I’m curious about something.
Does anyone else maintain a list of songs they want played at their own funeral/death celebration/whatever you want to call it?
Is it weird that I have one?
I have this thing about hearing music at funerals that I’m fairly certain the recently departed would never have played/sang in a million years. And that always bothers me.
And if I hear “Amazing Grace” one more frakin’ time…. Actually, I’m okay if bagpipes play it. But that’s the only way. No singing it. Never again. Ever.
Because of that, I maintain a list. Not that anyone will probably remember it when the time comes. But at least I can say I made an effort. “Be Prepared” and all that.
Songs get added. Songs get removed. I’m guessing that’s what time does to us. It changes our perspective on what things mean. I don’t even have a specific reason that I could write out for some of these. They’ve just stuck with me over time since I heard them.
Other songs can be played. Happy Shiny Songs. And nothing slow or sappy, except maybe the ones on my list. Because it should be a party.
Here are the songs I have currently on my list:
Rob Thomas’ “Now Comes The Night”
The B-52’s’ “Dreamland”
INXS’ “The Stairs”
Indigo Girls’ “Closer to Fine”
Gary Jules with Michael Andrews’ “Mad World”
Simple Minds’ “Don’t You (Forget About Me)”
Queen’s “These Are the Days of Our Lives”
Jimmy Buffett’s “Wheel Inside the Wheel”
And then I have some specifically for the Husbear to remember me by, which is probably wrong of me:
Big Bad Voodoo Daddy’s “Still In Love With You”
Savage Garden’s “Truly Madly Deeply”
DaViglio’s covering Kelis “Acapella”
So, if you have a list, what songs are on it?
Until next time...
I want the bagpipes with Amazing Grace and then some rendition of Somewhere over the rainbow…
Tiny Tim’s cover of “Stairway to Heaven”
B52s “There’s a Moon in the Sky” – or is that Devo?
Dolly Parton’s cover of “Stairway to Heaven”
Patsy Kline’s cover of “Crazy” and “Walking after Midnight” and “I Fawl to Pieces (‘ooh, ooh, ooh’)”
“Circle of Life” 😉
Right now the list is:
Roll me away – Bob Seger
I like beer – Tom T Hall
Midnight Rider – the Willie version
A Pirate looks at 40 – Jimmy Buffett
People are Crazy – Billie Carrington
I have a similar list, but it’s all classical (or at least classical in nature).
Are you weird, Erik? Yes. But I thought we established that long ago 🙂
I would just like my favorite music played… the music of my youth, 80’s and 90’s rock.
I love your choices, and especially love Simple Minds.
If you are worried about no one finding the list after you check out, you can always put the recordings on a chip and have it implanted under your skin, like those chips they put in dogs. You’ll always have it with you, you can update it whenever you’d like, and you’ll give your vet a good laugh.
No list for me. I’m sure The Mister will play something by Diane Earl (Diana Ross) as he unceremoniously tosses my box of ashes into the Dempster Dumpster.
BTW – This is my wish spelled out in my will 🙂
You aren’t weird at all (at least about this). Actually, it is an easy way to lead into end of life discussions which are best done with the adult beverage of your choice, at a place that has special meaning to you, and when there is no compelling need or crisis that is driving the discussion (ie now is as good as any time). I have a friend who plays with this idea now and then and has said that, although there are hymns that she likes, she just can’t see her friends forming those words in their mouths and singing them – and she can’t and won’t put her friends through that.
My list
Prelude and meditations: Sleepers Awake and/or Jesu Joy of Man’s Desiring
Processional: For the Beauty of the Earth…
Gradual Hymn: I Sing a song of the Saints of God.. or Wondrous Love ..or Simple Gifts
Recessional: Love’s Divine or Joyful, joyful We adore thee
Postlude: Sheep May Safely Graze
If there is any of that “Happy clappy” stuff, I can assure you that I will come back from the dead and straighten it out.
PS Amazing Grace is used a lot of the time because most people are somewhat familiar with it and can stumble through it. This should be considered as an act of hospitality from those who planned the service. If the deceased and the family are socially, politically or prominent in the business community the memorial service draws from a broad spectrum of the community who may or may not share the traditions of the deceased or may be uncomfortable with singing in public. I agree that it is beautiful if played by a solo piper or violin which can alleviate any anxiety about public singing.
Lot more than you ever wanted to know 😉
I don’t think it’s odd. I want PJ Harvey’s Horses In My Dreams played @ my funeral.
Slightly off topic … but … Looking at the comments again today reminded me of a hilarious conversation I had with a group of musicians from New York who’d been asked to come up with a song list for a dinner honoring the families of organ donors and the people who received their loved ones’ organs. When they began to brainstorm about a possible song list, the impossibility of being serious at this task immediately became clear. Here’s the kind of thing they came up with:
“I Left My Heart in San Francisco”
“I Only Have Eyes for You”
“My Father’s Eyes” – Eric Clapton
“Molly’s Lips”
“Hot Legs”
“Grandma’s Hands”
“Fingertips”
“Hearts and Bones”
“Footloose”
We laughed (inappropriately) until we were squealing with tears. And then a few days later tried to REALLY come up with a list of songs that they could sing for this thing! But once the Junior High mind gets engaged, it’s really hard to pop it back out of gear again 😉
The only one I’ve come up with so far is “Theme from A Summer Place”, although a selection of Broadway would be good too. Anything from “Harspray”, “Camelot”, “Bye Bye Birdie”, “Guys and Dolls”, “Finian’s Rainbow” and “The Book of Morman” (for spice)
Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat?????
No Doctor Who theme??
Every version, but on a tape loop, playing in my coffin. Which really should be shaped like a TARDIS.
Um……Turn the Beat Around by Vickie Sue Robinson. DUH!
yes
I have it all planned out, music wise. Sometimes I edit it; it is an intriguing list to see as I grow up and old, how it reflects who I now am.
My musical orientation is different: classical. My choices are the lovely, elegiac second movement of Dvorak’s Ninth Symphony and a song by Edvard Grieg that ends, “I have received so much more than I deserve, and all must pass away.”