What song do you want at your funeral?

Subject: RE: What song do you want at your funeral?
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 24 Nov 03 - 05:51 PM

"I told you I was ill"

is what Spike Milligan (The Goon Show) always said he wanted on his tombstone.

Subject: RE: What song do you want at your funeral?
From: Peace
Date: 24 Nov 03 - 06:05 PM

Go Your Own Way by Fleetwood Mac. Played as loud as the system can handle; lotsa bass, and the odd bit of this and that around for anyone who attends.

Subject: RE: What song do you want at your funeral?
From: TheBigPinkLad
Date: 24 Nov 03 - 06:08 PM

Benny Hill's "Please let me go round again, Lord"

Subject: RE: What song do you want at your funeral?
From: Blowzabella
Date: 24 Nov 03 - 06:21 PM

The Good Old Way, sung by The Portsmouth Shantymen - no question

Subject: RE: What song do you want at your funeral?
From: PapaWhiskey
Date: 24 Nov 03 - 07:04 PM

We ended my dad's funeral with 'Joy to the World', partly because it seemed to fit and partly because he had an oft-stated aversion to draggy music. Me, I'm okay with draggy music. Please end my funeral with 'Ave Verum Corpus'(KV 618) by Mozart, partly because it seems to fit and partly because no one will expect it.

Subject: RE: What song do you want at your funeral?
From: Gareth
Date: 24 Nov 03 - 07:07 PM

Depends how I go, but the Shanty "Time for us to Leave Her" come near the top of the list in any circumstances.

Gareth

Subject: RE: What song do you want at your funeral?
From: Amos
Date: 24 Nov 03 - 07:26 PM

We hired a Dixie combo to play at my mother's funeral, after all had had their say -- they played her taps and then The Saints, although it was in the middle of a Connecticut greenwood. :>)


A

Subject: RE: What song do you want at your funeral?
From: Margret RoadKnight
Date: 24 Nov 03 - 07:27 PM

"Well May the World Go" (Pete Seeger)
and
"My Brown Yarra" (Frank Jones)
"... toss my ashes off of Princes Bridge,
or strap me inside a broken frig,.
drop me down in the murky drink
and let me lie where I sink..."

Subject: RE: What song do you want at your funeral?
From: Margret RoadKnight
Date: 24 Nov 03 - 07:30 PM

Lanston Hughes requested Duke Ellington's
"Do Nothing Till You Hear From Me"

Subject: RE: What song do you want at your funeral?
From: GUEST,Florentine Pogen
Date: 24 Nov 03 - 07:36 PM

"Elvis has just left the building"..........by Frank Zappa.

Subject: RE: What song do you want at your funeral?
From: GUEST,Obie
Date: 24 Nov 03 - 07:43 PM

Prine's "Please Don't Bury Me " would fine with me.

Subject: RE: What song do you want at your funeral?
From: Rapparee
Date: 24 Nov 03 - 07:48 PM

When the bring the coffin or whatever into church (I'm certain there will be a church ceremony no matter what I would say) I want the priest in black, like in the old days. As they bring what's left of me up the aisle I want the "Dies Irae" sung in Gregorian Chant, in Latin. There will be a funeral mass, of that I'm certain, so I want the songs to get progressively more joyful: "Morning has broken" "St. Patrick's Breastplate" "Rainbow Children" -- that sort of thing. And for the communion hymn I want the musicians to get down on "Jeremiah Was a Bullfrog." For the recessional let's do "The Saints." Out at the cemetery, I want the whole bunch to bellow out "Ode To Joy" and then "Bottle of Wine." Or reverse 'em, but those two and accept no substitutes. Do the buryin' early enough and a fiddler could do "Whiskey before breakfast."

Subject: RE: What song do you want at your funeral?
From: GUEST,David
Date: 24 Nov 03 - 08:37 PM

Under the wide and starry sky
Dig the grave and let me lie
Glad did I live and gladly die
And I lay me down with a will

This be the verse you 'grave for me
Here he lies where he longed to be
Home is the sailor, home from sea
And the hunter home from the hill

(Robert Louis Stevenson)

I'd also like a decent choir to sing John Rutter's carol "What Sweeter Music"

David

Subject: RE: What song do you want at your funeral?
From: Leadfingers
Date: 24 Nov 03 - 09:21 PM

My Dad always said"Dont mourn my dying,celebrate my life" So we did.
We got the whole family into my nephews pub and had a bloody good pissup.Thanks Dad.

Subject: RE: What song do you want at your funeral?
From: Robin2
Date: 24 Nov 03 - 11:29 PM

I personally want to hear "Rise Up, Lazarus"

Also, what do I want to hear said at my funeral?

