Upbeat songs about death

Subject: Upbeat songs about death
From: ChillToad
Date: 26 Mar 10 - 07:18 AM

I'm putting together a short set (6 to 8 songs or so) with a common theme of death or dying. There's a huge number (thats one problem!)of tragic, poignant, pathetic etc songs to choose from , but I'd like to end on a more upbeat note. After we've all had a good cry over Barbara Allen or The Band played Waltzing Matilda, I'd like to "leave 'em laughing when I go". Suggestions please.

Subject: RE: Upbeat songs about death
From: oldhippie
Date: 26 Mar 10 - 07:35 AM

"Send Me To Glory In A Glad Bag"

Subject: RE: Upbeat songs about death
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 26 Mar 10 - 07:38 AM

How about John Prine's Please don't bury me

Tickles me anyway:-)

DeG

Subject: RE: Upbeat songs about death
From: matt milton
Date: 26 Mar 10 - 07:39 AM

The Worms Crawl In

Subject: RE: Upbeat songs about death
From: Moses
Date: 26 Mar 10 - 07:42 AM

Embalming Tommy by Mike Sparks:-


Chorus:-

'And he had a lovely finish like an Italian marble floor
like the coach-work on a Rolls Royce, or an antique mahogany door
like vaneer, like finest varnish, like an alabaster pot
Yes, when we came to gaze on 'im, Uncle Tom had got the lot'

Christine

Subject: RE: Upbeat songs about death
From: Will Fly
Date: 26 Mar 10 - 07:44 AM

Tom Lehrer's "We'll All Go Together When We Go".

Subject: RE: Upbeat songs about death
From: AllisonA(Animaterra)
Date: 26 Mar 10 - 07:45 AM

I'll fly away

Will the Circle be Unbroken

Any number of "crossing over to Jordan" spirituals-

Great idea, to leave them feeling good. The two songs I've suggested will also get them singing along, which will also feel good!

Subject: RE: Upbeat songs about death
From: MGM·Lion
Date: 26 Mar 10 - 07:50 AM

The Bells of Hell go tingaling-a-ling
For you but not for me:
Oh Death, where is your stingaling-a-ling?
Where grave your victory?

··· sung in O What A Lovely War; WWi soldiers' song, I take it ==

~Michael~

Subject: RE: Upbeat songs about death
From: Jack Campin
Date: 26 Mar 10 - 08:01 AM

Adam MacNaughtan's version of Shel Silverstein's "We're All Gonnae Die".

Tom Lehrer's "We'll All Go Together When We Go".

Subject: RE: Upbeat songs about death
From: GUEST, topsie
Date: 26 Mar 10 - 08:11 AM

On Ilkley Moor bah t'at

Subject: RE: Upbeat songs about death
From: bubblyrat
Date: 26 Mar 10 - 08:11 AM

"Look at the Widow !-
Bloody great female :
Isn't it grand,boys,
To be bloody well dead ?

Let's not have a sniffle,
Let's have a bloody good cry,
And always remember the longer you live,
The sooner you bloody well die !"

Plus ; John Denver did a very amusing song about death & cemeteries,called "Forest Lawn" or something like that.

Subject: RE: Upbeat songs about death
From: Anne Neilson
Date: 26 Mar 10 - 08:22 AM

Was 'Forest Lawn' not an early Tom Paxton song? Great rhythms and opportunity for hamming it up.
And the 'Still gonna die' song mentioned earlier has the added advantage of refrain lines for audience participation.

Subject: RE: Upbeat songs about death
From: clueless don
Date: 26 Mar 10 - 08:33 AM

The Kips Bay Ceili Band recorded an upbeat song about death, called "The Place I am Bound". I can't remember the words at this point. I'll try to remember to give it a listen and try to get back to you.

