Harry
CibbuanoWhat song would you like played at your funeral? What would you choose for a lover?
October 3rd 2006 01:12
I never realized that there were top ten lists for funeral songs, but apparently there is. According to the SMH the top ten most requested funeral songs to be played at UK funerals are.
1. Goodbye My Lover - James Blunt
2. Angels - Robbie Williams
3. I've Had The Time Of My Life - Jennifer Warnes and Bill Medley.
4. Wind Beneath My Wings - Bette Midler
5. Pie Jesu - Requiem
6. Candle In The Wind - Elton John
7. With Or Without You - U2
8. Tears From Heaven - Eric Clapton
9. Every Breath You Take - The Police
10. Unchained Melody - Righteous Brothers
Take all of Europe into consideration and there are some damn unusual song requests making the top ten. Forget Amazing Grace or some somber classical number, people nowadays are more likely to be getting buried to the strains of “Another One Bites the Dust.”
1. Queen's "The Show Must Go On"
2. Led Zeppelin's "Stairway to Heaven"
3. AC/DC's "Highway to Hell"
4. Frank Sinatra's "My Way"
5. Mozart's "Requiem"
6. Robbie Williams' "Angels"
7. Queen's "Who Wants to Live Forever"
8. The Beatles's "Let It Be"
9. Metallica's "Nothing Else Matters"
10. U2's "With or Without You"
At some stage it is inevitable that we all might be in the position of choosing a song for a funeral. I think most people are pretty liberal with the songs that they’d like to be played at their own funeral. I’d love to have some comical tune blasting as my casket got rolled of where ever it was destined for. Something along “Always Look on the Bright Side,” would be perfect. But, when it comes to your friends, family and lovers, I’m far more sensitive with what I’d want played at their final hurrah.
If you had to choose a song to be played at your partner’s funeral, what would you pick? Its a horrible kind of thought but lets just pretend your lover just got mowed down by a semi - what would you dedicate for them that best emcompasses their life? Popular choice seems divided between those that want to respect the somber nature of the occasion and those that choose an uplifting song to celebrate what was. What parts of your partner’s personality would influence you in your song choice?
Radiohead always make me feel like I’m at a funeral and from what I've gathered they happen to be a popular choice among younger generations. For me, it’s far too morose. Then again something too upbeat may appear insensitive. I could only imagine “Highway to Hell” getting played at some hardcore biker funeral. The Door’s “Light My Fire” would be a hilarious choice for a cremation.
But seriously, I think Pink Floyd’s “Wish You Were Here” would be an excellent choice for the funeral song of someone I loved.
1. Goodbye My Lover - James Blunt
2. Angels - Robbie Williams
3. I've Had The Time Of My Life - Jennifer Warnes and Bill Medley.
4. Wind Beneath My Wings - Bette Midler
5. Pie Jesu - Requiem
6. Candle In The Wind - Elton John
7. With Or Without You - U2
8. Tears From Heaven - Eric Clapton
9. Every Breath You Take - The Police
10. Unchained Melody - Righteous Brothers
Take all of Europe into consideration and there are some damn unusual song requests making the top ten. Forget Amazing Grace or some somber classical number, people nowadays are more likely to be getting buried to the strains of “Another One Bites the Dust.”
1. Queen's "The Show Must Go On"
2. Led Zeppelin's "Stairway to Heaven"
3. AC/DC's "Highway to Hell"
4. Frank Sinatra's "My Way"
5. Mozart's "Requiem"
6. Robbie Williams' "Angels"
7. Queen's "Who Wants to Live Forever"
8. The Beatles's "Let It Be"
9. Metallica's "Nothing Else Matters"
10. U2's "With or Without You"
At some stage it is inevitable that we all might be in the position of choosing a song for a funeral. I think most people are pretty liberal with the songs that they’d like to be played at their own funeral. I’d love to have some comical tune blasting as my casket got rolled of where ever it was destined for. Something along “Always Look on the Bright Side,” would be perfect. But, when it comes to your friends, family and lovers, I’m far more sensitive with what I’d want played at their final hurrah.
Radiohead always make me feel like I’m at a funeral and from what I've gathered they happen to be a popular choice among younger generations. For me, it’s far too morose. Then again something too upbeat may appear insensitive. I could only imagine “Highway to Hell” getting played at some hardcore biker funeral. The Door’s “Light My Fire” would be a hilarious choice for a cremation.
But seriously, I think Pink Floyd’s “Wish You Were Here” would be an excellent choice for the funeral song of someone I loved.
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Comment by Homer Joyce
The song I want played at my funeral is the Dies Irae (it means I've had a traditional Catholic burial complete with Gregorian Chant, even if I have been damned).
I want two songs (or parts of songs) played at my ex-wife's funeral:
A part of All I Really Want by her favourite muso Alanis Morissette ... just hit the repeat button on the section 'Enough about me... ' ... and repeat and repeat and repeat ...
