Hey Joe,

I understand, and I suppose that scheduling the song for before or after the funeral Mass, rather than during, should be an effective compromise.

Also, I am not myself a strong proponent of singing "Danny Boy" -- my attitude toward that song is similar to how I feel about "Kumbaya"; something that I once found moving, but which I've heard 'way too many times, in too many overly-sentimental performances, to truly appreciate any longer. But I felt like speaking up for the wishes of the loved-ones who do love the song and request it.

I was not aware of the "more appropriate" Catholic hymn-lyrics to the same tune. Would they be worth posting? Any members who play for the Catholic liturgy might well find them very useful to know; they might have an oportunity to suggest a compromise between a "Danny"-fan family and a reluctant pastor.

On a related topic, the way I feel about "Kumbaya" and "Danny Boy" is similar to my attitude toward much of the approved Catholic "folk Mass" songbook. Compared to the grand old Latin High Mass "Glorias" and "Credos," not to mention Gregorian Chant, much of the newer music is some pretty lame stuff.

I was still a practicing Catholic when the new music began to appear, and it generally made me reluctant to admit I owned an acoustic guitar. The Vatican's backtracking from the promises of John XXIII had more to do with my eventual drifting away than any musical issues, of course, but those wimpy songs didn't help at all.