Don

Subject: RE: Upbeat songs about death
From: bubblyrat
Date: 26 Mar 10 - 08:45 AM

Could well have been Tom Paxton or even Tom Lehrer (Forest Lawn); But I have only heard one person sing it,and that was Herr Deutschendorf,or whatever his name was--only called Denver 'cos he liked it there.(So what of Don Henley ?? Though I've never seen him here !!).

Subject: RE: Upbeat songs about death
From: beeliner
Date: 26 Mar 10 - 08:59 AM

Paul Simon's "Mother and Child Reunion" is one of the more recent and certainly one of the highest-charting [upbeat songs about death] of all time.

Subject: RE: Upbeat songs about death
From: GUEST,HughM
Date: 26 Mar 10 - 09:20 AM

I can't remember the title, but there's a good one by Keith Marsden about someone who goes to his father's funeral and discovers that his father had several wives.

Subject: RE: Upbeat songs about death
From: GUEST
Date: 26 Mar 10 - 09:24 AM

A good one for those "left behind" is "Give Me Just a Little More Time". Upbeat, good choral opportunities. I think Jean Redpath recorded it years ago.

Subject: RE: Upbeat songs about death
From: ChillToad
Date: 26 Mar 10 - 09:42 AM

Wow, thanks everybody. I hadn't expected such a large, swift, and interesting response. I might just change the theme of the set to 'Dying can be fun'!
Keep 'em coming!

Subject: RE: Upbeat songs about death
From: GUEST,Alex
Date: 26 Mar 10 - 09:44 AM

Never heard John Denver sing Forest Lawn - thank goodness - it was always one of Tom Paxton's most popular songs.
Fixin' To Die Rag by Country Joe & the Fish would do the trick.

Subject: RE: Upbeat songs about death
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 26 Mar 10 - 10:01 AM

Not silly:


Wayfaring Stranger, with its theme of meeting mother and father again.

Bereite dir, Jesu, noch itzo die Bahn, from Anna Magdalena Bach's Notebook. It means

Prepare the way, Jesus.
My savior, choose the faithful soul
and look on me with eyes of grace.

Subject: RE: Upbeat songs about death
From: Maryrrf
Date: 26 Mar 10 - 10:32 AM

Rosin the Bow comes to mind.

Subject: RE: Upbeat songs about death
From: frogprince
Date: 26 Mar 10 - 10:47 AM

It may be a little presumptuous to bring up something of my own, but this , reset what is basically "The Water is Wide", came together a couple of years back.

Subject: RE: Upbeat songs about death
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 26 Mar 10 - 10:48 AM

Keith Marsden's 'Funeral song' is here in the Mudcat if anyone wants it.

Cheers

DeG

Subject: RE: Upbeat songs about death
From: Les from Hull
Date: 26 Mar 10 - 11:29 AM

I was just going to say that, Dave. Heartily recommend this song.

Also possible Loudon Wainwright's 'Suicide Song'

When you get the blues and you want to shoot yourself in the head
It's allright it's allright go ahead
Do the monkey do the pony do the slop do the hulahoop twist
Cut your throat cut your throat cut your wrists
When your tire of worldy toil shuffle off this mortal coil
Turn your body back to soil
it's ok it's ok
When you get hungup hang yourself up by your neck
What the hell what the hell what the heck

Subject: RE: Upbeat songs about death
From: bubblyrat
Date: 26 Mar 10 - 11:43 AM

What about the "M*A*S*H " theme ??

" Suicide is painless,
    It brings on many changes "......etc ??

Quite contemporary,so worthy of consideration,I would have thought !

Subject: RE: Upbeat songs about death
From: Phil Cooper
Date: 26 Mar 10 - 03:25 PM

James Keelaghan's "Who Dies, Everyone Dies." Austin Lounge Lizards, "Can I have Your Stuff when you're Dead." Just a couple more.

