Please help me with song ideas for my sister’s funeral

[weusedtocampinthegarden]

My sister has recently passed away and my parents would like me to choose music for her Funeral. It will be at a cremation and not religious. Mum has chosen a piece of classical music for while everyone is gathering. I have already chosen Emilie Sande Read all about it pt 3 for the middle of the service as this reflects her very well.
I need two more piece of music. One for as she comes in at the start (with the family behind her), and one for everyone going out.
she wasn’t into classical music but she liked r an b an dance music, and 90s indie. She died suddenly and unexpectedly. When she was alive she did a lot to help other people. She also danced Ceroc a lot so it could reflect that but I don’t know anything about that kind of music.
I would love the leaving song to be more full of hope. Neither song has to be directly about death or sad, but don’t think my parents are ready for anything too comedy (although I would love gangsta’s paradise to be played as she loved that song)
any and all suggestions welcome.

TIA

I’m so sorry you have lost your sister. I went to the funeral of a young person and they played
‘I don’t want to miss a thing’ by Aerosmith. So lovely.

Was just scrolling down to say this! Bit more somber, and is the original so for a music lover like your sister should work. Donny Hathaway a Song For You is beautiful.

I like a mixture of delicate, upbeat, sad, and soulful at a funeral because you want to acknowledge how sad it is, but appreciate what they loved and enjoyed as well. Their personality should be there resonating all around IMO. The last funeral I went to was very upsetting, obviously, but some songs were so her, they fit her perfectly and brought everyone into another state of mind.

I was very moved at a friends funeral who had I have a dream by abba. She was young ish and a very kind and giving person it fit well

So sorry for your loss.

The first song to spring to mind for me was Crowded House - She Goes On.

I think Crowded House just about counts as indie and the song is from 1991.

"Pretty soon you'll be able to remember her
Lying in the garden singing
Right where she'll always be
The door is always open
This is the place that I loved her
And these are the friends that she had
Long may the mountain ring
To the sound of her laughter
And she goes on and on
In her soft wind I will whisper
In her warm sun I will glisten
Till we see her once again
In a world without end
We owe it all to Frank Sinatra
The song was playing as she walked into the room
After the long weekend
They were a lifetime together
Appearing in the eyes of children
In the clear blue mountain view
We're coloring in the sky
And painting ladders to heaven
And she goes on and on
In her soft wind I will whisper
In her warm sun I will glisten
Till we see her once again
In a world without end
In her soft wind I will whisper
In her warm sun I will glisten
And I always will remember
In a world without end
She goes on
She goes on
She goes on"

So sorry for you're loss.
I've already planned my funeral songs.
Superstar - Carpenters
On days like these, Matt Munro
We have all the time in the world - Louis Armstrong

Pick songs your sister would have enjoyed, even go back to when she was a teenager.

Absolutely we are! 😂

Ceroc!!! So I don’t know a TON about Ceroc dancing, but I do know the very basics - it’s a mix of jive, salsa, and maybe foxtrot. The one or two times I’ve been, they were playing a lot of electro swing, stuff like Parov Stelar and Caravan Palace, and classic fast beats, like Donna Summers. My absolute favorite song from that genre is “Get Busy Living” by Goldfish, and I actually might like it to be played at my funeral. Maybe inappropriate for a funeral? But I’ve always believed funerals should be a celebration and encouragement of life. Very fun video too, if you just need to shut your brain off from grief for a moment:

“When you're lying in your bed
And the sound's still in your head
Let it spin around you
Takes you back again, again

Don't you want to live like you've already lived
Don't you want to use what you've been given
I don't want to live like I've already lived
But I do want to get busy living”

I agree with others, though. Check her phone and social media to see what she listened to most.

Hi OP,
My sister also died recently and very unexpectedly, and her funeral was 6 weeks ago. My sympathies are with you.
I chose:
Entry - you’ll never walk alone
during - for good
Exit - only the good die young.

I accept this may not be of use to you but might help someone else.

The Sonnet by The Verve or Travis Why does it always rain on me.

Cyndi lauper- time after time
fleetwood Mac - landslide
mazzy star - fade into you
billie myers - kiss the rain
new radicals - you get what you give

there is a really beautiful instrumental cover (piano version) of Gansta’s Paradise by Milo Grande on spotify, whether that would be suitable? So sorry for your loss

I want that for my funeral. It's so beautiful.

If she loved Gangsta's Paradise, play that. A song that connects mourners to her will bring back happy memories. An old friend of mine died last year - too young. His final song was one we used to listen to as teenagers and it made us all smile.

So very sorry for your loss OP.

How about:

Tender by Blur
There is a light that never grows out by The Smiths
Lucky Man by The Verve
Beautiful Day by The Eels
There She Goes by The Las
Distant Sun by Crowded House

Can you ask her CEROC group? Many have an organiser or Facebook group. They will know for sure what gets people up and dancing. Sorry for your loss, I lost my brother just before Xmas. Hadn't even thought about music.

All good choices

It's a great version of the Kinks song

Sorry for your loss, what about fly high by Gary Barlow. He did write it for his own loss and it’s a really nice song and also quite uplifting

I'm sorry for your loss. I would suggest On and On by Longpigs for a 90's Indie lover.
Also Sinead O'Connor and Terry Hall's version of All Kinds of Everything is just lovely.

Anthony and the Johnsons You are my sister

Missing you -diddy faith Evans

Do you realize? - Flaming Lips
Superstar - Sonic Youth (Carpenters cover)
Into My Arms - Nick Cave
Maps - Yeah Yeah Yeahs

Dancing in the sky by danni and lizzy- I chose this for my mum who left us much too soon x beautiful song

Dreaming of you - The Coral:

“Late at night when all the world is sleeping
I stay up and think of you
And I wish on a star
That somewhere you are thinking of me too
'Cause I'm dreaming of you tonight….”

Was coming on to suggest dancing in the sky by Danni & Lizzy, I found it after my DH funeral, if I’ve had seen it before we’d have had that as one of the options.

Deffo play Gangsta’s Paradise

Verve? bittersweet symphony

so very sorry for your loss