Musicheads go slightly morbid: What song would you like played at your funeral?

No music at a funeral, it's undignified.

I want A Wonderful World by Louie Armstrong. And I want my Cajun music, but I want both of my favorites, even though that squeaky fiddle and too-loud accordion might bug others. So, the priest will have to play BeauSoleil's Tasso/McGee's Reel and Chez Denouse. No one plays it better than The Band, so it'll have to be recorded music for that part unless I die soon and they can make the trip to Minnesota. Well....
Then the following during the service:

Fields of Gold (recorded by Eva Cassidy)
Forever Young by Dylan
And we'll end with a hymn, believe it or not: How Can I Keep From Singing?

Calling on Angels by Jane Siberry, but sung by the Wailin Jennys can be playing as people enter or exit the room?

If anyone wants to sing along with any of these songs, I endorse it, but usually people are too self-conscious to do that. Pity.

i have thought of a whole playlist!
heres a few
"backyard" guster
"ill catch you" the get up kids
"everlong" the foofighters
"hear you me" jimmy eat world
"little motel" modest mouse
"its for the best" straylight run
"globes and maps" something corperate
"overdue" the get up kids
"asleep" the smiths
"cute without the "e"" the vitimin string quartet (originaly by taking back sunday) *also played at my wedding

i dont see how its undignified at all. i would have to say that a large portion if not a majority of my life has been related or affected by music. there is almost no major event that i cant relate or be reminded of by a song or album...some people just dont get music as much as others, to each their own i suppose. but i could litteraly not be happy without my music

I have 2

Check Your Tears At The Door by Drivin'n'Cryin
Body of an American by The Pouges (see the Wire for why)

CJ, what do mean...music is undignified at a funeral. I want mine to be a celebration of life!

Ryan...looks like you've given this question some thought!

Eric P...love that Drivin n' Cryin tune!

Nice call on the Dylan tune Susan!

Satisfied Mind as done by Jeff Buckley

"My Favorite Things," by John Coltrane.

It's the most gorgeous song I've ever heard, and it still moves me into a peaceful, beautiful place every time I hear it.

AND

"Keg on my Coffin," The Push Stars

A great song that I never heard until my uncle, to whom I was quite close, died suddenly last year. It really helped me get through that tough time.

if i died today....

Do You Realize by the Flaming Lips
What Light by Wilco
A Minor Incident by Badly Drawn Boy
Love You All by Cloud Cult
Long May You Run by Neil Young

many..but 1 would certainly to consider would be "Made Again" by Marillion

Wells T, Like your Neil Young & Flaming Lips picks!

Mr Kelly, can't go wrong with Coltrane!

To go along with my George Harrison, "All Things Must Pass" I gonna choose Neutral Milk Hotel, "In the Aeroplane Over the Sea"

For me, this is a no-brainer:

"Hell's Bells" by AC/DC.


If there's a runner-up, I'd go with "Only In Dreams" by weezer.

I gotta say, I'm intrigued by Ryan Reid's choice of "Overdue" by the Get Up Kids. I've been saying for a while that the Current is seriously overlooking a lot of great music. While the Get Up Kids are often known for their earlier work, which is pretty emo and high school-esque, their LATER stuff was much less emo and more basic rock. Bill - take note: the album "On A Wire" by the Get Up Kids was a fairly dark record with some excellent songs including "Overdue," and "The Worst Idea." But the best song by FAR on that album is one called "Walking On A Wire," a song that will make your listening audience say "Wow! Who was THAT?!"

And on that note, check out The Get Up Kids live record called "Live at the Grenada Theatre." The last song is called "Is There A Way Out?" Really cool stuff, mang.

I'll have to admit this question made me think about the music I've heard at funerals. It might be good advice to not just list what you'd like played at your own, but how you'd like it delivered. At one very solemn event the deceased's request of "Amazing Grace" was sung with such vibrato and so poorly we could barely contain our laughter - our shoulders shook with the effort. To this day I hope that ooked like sobs from behind. I half expected the coffin lid to swing wide open and to hear an indignant, "What the hell are you doing to this song?!"

To answer your question Bill, I'd have to say ... as much as I'd love to have Harrison's voice singing songs of love & that honest, softly rock'd reverence, I don't care. My idea to would to have everyone bring their albums, tapes, and cds and cut a playlist out of songs that we danced to. It's only a party if there's laughter and dancing.

I'd want lots of music to be played. That piped in funeral parlor music makes me want to drink a bottle of Drano.

I definitely want 2 Louis Armstrong songs. I want them to play "St James Infirmary" and "Indiana"

Glenn Danzig's Dark Aria

two that come to mind are Straw Against the Chill, which is sort of contemporary hymn, and So Here's to You, a song of friendship and parting. and I'd like everybody to bring their instruments and songs and have a session afterwards.

My step-father and I disagreed on a number of things, but we shared a love of Pink Floyd's "Wish You Were Here." He had that played at his funeral. Watching the coffin go behind the curtain to 'Shine On You Crazy Diamond' was perfect. He died suddenly, after a very full life, the way that I'd like to go and I'm not sure I can think of a better send off either!

Julia, that's a stitch. A post-n-comments about funeral SNAFUs would be excellent. :-D

If I die of natural cause's, Lucinda Williams"s Lake Charles would be nice. However if I die in a high speed chase after a stick-up trying to support my addiction to over priced deluxe edition cd's, Then John Hiatt's Death by misadventure may be more appropriate. But whatever scenario unfolds, and their carrying my casket out, hopefully Alex Chilton's version of Its your funeral will be playing.

I would probably have
dead! by my chemical romance

Nicely stated Mr Donovan. I forgot about that Chilton song.

Mark, I bet that was quite an experience with Pink Floyd's music playing at your step-fathers funeral. Thank you all for sharing!

I do Like , Friend of the Devil...
Maybe St Stephen would be more better for a funeral

Berber's Adagio

"Have You Seen Her?" by the Chi Lites

and of course, 16 Tons by Tennessee Ernie Ford.

Intro: Pops Armstrong 'Funeral Dirge(with explanation narration)/When the Saints Go Marching In'
Quiet Reflection: Elton John 'Someone Saved My Life Tonight'
& Johnny Cash's 'Old Rugged Cross'
Outro: Berber's Adagio

No brainer- "The Thrill is Gone" - ideally performed by B.B. King himself.

I'd have to say "Johnny Appleseed" by Joe Strummer and The Mescaleros. Joe Strummer is my hero. Or "Stuck Between Stations" by The Hold Steady also maybe "A Movie Script" by Death Cab For Cutie. Oh! and "All My Little Words by The Magnetic Fields. I'll have to think more about that one. What a great question!

when i'm dead? hmm.....
"Complicated Life" by the Kinks, Dusty Springfield's "So Much Love", and the Underground's "Pale Blue Eyes"

One more to add to this: "Thank You Space Expert" off the new album from Mogwai. Easily the prettiest piece of music I've heard in 2008.

James Brown's version of "That's Life." I think it is very very fitting. :)

Love 'That's Life', too, Angela! Frank and James' versions are okay, but you've got to hear Phil Perry's rendition of it, you can find it on the Money for Nothing soundtrack, it was a movie with John Cusack about the real-life guy who found some cash that fell off a Brink's truck in Boston a couple of years back. If you can get the movie, it's the song playing as the credits roll...

Phil Perry's version of That's Life
Purple Rain - Prince
Be Ever Wonderful - Earth, Wind and Fire
God Is Tryna Tell You Somethin' - Tata Vega
This Women's Work - Kate Bush
Hurricane Waters - Citizen Cope
Pata Pata - Miriam Makeba
Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For - The Chimes