"Look, she's moving!"

Robin2

Subject: RE: What song do you want at your funeral?
From: Cluin
Date: 25 Nov 03 - 12:05 AM

The worms crawl in; the worms crawl out
The ants play pinochle on your snout
And when you turn a ghastly green
The pus runs out like whipping cream.




That'll do.... donkey.

Subject: Lyr Add: GONNA SIT DOWN ON THE BANKS OF THE RIVER
From: Max
Date: 25 Nov 03 - 12:36 AM

GONNA SIT DOWN ON THE BANKS OF THE RIVER

by Reverend Gary Davis
©Chandos Music

I'm gonna run through the streets of the city
Where my Lord have gone on before
I'm gonna sit down on the banks of the river
I won't be back no more

All my crying will be over
I won't have to cry no more
I'm gonna sit down on the banks of the river
And I won't be back no more

We're gonna have a good time when we all get there
Gonna crown Him Lord of all
I'm gonna sit down on the banks of the river
God knows I won't be back no more

Hallelujah!
Well, well
Oh, well
Oh, oh, yeah!
Oh, God knows

Well gonna be where no lies be told on me
When I get on the other side
I'm gonna sit down on the banks of the river
Well I won't be back no more

Tell God all about my troubles
That I had in this world here below
I'm gonna sit down on the banks of the river
Hey!

I'm gonna fly from mansion to mansion
When I get on the other side
I'm gonna sit down on the banks of the river
Well I won't be back no more

Gonna meet my mother and my father
And my sisters and my brothers too
Yeah!
What?

I'll be where I won't have to say no more goodbyes
And won't have to part no more
Yeah, sit down on the banks of the river
Lord I won't be back no more

Subject: RE: What song do you want at your funeral?
From: Padre
Date: 25 Nov 03 - 01:03 AM

There are two that I want:

"Adoro Devote" with the Swahili words as translated by Edmund Palmer:

"Dundee" with words by Charles Wesley -

Subject: RE: What song do you want at your funeral?
From: Joe_F
Date: 25 Nov 03 - 09:38 AM

"The Night before Larry Was Stretched" (one of the advantages of being hanged is that you can go to your own wake)

My mother said, "When I die, put on the Dreigroschenoper". So I did.

Subject: RE: What song do you want at your funeral?
From: GUEST,Obie
Date: 25 Nov 03 - 11:14 AM

or "Isn't It Grand Boys."

Subject: RE: What song do you want at your funeral?
From: HuwG
Date: 25 Nov 03 - 01:00 PM

"Calon Lan"


And, since I intend to be cremated (though not for a few decades yet), "Smokestack Lightnin'"

Subject: RE: What song do you want at your funeral?
From: GUEST,guest
Date: 25 Nov 03 - 01:16 PM

Has be "Will you Miss Me" Guthrie or "She moves through the fair."

Subject: RE: What song do you want at your funeral?
From: Bearheart
Date: 25 Nov 03 - 01:44 PM

Friends and family gathered someplace beautiful-- outside, weather permitting-- singing and playing their memories of me-- the songs and tunes we've shared.

And sing this one:
"I will arise and go now and go to Innisfree, And a small cabin build there, of clay and wattles made. Nine bean rows will I have there, a hive for the honeybee, And live alone in the bee-loud glade.

And I will have some peace there, For peace comes dropping slow, Dropping on the veils of the morning, To where the cricket sings. There midnight's all aglimmer, and noon's apurple glow, and evening's full of the linnet's wings.

I will arise and go now, for always night and day, I hear lake water lapping with low sounds by the shore. While standing in the roadway or in the pavement grey, I hear it in the deep heart's core." (W.B. Yeats)

Because that is heaven to me.

Then spread my ashes somewhere on a piece of the green earth I love, under a tree, beside a river.

Subject: RE: What song do you want at your funeral?
From: GUEST,Mack/Misophist
Date: 25 Nov 03 - 02:25 PM

I'll Be Glad When You're Dead, You Rascal, You preferable not the Louis Armstrong version.

Subject: RE: What song do you want at your funeral?
From: ToulouseCruise
Date: 25 Nov 03 - 02:51 PM

While I have never thought about it myself, my father has told me he would like to hear the song "Amazing Grace" played... he is now 82, and while is in good health, one never knows what may happen. I have only been singing for a couple years, and I have no idea what I would do if my family suggested that I should at his funeral... it would be an honor to do it, but I don't know if I could hold myself together... then again, should it be something I suggest myself? there's 13 kids in the family (yes, thirteen), so I do not know how much my siblings would be involved... hopefully plenty of time to think this one over..

so while it is a bit of thread creep... what do u all think?

