What are your funeral songs?

[RainbowZebraWarrior]

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.

Mum had rocking all over the world status quo going in and elvis bridge over troubled water at the end

My late DPs relatively sudden death from undiagnosed cancer was unexpected by us all including himself.

However, he was very musical and front man inmany bands over the years, mostly cover bands.

By a series of odd coincidences, I discovered he had left a written list of songs for the big day that would have totalled 54 minutes for a one hour service.

As stage manager for the "event" I had to try and honour his wishes.

He went in to the opening theme of Wings of Desire, one of his favourite films spliced with Monsters by Switchblade Symphony as the first wasn't long enough alone.

Then we had Tuesdays Dead by Cat Stevens, which was weird because he died on a Tuesday.

Then we had Goodbye Barcelona by Pokey Lafarge.

His friends duetted Tremor Christ as it was a song he sang often in bands.

He went out to the full version of Freebird, the full 15 minutes, because as he wrote on the list "Fuck the man!"

There would have been more but as it stands we had to have no speeches other than my eulogy and his family's due to the time constraints. I hope he would have approved.

I must get round to doing my own at some point.

So far I think "Hurt," " Je ne Regrette Rien" and the Led Zeppelin track he'd dedicate to me at gigs that starts "If the sun refused to shine" and possibly "Simple Man" for my sons. No hymns for me, no Siree.

🎵 Don't Cry for Me, Argentina 🎵

I am from Central Scotland, but hey, MY funeral, MY rulz.

Beautiful choices. My mother's choice is also an Elvis song. I have a massive appreciation of Elvis because of her. Bridge over troubled waters is also a classic.

The Detectorists theme by Johnny Flynn and She Bangs the Drums by The Stone Roses for me

Little Girl Blue - Janis Joplin
Ripples - Genesis
Sacrifice - Christophe Beck

I must admit, I am tempted by an entirely inappropriate and majorly upbeat rock song.

You want it darker and hallelujah.

Hallelujah Leonard Cohen

Out of the Blue into the Black Neil Young and Crazy Horse (live version from Rust Never Sleeps)

The Sound of Silence Disturbed (Remix)

Walking on Sunshine Katrina and the Waves

YMCA by the village people. And they have to do the moves as well. For my own amusement.

Tom Waits Take Me Home

I know one for definite, I think it's called "Thank you for the days" by the Kinks.

The others are fluid. Currently thinking "It's all gonna be alright" by Jellyroll.

But some of the suggestions in here have given me food for thought.

OMG. I love that song by Johnny Flynn (and Detectorists for that matter; it is my favourite and most rewatched show) It's the most perfect, gentle, beautiful song and matches the programme perfectly. You may have made me rethink my choices.

I love Hallelujah, but for personal reasons it's Jeff Buckley's version for me. I almost mentioned it in my OP.

I Will Follow You Into The Dark by Death Cab
Keep Me In Your Heart - Warren Zevon
Freebird- Lynard Skynard

And anything by John Frusciante, but ideally Look On.

Fields of Athenry this is my families funeral song

Saturday Night by Whigfield, one of my favourite songs to listen to getting ready in my youth.

Amazing Grace sung by my best friend, she’s older than me but luckily her families longevity averages about 40 years longer than mine so the odds are she’ll be around longer than me 😂

And finally My Way by Frank Sinatra

I am sorry to hear that. 💐

You sound like an amazing person.

Me too.

Or "Look What You Made Me Do" by Taylor Swift and have someone edit it so that it says "the old Busy can't come to the phone right now. Why? Oh, coz she's dead!"

I always quite fancied something like Welcome to the Jungle as they lower my coffin.

If I die before DH I don't think he'd like me to have anything inappropriate though. I think he'd find it upsetting.

I definitely want For Good as per my previous post though. It's one of my favourite songs and it's about saying goodbye and the mark that your friend has left on your life, which I think is nice for a funeral.

I always thought “Wake me up before you go go” as I was a massive Wham! fan but maybe I need a more subtle George Michael song lol.

Burn baby burn by Ash
I’m being serious, I’d love it especially the opening guitar
possibly also dream a little dream although I’d prefer the Beautiful South version

My dad died suddenly but had already written down his funeral music which helped enormously

The only song I’m definite about is the final one, which will be Bring Me Sunshine by Morecambe & Wise. I keep changing my mind about the other songs.

I was only joking -Rod Stewart - kids can choose the rest

What's amazing is those who attend our funerals will have amazing memories of the songs we play.
Their youth and high and low points reflected in our music choices.
Beautiful.
Beats Abide with Me.

Northern Sky, Nick Drake.
I'll fly away, Alison Krauss.

Eva Cassidy time after time
Nick cave distant sky then loads of happy stuff but I am useless as remembering names of music so kids will have to figure it out