So you're dead

[Balloonhearts]

So you're sadly dead, you got hit by a bus, which was unfortunately on time for a fucking change, what song would you want at your funeral?

I think I'd want Little Wonders by Rob Thomas. I like to think I'd have something really funny and inappropriate but realistically some of my family would not find that funny.

Thank goodness we've moved on and more than 50% of Brits realise it's not normal to be Christian.

My FiL, a big Gilbert and Sullivan fan, was played to his exit at the crem with ‘Tit Willow’ from The Mikado, played by his son on the organ.

@schrodingersTwat2 Yet over 2.5 Billion people world wide (according to statistics this is set to grow) do think it is normal. Interesting! 🤔

Oops, worldwide, predictive text hyphenated it but anyway my point stands😁

But even within that 2.5 billion there are differing views on music. Once upon a time, hymns WERE popular music. Evangelical churches often use popular music now even in a normal service. People choose the music they want for their weddings. It is really disappointingly intolerant to come onto a thread where people are discussing music that matters to them to tell them they shouldn't feel that way, even if the context they are talking about is outside a church.

Teething Grandchild awake so not getting much sleep tonight but happy to have him while DS & Dil are attending a wedding.

I never once criticised or showed any intolerance regarding the music posters have mentioned. I did agree with one poster who mentioned an inappropriate song at a funeral of a suicide victim. In response I also mentioned I felt uncomfortable with a service I attended where the choice of music was intended to be funny & nobody laughed.

I would have hymns & popular music which is what I said in a previous post. My reply here was to shrodingersTwat2 who posted it wasn't normal nowadays to be a Christian. The statistical facts state otherwise. I simply felt like highlighting this to make it clear there are far more believers than non believers in the world especially when you include all faiths.

You know funerals don't have to be in church don't you?

My apologies--the comment about intolerance was about Hwi, not you. I'm genuinely sorry that I wasn't clearer.

Just as a heads-up for anybody who finds themselves in the situation of arranging a funeral and choosing music - whether for themselves or for somebody else...

However natural and 'proper' it may seem, remember that (in a 'traditional' church setting at least) the very last song of the service will usually be played as the coffin leaves, with everybody leaving immediately behind it.

If the 'message' that you want to convey is obvious from the very beginning of the song, great; but if it has a really poignant final verse that you feel underlines and defines the person's life perfectly, be aware that nobody apart from the vicar/celebrant/venue staff will actually ever hear it.

@CallItLoneliness Thanks for clarifying this & I agree with your post 😉

I don't want a funeral, I've paid for direct cremation.

I do want daisy seeds mixed in with my ashes when I'm spread and for DD to use some money to get a plaque on one of the chairs at the theatre we go to regularly so she can still sit with 'me'.

Great point & one of the reasons a relative asked the Vicar to announce all attendees should remain seated until the end of the hymn/song. It was lovely & it gave people time to reflect in silence listening to the music

What a lovely idea 😊

I meant to add as far as I'm aware this happens in all funeral settings not just the church. If people wish for the final hymn/song to be heard it's a good idea to ask the leader of the service to request people remain seated until the final music ends.

I already have a whole playlist entitled my funeral mix, including stuff like Placebos Song to say Goodbye.

but for an emotional one I picked Nick Cave’s “to be by your side”

Neverending Story - Limahl

Into The Valley by The Skids, cranked up to 11 😀

Smokebelch II (Beatless Mix) - Sabres of Paradise
Life on Mars - David Bowie
Cabaret - Liza Minelli

Going Home was my wedding music!

Maggie May by Rod Stewart I would love to see the faces of the mourners when my coffin is rolled in!

If I have a funeral, mine would be -

Entrance - Unfinished Sympathy by Massive Attack
Middle - Nothing Else Matters by Metallica
Exit - Fanfare for the Common Man by Emerson, Lake and Palmer

One of our best friends told us the song he'd planned for the exit music, when he was terminally ill. We all said, you can't have that, you're joking?! He said no and that we'd see.
The funeral was absolutely packed, lots of tears. The celebrant wound up by saying,
"Well, the last word has to be from the man himself - I told you I would, you buggers!
And then everyone fell about laughing when The Birdie Song started up!!!

‘A Song for You’ by Donny Hathaway.

I have indeed sung a lot of songs and acted out my life on stages with (lots more than) ten thousand people watching. Plus, it’s a beautiful song and I will hope to continue to loving people in a place where there’s no space or time …

At the end of the service my only request is to play - jump around - by house of pain. A mood lightener and a hope they have a good party after !

Remember being asked once what i would like done with my ashes after the funeral. I said i wasn't bothered, for all i cared they could roll me up and smoke me.

There is a light that never goes out by the smiths

"And if a double decker bus, crashes into us"