat as it was what made her smile too.

Anyway, mine are:

Stop Crying Your Heart Out by Oasis, and
White Lies by Stereophonics (I love them, amd this is my favourite song of theirs)

Apologies to anyone recently bereaved. I hope this isn't upsetting.

OP posts:
spiggydit · 11/09/2024 19:10

Who knows where the time goes - Fairport Convention

Makes me blub like a baby

RainbowZebraWarrior · 11/09/2024 19:08

Alapotin · 11/09/2024 18:53

Every grain of sand, Bob Dylan
Closing Time , Leonard Cohen
When the deal goes down, Bob Dylan

Edited

For my Dad, I will have to play something by Pink Floyd, but there will also have to be a Dylan or Cohen song as he loves them both. He's the only member of our family who won't discuss death (which is entirely understandable and his choice)

OP posts:
SleepToad · 11/09/2024 19:05

I work in the funeral industry and we have the usual...lots of abba, time to say goodbye, nimrod (today) but the best was in a Sally army church....highway to hell!!!

I am coming in to gene Vincent's version of somewhere over the rainbow. No hymns but during the service Elvis how great thou art, Eddie Cochran three steps to heaven. Going out to buddy holly it doesn't matter any more. I would perhaps have Elvis and return to sender Wanda Jackson lets have a party

Its a really good thing to let people know what you want even if it's not for 80years! There's nothing worse than hearing when you drive the family away "oh mum wouldn't have liked that" or " they played the wrong version...mum told me she wanted cliff 's one". I always feel like saying did you tell us that...because I know they didn't

RainintheDesert · 11/09/2024 18:59

I've told my daughter not to hold a funeral for me but if she does, I hope she plays Goodnight, Travel Well by the Killers.

FuzzyPuffling · 11/09/2024 18:57

"Be still my soul" to Finlandia.

"Sand and water"- Beth Neilsen Chapman

"Spirit in the sky" - Norman Greenbaum

The "Lachrymosa" from Mozart's Requiem.

ImWearingPantaloons · 11/09/2024 18:57

Dionne Warwick's That's what friends are for, for a moment of reflection, Together In Electric Dreams at the end.

Barleysugar86 · 11/09/2024 18:55

The Willows - Absent Friends. It's a beautiful gentle but upbeat song about having a smile while remembering people you love who aren't here right now but you know you'll see again.

Honestly if you haven't listened to it you should- it always makes me a little happy teary.

RomeoRivers · 11/09/2024 18:55

(S)he lives in you from the Lion King

I hope all my children and grandchildren stand up and sing it really loud to show that I will live on in them 🩷

Alapotin · 11/09/2024 18:53

Every grain of sand, Bob Dylan
Closing Time , Leonard Cohen
When the deal goes down, Bob Dylan

OhshutupBarry · 11/09/2024 18:52

I think music is a huge thing at funerals. My Dad died last year and we had Billy Joel River of dreams and Fleetwood Mac Rhiannon. Both songs take us back to our childhood and him playing them on our many caravan tours. I would have Eva Cassidy Time after time for my kids to say I will be waiting. Makes me cry just thinking about it!

Putmeinsummer · 11/09/2024 18:49

Disco inferno, to play so you hear "burn baby burn" as I go through the curtains to get cremated.