Subject: RE: Upbeat songs about death
From: Melissa
Date: 26 Mar 10 - 06:02 PM

This Old House
Yodel My Way to Heaven

Subject: RE: Upbeat songs about death
From: Joe_F
Date: 26 Mar 10 - 06:13 PM

You rascal you

Subject: RE: Upbeat songs about death
From: Melissa
Date: 26 Mar 10 - 06:17 PM

My Uncle Used to Love Me, But She Died

Subject: RE: Upbeat songs about death
From: Paul Davenport
Date: 26 Mar 10 - 06:35 PM

Try 'Next to Die' … wonderful Victorian gung-ho stuff. We recorded it on 'Songbooks' HATRCD02. Apparently written by a Captain Darling during the Indian Mutiny.

Subject: RE: Upbeat songs about death
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 26 Mar 10 - 06:48 PM

Always look on the bright side.

Subject: RE: Upbeat songs about death
From: oldhippie
Date: 26 Mar 10 - 08:31 PM

Here are the lyrics I didn't have handy this morning.

"Send Me To Glory in a Glad Bag" - Don & Mim Carlson/Steve Mason

People tell me I ought to save my money
so that I could be layed away in style
In a walnut box with all the fancy trimmin'
Vacuum sealed to keep me fresh awhile
But...

(chorus:)
Send me to glory in a Glad bag
Don't waste a fancy coffin on my bones
Just put me out on the curb next Tuesday
Let the sanitation local bear me home

Sell all my worldly possessions
and buy yourself a case or two of Pabst
Let the empties be my memorial tombstone
Engraven with this epitaph

(chorus)

If I should die upon the eve of Christmas
just place my baggie by the Christmas tree
And when the children; they open all their goodies
The big surprise would be the death of me

(chorus)

But maybe I am not bound for glory
but to that other place I would not choose
and if it seems that I'm headed in that direction
then an oven bag would be the thing to use

(chorus x 2)

©1979 Blue River Valley Publishing

Subject: RE: Upbeat songs about death
From: oldhippie
Date: 26 Mar 10 - 08:44 PM

"One Less Mouth To Feed" - Peter Alsop

Well Livvy, lately life's been lousy
And I know that you're upset
But life won't get no better
If you can't learn to forget
Cryin' won't bring John-Boy back,
He's out there on his own
And I hope that he is happy,
And I hope he don't come home, . .

Chorus
'Cause that's one less mouth to feed
One less mouth to feed
When your bluebird of happiness
Eats a poisen seed
Just look on the bright side,
That's one less mouth to feed!

Accidents will happen
It's sad the way things change
Mary Ellen fell into the well
And the water's tasting strange
Ben burned with the chicked coop
And ruined all the eggs
And Grandpa's headed toward the lake
With his moustache all ablaze, . .

Chorus
When the apple of your eye
Has a worm you didn't need

Jim-Bob sank in the river
Tryin' t'catch a frog
Lis'beth ate the dog's food
And got eaten by the dog
Erin's joined a convent,
Jason's guzzlin' gin
Grandma hitchiked to the city
To live a life of sin, . .

Chorus
When your bunny with the lucky feet
Gets flattened in the street

And now you say you're leavin' me
To find a better life
I hope Ike Godsey loves you
I hope he don't leave me his wife
The sun is shining somewhere
This house is cold as stone
And I miss you so my darling, . .
But it's great to be alone!!

Chorus
When your milk-cow of contentment
Falls asleep in the stampede
When your flower of life
Gets mowed down with the weeds
When you little lamb of innocence
Gets terminal V.D.


Written by Peter Alsop, ©1979, Moose School Music (BMI)

Subject: RE: Upbeat songs about death
From: Bert
Date: 26 Mar 10 - 09:02 PM

Here's one of mine 'Plastic Flower seeds'

Subject: RE: Upbeat songs about death
From: GUEST,johnp
Date: 27 Mar 10 - 08:45 AM

have a look at this one by furry lewis great stuff
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CCqbKdnHZTs

Subject: RE: Upbeat songs about death
From: Bobert
Date: 27 Mar 10 - 09:22 AM

A resounding 2nd on Animaterra's suggestion of "I'll Fly Away"... When my late wife, Judy, was dieing she picked out all the music for the funeral and wanted the end of the church service portion to end with that song... It was very uplifting...

