I drive the 'Dave' of MrsDave quite nuts with this. As it happens, I have an illness that at times has threatened to make this subject matter pertinent. Anyhooo..it's always after one of these bouts, after I've recovered and am all fine that I say....

"You know, I would like....... played at my service"

And since my choice is ALWAYS different than the last time, Dave screams:

"ARRGGH, make up your mind woman or please God let me die first!"

Since I cannot bear the thought of him dying first, I figured I'd post my current choice:

For a Dancer
by jackson browne
and..

Ripple
Grateful Dead
(not because I'm a Deadhead..that would be Dave! But, it's lovely song and much more suited for a memorial than wedding. Why DO couples play this one at weddings anyway??)

last year my choice was 'Homeward Bound' - Paul Simon

Before that it was that old Mowing Song...

the one that goes:

The sun has gone down
and the sky it looks red..
and down on the pillow,
where I lay my head.
I lift up my eyes for to see those stars shine
and the thought of my True Love still runs in my mind...

(Roger Eno has nice version with a harmonium but he only sings one verse!)


hey, what's that Sacred Harp song that goes:

Fare thee well, I'm Going Home..
My savior come to take me home..etc etc.
And I don't care to stay here long....

?????

That would be a right fine song to sing at a service but then, we don't know any Sacred Harp singers. best to stick to folk tunes.

If I remember to find the lyrics to some of these, I;ll post them. I missed this thread the last time it swung around. Lest anybody think I'm overly maudlin in actually thinking about this..I'ver buried more than one friend a year since the age of 14 and it's getting tiresome not knowing what they would have liked us to sing! I'm 41 now and darn it..I want Ripple and For a Dancer if I predecease my pals. I'm gonna print this out and staple it to my Life Insurance policy!

I don't find this depressing. I think its good to talk about this in advance. I've already told my husband to see to it that I am nothing more than ashes before any of the Old-time Irish in the family get any wild ideas about a 3-day Wake in NYC. That would be enough to make me haunt somebody.