And, Who Killed Bambi by the Sex Pistols ...
Homer
Comment by Ruth
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Everybody Loves You (when you're dead) is a pretty blunt but honest song to play at a funeral.
Comment by Homer Joyce
At least I didn't pick the Divynls 'Every time I think about you, I touch myself.'
Comment by Little Angry Doll
Falling Haiku Leaf
Inner West Life
For me - "Bird House In Your Soul" by They Might Be Giants
My mother always said that she wanted Pachelbel's Canon played at her funeral. Her dreadful husband of four years played "Unchained Melody", quite possibly the most inappropriate song I could ever imagine. He even had a photo of himself on the coffin...
Comment by StephenP
For me, Fade to Black by Metallica would be good to kick off with, and maybe Glycerine by Bush to wind up.
Although, a song that relived both happy and sad emotions for evryone present, andwas accompanied with a slideshow presentation of photos, was at one of my mates funerals - My Immortal by Evanescence.
Not a dry eye in the House!!
Cheers,
StephenP
Comment by Anonymous
Pimpf by - Depeche Mode
Into my arms - Nick Cave
There is a light that never goes out - The Smiths
This is our last goodbye - Jeff Buckley
Fairytale of New York Kirsty MacColl -
I'll love you until the end of the world - Nick Cave
Fretless - REM
And to dance to...
Dance of the Mad Bastards - Pop Will Eat Itself
Rise - PIL
Temple of Love - Sisters of Mercy
Violently Happy - Bjork
Comment by Tracy
Movies and Life
Comment by Tracy
Movies and Life
Pimpf by - Depeche Mode
Into my arms - Nick Cave
There is a light that never goes out - The Smiths
This is our last goodbye - Jeff Buckley
Fairytale of New York Kirsty MacColl -
I'll love you until the end of the world - Nick Cave
Fretless - REM
And to dance to...
Dance of the Mad Bastards - Pop Will Eat Itself
Rise - PIL
Temple of Love - Sisters of Mercy
Violently Happy - Bjork
Sorry for double-posting...I'm trying to figure out what went wrong....
Comment by Gareth
Comment by Adrienne
Comment by Bryn
Horrorphile
As for my partner's funeral song, I'd be inclined to choose Jeff Buckley's version of Hallelujah, although I fear we'd all be reduced to sobbing wrecks before the song had finished. Perhaps then Astrid Gilberto's epic Latin piece Beginnings from 1969, which my partner played to me very early on in our relationship as pretty much her favourite track (I'm a DJ y'see, so music is a big part of our lives ...)
Comment by Ruth
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I wonder if a disco ball wold be kosher at a funeral. I would be pretty funky to get your casket wheeled out to the opening bars of James Brown's, I Feel Good and the pallbearers swinging in tune.
Comment by Homer Joyce
The sillier the posts get on this subject, the more I'm enjoying them ...
Why not hire a puppeteer and animate the cadaver?
Homer
Comment by Ruth
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That was the most hilarious visual ever!
Comment by Tracy
Movies and Life
Comment by Jas
Stories: Put Them in Your Brain
Food, Wine and Coffee
One Planet
Comment by Jas
Stories: Put Them in Your Brain
Food, Wine and Coffee
One Planet
Comment by Homer Joyce
I'm not sure if encouraging my visual imagination is a good idea, but I'm glad you enjoyed it ...
I was once commissioned to write a screenlay titled Stiffs & Meat Pies. (I had to work on the following storyline: It was about a struggling muso who worked at Adelaide's famous pie cart, and a struggling actor who worked at a dodgy funeral parlour. They lived together, and were both in love with the same girl; their childhood sweetheart who owned a florist shop and liked to sniff new books). Sadly the film never got produced. There were so many great visuals relating to death (mostly of the black comedy kind). The script editor made me stick to one suicide, but didn’t mind multiple scenes of the main character’s recurring sighting of a girl who died while having sex with him. The funeral parlour owner (of Scottish heritage) was a great character to develop. I remember him having a huge dummy-spit about Italian/Australians wailing too much at his funerals ... until he realised he'd brought out the wrong cadaver) ...
This post should go on ad infinitum … It’s such a good subject.
Homer.
Comment by Homer Joyce
Comment by Bryn
Horrorphile
Comment by Ruth
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That script sounds excellent. You should post it somewhere or publish it.
Anyway, I'm settling on James Brown but a boyfriend should get no less than a Cher impersonator in fishnets and leather, straddling the casket and belting out "If I Could Turn Back Time."
I think we should get into the themed funeral business together... Insensitivities R Us Pty Ltd.
Comment by Tracy
Movies and Life
That version of Jeff Buckley's Hallelujah would be a beautiful song to play, but yes I can imagine the tears overspilling. I feel like crying when I hear it at any time.
