I sing Sacred Harp, an Appalachian hymn singing tradition that is loaded with songs about death.

I didn't really like the death heavy songs (And am I born to die?) but after my mother died they developed real meaning for me. For me they look death & God in the face & ask for understanding. There's not always resolution but the very act of asking helps a lot. I find them more honest in feeling than later gospel songs. See the Gospel Sing 9/11 thread for some responsed.

This is not performance so I can't really address balancing a set. At a singing people have their own reasons for selecting a tune so we could end up with several heavy death oriented songs just because they have good tunes.

Hard to come up with favorites. I love Funeral Anthem and want it at my funeral. Evening Shade, Calvary, Granville, Sing to me of Heaven. Morning Sun has a perky tune & is a favorite of a friend who's laughing at her wrinkles.