Subject: RE: What song do you want at your funeral?
From: Zany Mouse
Date: 25 Nov 03 - 06:21 PM

No contest of this one. I would like: "Wish Me Luck As You Wave Me Goodbye" - then off to the pub for a good sing! I'll be there in spirit to enjoy.

ZM

Subject: RE: What song do you want at your funeral?
From: Robin2
Date: 25 Nov 03 - 06:52 PM

ToulouseCruise,

Amazing Grace was my dad's favorite too, and the one he requested, along with "Danny Boy". Family left the music up to me, and I took it as an honor to make sure Dad had a good sendoff! Although I didn't play, two of my good friends played at the service, and then my son sang Amazing Grace. Tough gig, but he pulled it off with just a little quaver. At the gravesite we had a piper play it again, as Dad requested.

Now I can't hear the song without misting up.

Robin2

Subject: RE: What song do you want at your funeral?
From: Gareth
Date: 25 Nov 03 - 07:11 PM

Mmmm ! Mind you there might be a problem with the 20 minutes per service allocated by the average British Cremetorium !

I still wish for my service to be :-

"Stop Engines"

Splash

"Resume normal speed"

Gareth

Subject: RE: What song do you want at your funeral?
From: fiddler
Date: 26 Nov 03 - 08:13 AM

I'll go with LF above.

Recently atended a funeral with the corpse in his box in fishing kit and we sung Fiddlers Green and a slow shanty - magic - If I fished I would - then the pub for a sing and an eat.

Celebrate is the best way!!!

A

Subject: RE: What song do you want at your funeral?
From: GUEST,Strollin' Johnny
Date: 26 Nov 03 - 12:38 PM

Spaw - Lay Down Your Weary Tune, a great choice - wonderful imagery (and thanks for the lyrics a while back). It's in my repertoire now :-)

My own choice is 'The Funeral Song' (Brian Bedford).

Subject: RE: What song do you want at your funeral?
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 26 Nov 03 - 01:04 PM

Not sure what it's called - but it won't be collected, or possibly written, until around the year 2050.

Subject: RE: What song do you want at your funeral?
From: Merritt
Date: 26 Nov 03 - 01:43 PM

Don't Get Around Much Anymore ~ Russel and Ellington, 1940

- Merritt

Subject: RE: What song do you want at your funeral?
From: Peter Kasin
Date: 27 Nov 03 - 01:35 AM

I'l add one more to my earlier post. Riggy singing Home Lads, Home.

Subject: RE: What song do you want at your funeral?
From: Peggles
Date: 27 Nov 03 - 02:29 AM

What a great thread. As I plan to be cremated I'd dearly love to have Josef Locke singing "Blaze Away" but that might be a bit too traumatic for the family so will settle for Gracie Fields version of "Wish me Luck as You Wave me Goodbye"

Subject: RE: What song do you want at your funeral?
From: muppett
Date: 27 Nov 03 - 05:44 AM

I'd like to have a song I think is called 'Isn't it grand boys'?
the chorus goes 'and always remember the longer you live, the sooner you'll bloody well die'.

Another song I'd like would be 'happy smily people by REM

Subject: RE: What song do you want at your funeral?
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 27 Nov 03 - 07:10 PM

I like to swap 2 verses of Parting Glass around 0 it gives better feel to me - look at it and you may guess which 2

Robin

Subject: RE: What song do you want at your funeral?
From: GUEST,Sooz(at work)
Date: 28 Nov 03 - 08:13 AM

Tut tut Jonny (I saw your other post) Funeral Song is Keith Marsden!

Subject: RE: What song do you want at your funeral?
From: GUEST,S.Milligan
Date: 28 Nov 03 - 09:01 AM

Peggles, you could also follow up with a chorus of "The Oak and the ASH"!!

Subject: RE: What song do you want at your funeral?
From: GUEST,Strollin' Johnny
Date: 28 Nov 03 - 10:15 AM

Sooz, I always confuse those two, like I always want to call Miranda Sykes Belinda. It's an age thang! (Good song though, no matter who writ it!)

Subject: RE: What song do you want at your funeral?
From: GUEST,Li T'ieh-kuai
Date: 28 Nov 03 - 10:24 AM

What's a Funeral??

Li T'ieh-kuai

Subject: RE: What song do you want at your funeral?
From: GUEST,Hsi-wang-mu
Date: 28 Nov 03 - 10:40 AM

Li T'ieh-kuai    Shhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!

