Please help me compile a palliative spotify playlist of hymns

[buckeejit]

My mum has an inoperable brain tumor and hasn't long left. She's lucid & mobile now and mostly herself still but I'm struggling with wanting something active to do so thought I'd start with this.

I will subtly ask for her & dad's favourite hymns but have my own hymns playlist on spotify, (they're staunch Presbyterian, I'm liberal but spiritual also a skeptic & non church goer)

The vibe of most of the hymns I come across either seem too jolly or too morbid, so please let me know if you know any artists/versions of hymns that you'd want to hear when you or a loved one is dying - my favourite hymn is Dear Lord and father of mankind by Neil Hannon of divine comedy, (despite walking up the ailse to him singing another hymn, I only fairly recently discovered this gem due to MN).

Any other advice also gratefully received if there's anything else I could do

"There is a Green Hill far away" - beautiful melody, and lovely words too.

I like easter ones:
And can it be
Alleluia, alleluia hearts to heaven and voices raise.

And Love Divine all loves excelling (both tunes)
Alleluia sing to Jesus

As for me, I believe death is not the end.

@bathsh3ba just listened to your rec & it's a totally different song to what I was thinking of. Here's the one I meant-film still worth a watch 😁

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=aTsFRauKH_c

There's a BBC list of the UK's Top 100 Hymns here which might give you some inspiration. They're mostly well known traditional hymns; I know about half of them, and I haven't sung hymns regularly since my schooldays.

Another vote for Dear Lord and Father of Mankind
Also:
O Love that wilt not let me go, I rest my weary soul in thee
Eternal Father Strong to Save
Immortal, Invisible, God only Wise
When I survey the wondrous cross
You raise me up
And can it be
When lamps are lighted in the town

I'm a Scottish Presbyterian. Hymns that are popular in traditional Presbyterian churches for times like this might be

I heard the voice of Jesus say
Be thou my vision
All the way my saviour leads me
My song is love unknown
Love divine
23rd Psalm
Abide with me
By Cool Siloam's shady rill
In Christ alone
How deep the father's love for us
Dear lord and father
What a friend we have in Jesus
The day thou gavest
How great though art
Before the throne of God above
I need thee every hour
Oh love that will not let me go
Lord, I have come to the seashore
Immortal, invisible

I've remembered another couple of beautiful ones.

Only by grace can we enter (Psalm 130)

Clicked too soon🙄

On Eagles Wings
All Heaven Declares
You are my strength when I am weak
Nearer my God to thee

@buckeejit

This is great thanks, will have a browse of these.

Yes I love will you anchor hold.

My mum's life has been one of service to others & she's constantly been doing stuff & didn't really like being entertained by music & films etc. So unlike me & my dad, she doesn't really like other music, apart from once when I was at Primary school, she said she liked Shakin' Stevens- snow is falling!

Will maybe do another playlist of secular music but not convinced she'd like it!

I think there are secular songs that are performed ‘classicly’ or in a more choral/formal way that might be nice interspersed? My mum wasn’t much one for music but she did love Somewhere Over the Rainbow, of which there is an Eva Cassidy version that is beautiful. There are other songs too, like Bridge Over Troubled Waters, or Days, or In My Life which all resonate - many done in arrangements by choirs.

What songs and music does you dad like? Don’t forget him in this. I’d bet there is music he loves he has shared with her in her past.

Love to you. It’s very hard.

For the beauty of the earth
For the beauty of the skies
For the love, which from our birth
Over and around us lies, over and around us lies
Lord of all to thee we raise,
This our joyful hymn of praise.

Another John Rutter classic I think

Sorry about your dm.

This is very thoughtful of you OP.

It is well with my soul

Id suggest:
Great is Thy Faithfulness,
John Rutter, Gaelic Blessing, and
Taize- Jesus, remember me

So sorry youre in this place.

In Christ Alone
How deep the fathers love for us.

Make Me a Channel of Your Peace

Wings of a Dove (more a piece of choral music than something you'd sing in church but beautiful)

Super - thank you so much for all the replies. It's really helpful for me to have something, albeit small to focus on.

I managed to get them picking some hymns they like last night & it's mostly very old hymns - 'I stand amazed in the presence' & 'in tenderness he sought me' are 2 of their favourites. Both of which I'm not familiar with, but after initial disinterest, they managed to provide me with a fairly lengthy list & I left them perusing the hymn books with instructions to make a list of any others they like 😀

m.youtube.com/watch?v=qt_OkgSOrkU

The Prayer

Nimrod?

Taize pieces also good. Repetitive and calming.

He will hold me fast, by Keith and Kristyn Getty
Still, my soul be still, by Keith and Kristyn Getty
Before the throne of God above, by Charitie Lees Bancroft

To add a modern twist to your mix:

City alight - Yet not I but through Christ in me
Hill song united - So will I
David Funk - Touch of Heaven
Sarah Kroger - Belovedness
Christy Nockles - By our love
Hannah McClure - Our Father
Paul McClure -Waymaker
Cory Asbury - Reckless Love

All great songs!