I know what you mean about being at a funeral and being overwhelmed and then thinking about what song you would have at your own. That's very sad that your friend died. For my sister's funeral, I chose her songs, Last Goodbye was one of them.
At the next funeral I went to, a friend's brother, I was even more aware of songs and that's when I started thinking of which song/s I would like at mine. The main song was John Farnham's You're the Voice. Again I crumbled. I think I was crying for many reasons, my friend, her family, my family and for listening to John Farnham.
Comment by Homer Joyce
Love Insensitivities R Us Pty Ltd. (Lots of possibilities with that one ... )
As to the funeral script, I don't own it, as it was commissioned. I should email the producer, and see if he has any interest in 'exhuming' it ... I think he's busy doing a Jaws meets Crocodile Dundee, Altmanesque Player-type film at the moment ...
Comment by Bryn
Horrorphile
WAKE Up and Smell the Coffee! Funeral Party Shenanigans Ltd
"Have you ever got the shits with how dull and depressing a funeral and its wake can get? Well look no further! We'll provide you with the most UPLIFTING music and all-round LIFE-AFFIRMING silliness you all ever need to get over your loved one's death and put put the ZING back in your deadened soul!"
Comment by Homer Joyce
If we're going to get really sick about this, and you want some further choices, do a Google on songs about necrophilia. I couldn't believe how many there are.
Homer
Comment by Always Eighteen
Always Eighteen
I guess "Oops, I did it again" by Britney would be a good one.
Comment by Tracy
Movies and Life
Your comment really made me chuckle, that is a perfect necrophilia song.
Tracy
Comment by Homer Joyce
That comment reminds me so much of John Doe's dialogue in 7 ... "Oh, I've done it again." ...
Comment by Anonymous
As for my ex... could'nt care less!!
Comment by Anonymous
The site is free and the music is "streamed", no downloads.
Comment by Anonymous
Comment by Anonymous
Comment by Anonymous
Comment by Anonymous
Comment by April-louise
my song to Aimee at her funeral was missing you by tamia, brandy, gladys knight and chaka khan... the words really related to her... "you were my sister, my strenth and my pride"
my mum and dad choose the song your face by lemar... its lovely i truely reccomend either of these songs they really touched everyone.
we also had...
one sweet day by mariah carey and Boys II men
and you and i, by will young... which is something different but the words were really lovely....
love and miss so much Aimee ='[
i hope this was of some help to people
xxxxx
Comment by April-louise
my song to Aimee at her funeral was missing you by tamia, brandy, gladys knight and chaka khan... the words really related to her... "you were my sister, my strenth and my pride"
my mum and dad choose the song your face by lemar... its lovely i truely reccomend either of these songs they really touched everyone.
we also had...
one sweet day by mariah carey and Boys II men
and you and i, by will young... which is something different but the words were really lovely....
love and miss so much Aimee ='[
i hope this was of some help to people
xxxxx
Comment by Anonymous
Comment by BARRYB
GEORGE JONES CHOICES
RICKY VAN SHELTON ILL LEAVE THIS WORLD LOVIN YOU
HE STOPPED LOVING HER TODAY GEORGE JONES
WHISKEY LULLABY BRAD PAISLEY ALISON KRAUSS
ANGIE ROLLING STONES
ALL DEDICATED TO SOMEONE WHO WILL BE AT MY FUNERAL.THEY KNOW WHO THEY ARE AND SOME FOLK WILL GUESS WHO THEY ARE.
YOU WILL ALWAYS BE NUMBER 1 ANGIE BABE!!
Comment by Anonymous
Under the Bridge~ Red Hot Chili Peppers
My Immortal~ Evanescence
Vermillion, Pt. 2~ Slipknot
Turn my head~ Live
Collide~ Howie Day
Comment by Boddah
"Seasons in the sun" by Cat Stevens
"Adagio in G minor" by Albinoni
"The man who sold the world" by David Bowie
"Stairway to Heaven" by Led Zeppelin
"Mad World" by Gary Julez
"Coda Maestoso In F (Flat) Minor" by Earth
"Monkey Gone to Heaven" by Pixies
"Everybody Hurts" by R.E.M.
"Still got the Blues" by Gary Moore
"My Way" by Frank Sinatra
"Hallelujah" by Jeff Buckley
"Freebird" by Lynyrd Skynyrd
"High Hopes" by Pink Floyd
"Let it be" by The Beatles
"In this River" by Black Label Society
"Three Little Birds" by Bob Marley
"You Know You're Right" by Nirvana
"Sappy" by Nirvana
"Adagio for Strings - Platoon theme" by Samuel Barber
"All Along The Watchtower" by Jimi Hendrix
Last but not least, "Always look on the bright side of life" from Monty Python. This song should be the last one to play in the memorial service. Everybody would wipe their tears and have a pleasant afternoon after all.
Oh, and something from Moby...
Comment by Anonymous
You Hear Me - Jimmy Eat World
i think is a very nice song