BTW, that song is an old hymm but was covered by alot of country/folk bands in the 70s... The Byrds have a great version...

B~

Subject: RE: Upbeat songs about death
From: cptsnapper
Date: 27 Mar 10 - 04:09 PM

There's A Light by Beth Neilsen Chapman

Subject: RE: Upbeat songs about death
From: Suegorgeous
Date: 27 Mar 10 - 05:45 PM

The night before Larry was stretched

Famous flower of serving men (the way Martin sings it anyway)

Subject: RE: Upbeat songs about death
From: Leadfingers
Date: 27 Mar 10 - 06:11 PM

Having found my two first choices already mentioned ( All Go Together When we Go and Tom Paxton's Forest Lawn ) my third choice would be Shel Silverstein - Twenty Five Minutes To Go !

Subject: RE: Upbeat songs about death
From: Ebbie
Date: 27 Mar 10 - 06:45 PM

I don't remember who wrote it nor the title but I like the song where the chorus goes:

All my life I've been your lover
Through good and bad we've both stayed true
Now I'm gone and you're still living
Just get up and start your life anew

Or my own: Golden Rockin' Chair? :)

Mama worked so hard all the days of her life
From sunrise to sundown, as mother and wife
And many a nighttime she spent on our care
But I know she is resting up there
I dreamed I saw Mama rockin' in a golden rockin' chair

Mama built the fire at the crack of each dawn
And never stopped working 'til daylight was gone
When kids cried in the nighttime she always was there
But at last Mama hasn't a care
I dreamed I aaw Mama rockin' in a golden rockin' chair

    Rockin' chair. Rockin' chair.
    Didn't know there'd be a rockin' chair
    But I know that I'll find it up there
    I dreamed I saw Mama rockin' in a golden rockin' chair

Now the years have gone by and I in my turn
Am facing my end time and what rest I have earned
I believe there is nothing my mama won't share
- and I know that I'll find her up there -
So I'll join my mama rockin' in her golden rockin' chair

It is without shame, I am. :)

Subject: RE: Upbeat songs about death
From: GUEST,Ebor_fiddler
Date: 28 Mar 10 - 04:17 PM

Teenage Cremation?

Subject: RE: Upbeat songs about death
From: pavane
Date: 29 Mar 10 - 06:26 AM

Ballad of Suzie Grapevine & Pusher Joe? Mike Absalom c 1968

Goes some thing like this (after she jumped out of the window)

"Down down she went, bouncing off the little concrete gargolyes put there by the Notting Hill Housing trust

For the first time in her life, Suzie Grapevine was going down...

SPLAT"

"Kill yourselves with Benzedrine, bullets or with Scotch
But tell me when you do it, so that I can come and watch"

Subject: RE: Upbeat songs about death
From: pavane
Date: 29 Mar 10 - 06:32 AM

Lyric can be found here - though there are some errors if I remember right (should be "Suzie Grape is SO POOR NOW they call her Grape Suzette")

Ballad of Suzie Grapvine

Subject: RE: Upbeat songs about death
From: clueless don
Date: 29 Mar 10 - 09:09 AM

The words to "The Place I am Bound" are given in the liner notes for The Kips Bay Ceili Band's "Digging In" CD. They call it "The Happiest song about death we've ever heard". The words:

As my father before me, so now I
give pause to reflect on the day that I will die.
As they lay me down in the cold of the ground
remember I am closer to the place I am bound.
A few final words will be spoken, I trust.
Be kind as you can, and lie if you must.
And remember me when I was at my best
instead of used up lying with these flowers on my chest.