Subject: RE: What song do you want at your funeral?
From: GUEST,Phil
Date: 29 Nov 03 - 04:17 AM

Great thread!!
"I'm a man you don't meet everyday" = The Pogues
P

Subject: Lyr Add: ONLY MEMORIES REMAIN
From: GUEST,reggie miles
Date: 29 Nov 03 - 11:05 AM

I had recently completed this song when I was asked to sing at the grave side of a friend's brother. My friend wanted me to sing a Willie McTell song "Pearly Gates". I sent him the words to "Only Memories Remain" and asked if he thought it would be appropriate. Just before I began to sing he gave me the option so I ended up singing it and sang "Pearly Gates" later at the wake. He also had everyone join in on another Willie McTell favorite of mine "Dyin' Crapshooters Blues".

ONLY MEMORIES REMAIN

As I walked the early morning streets
They seemed emptier today
Tryin' to reach inside
To find which words were right to say
But the words weren't there
The falling rain must've washed them all away
Wish you were here to hear this
But only memories remain

The times we shared, good and bad
Now echoes of the past
We said we'd meet next Thursday
To get together at long last
But it wasn't meant to be
Things just happened way too fast
I got the phone call this morning
Another friend of mine had passed

Many believe the human soul is eternal
And that the memory of each life will live on forever
As long as we, the living, never allow those memories to slip away

So it falls to each one of us to make the most of the time we share while we're here together
Because it's by these deeds that those we leave behind will recall us again to where only memories remain

Wasn't it just yesterday?
Our lives entwined as one
Sharing love and laughter
Damn it that was fun
There will never be another
To fill your place beneath the sun
I hope we meet again someday
When my time 'round here is done

Silently we gather
Reflecting hand in hand
About how each life matters
How we touch our fellow man
Here's to you my brother
Until your next refrain
Wishin' you were still here with us
But only memories remain

Yes, here's to you my brother
Until we meet again
Wishin' you were still here with us
But only memories remain

Only memories remain

Subject: RE: What song do you want at your funeral?
From: Cllr
Date: 29 Nov 03 - 12:21 PM

Something really old, written at the turn of the twenty second century say 2104, Cllr

Subject: RE: What song do you want at your funeral?
From: voyager
Date: 29 Nov 03 - 12:39 PM

Cast Your Fate to the Wind
Dying Crapshooters Blues
I Shall Be Released
Cast Your Fate to the Wind (reprise)

voyager
PS - You're all invited!

Subject: RE: What song do you want at your funeral?
From: Cllr
Date: 29 Nov 03 - 01:21 PM

oops started reading more of the thread and Mr Mcgrath had got the idea before St ill great minds think a like Cllr

Subject: RE: What song do you want at your funeral?
From: Hillheader
Date: 29 Nov 03 - 03:16 PM

The Parting Glass
It's a Wonderful World
My coffin will be brought into the crematorium to the strains of Carrickfergus.

Subject: RE: What song do you want at your funeral?
From: Firecat
Date: 29 Nov 03 - 07:07 PM

Well, I don't intend to die until at LEAST 2064 (I'll have got to 80 then!) but I love the following songs:-

"Lament" from Evita
"Castle On A Cloud" from Les Miserables
"Will You Wait For Me" by Kavana
"You Have Been Loved" by George Michael
"Say Goodbye" by S Club

And for a finale

"Bring Me To Life" by Evanescence!

No doubt these will change as I get older.

Subject: RE: What song do you want at your funeral?
From: GUEST,Topcat
Date: 30 Nov 03 - 08:36 PM

Sally Garden sung by Clannad is perhaps the most moving and evocative. It is as deeply moving as the last scene in the film Gladiator when that awesome effect of passing over is presented with such quality. When my wife died along with instructions for the painted box-wood casket was her request for Clannad.

Subject: RE: What song do you want at your funeral?
From: GUEST,Alice McSweeney
Date: 18 Feb 04 - 12:43 AM

Ralph Funaro wrote this one which is my favorite.It epitomized my dad,and when performed @ his funeral, left not a dry eye in the congregation.
My New Life Has Begun

http://www.nowhereradio.com/artists/album.php?aid=2683&alid=-1


Countless letters of gratitude to Ralph Funaro, composer of the most popular Christian funeral song requested in the Northeast, are indicative of its power. WBZ-4 Boston incorporated it in the 2001 Edgewater Memorial Service broadcast. It has also been aired on channels 7, 5, 68, 56 and 27 (New England) along with many radio broadcasts. More poignantly, it has consoled thousands of the grieving faithful with its powerful message which embodies the essence of Christianity.