Sometimes death is like a thief in the night.
He steals every treasure that is hidden in plain sight.
But I do not flatter my own memory
for I will miss you every bit as much as you'll be missing me.
I wish I could be there to brighten the mood
with friends and family and mountains of food.
Stories and memories and tales all around
but it's late and I must travel to the place I am bound.

I hope that the spirit of the Lord will not mind
if you toast me with spirits of the Irish kind.
Raise your glass as the blessing is said
"May you be in Heaven half an hour
before the devil knows you're dead."

A very brief snippet of the song may be heard at Amazon.

The liner notes list the author credit as "(Bennett) copyright 1991 Bright Avenue Songs (ASCAP)". That's all I have.

Don

Subject: RE: Upbeat songs about death
From: mrmoe
Date: 29 Mar 10 - 09:13 AM

I once heard Patrick Sky do "chamber's caskets".....a poem/advertisement from "the american way of death"....to the tune of "rock of ages"

Subject: RE: Upbeat songs about death
From: Herga Kitty
Date: 29 Mar 10 - 07:39 PM

Under the Lilacs? Only Remembered? When the Roll is called up yonder.

And definitely Embalming Tommy, as mentioned by Moses earlier in the thread. And while we're on the subject of Mike Sparks, there's his Jack Hamble song, about grave digging -


Oh me name it is Jack Hamble a gravedigger to my trade
Just tell me where you want it dug and leave me with me spade
And if you let me on me own and don't get in the way
I'll dig a standard eight by six in less than half a day

Kitty

Subject: RE: Upbeat songs about death
From: GUEST,Michele Callaghan
Date: 29 Mar 10 - 08:42 PM

How about "I'm on My Way to Canaan Land"?

Subject: RE: Upbeat songs about death
From: GUEST
Date: 29 Mar 10 - 09:03 PM

"if it be your will"

--lenny cohen (of course)

---can't begin to say how powerful this song is....

Subject: RE: Upbeat songs about death
From: olddude
Date: 29 Mar 10 - 10:44 PM

Wayfaring Stranger

Subject: RE: Upbeat songs about death
From: Steve Gardham
Date: 30 Mar 10 - 02:13 PM

I'm with Bubblyrat.
Leslie Sarony's 'Ain't it grand to be blooming well dead'. Used to get sung a lot in the 60s.

Subject: RE: Upbeat songs about death
From: Herga Kitty
Date: 30 Mar 10 - 02:50 PM

Alanww sang the Leslie Sarony song as the winning (?) entry at the Doom, Gloom and Despondency workshop at Sidmouth a few years ago.

Kitty

Subject: RE: Upbeat songs about death
From: Snuffy
Date: 31 Mar 10 - 08:33 AM

Leslie Sarony's version does not have the "Let's not have a sniffle, Let's have a bloody good cry..." chorus which is apparently mandatory nowadays.

This new version was popularised in the 1960s by the Clancys, and I don't recall hearing anyone else sing the Sarony version.

Subject: RE: Upbeat songs about death
From: deepdoc1
Date: 31 Mar 10 - 04:39 PM

Reincarnation is a poem, not a song, but is right humorous.

Subject: RE: Upbeat songs about death
From: GUEST,conomal
Date: 29 Sep 10 - 02:57 PM

Die, Die, Die. The Avett Brothers.
Get Me Away From Here I'm Dying. Belle & Sebastian.
Radio Song. The Felice Brothers.

Subject: RE: Upbeat songs about death
From: jennyr
Date: 29 Sep 10 - 03:11 PM

The Wilsons finished their set last week with a song called 'When I die' - not sure where it comes from but apparently it's on their latest CD, and was mighty uplifting!

Subject: RE: Upbeat songs about death
From: Suegorgeous
Date: 29 Sep 10 - 05:36 PM

There's also a very humorous song I remember Martin Carthy singing once about gravediggers or a funeral or something? must be on one of the albums. Anyone know the one?