Always look on the bright side (popular funeral songs - dumbing down death?)

BBC ^ | 3/11/05 | Alexis Akwagyiram

[ArmstedFragg]

followed by a festive dinner at the restaurant there

Is Sandcastle still there?

[Veto!]

Don't know. I no longer live in CA. But our family had many good years near that beach when the kids were teenagers. Great memories.

I love the idea of designing one's own funeral. Lots of songs about Paradise, and where better than Paradise Cove to leave one's last earthly remains?

[Tall_Texan]

How about Roy Orbison's "It's Over" (now being used by Blockbuster)?

For a cremation, I'd recommend an obscure disco hit "Up, Up, Up In A Puff Of Smoke".

[Richard Kimball]

The songs I want played at my funeral:

Amarillo by Morning. It's "our" song (my wife and me).

Amarillo by morning, up from san antone.
Everything that I’ve got is just what I’ve got on.
When that sun is high in that texas sky
I’ll be bucking it to county fair.
Amarillo by morning, amarillo I’ll be there.

They took my saddle in houston, broke my leg in santa fe.
Lost my wife and a girlfriend somewhere along the way.
Well I’ll be looking for eight when they pull that gate,
And I’m hoping that judge ain’t blind.
Amarillo by morning, amarillo’s on my mind.

Amarillo by morning, up from san antone.
Everything that I’ve got is just what I’ve got on.
I ain’t got a dime, but what I got is mine.
I ain’t rich, but lord I’m free.
Amarillo by morning, amarillo’s where I’ll be.
Amarillo by morning, amarillo’s where I’ll be.

You've Got a Friend in Me. I used to sing it to my daughter when she was sick.

You've got a friend in me
You've got a friend in me
When the road looks rough ahead
And you're miles and miles
From your nice warm bed
You just remember what your old pal said
Boy, you've got a friend in me
Yeah, you've got a friend in me

You've got a friend in me
You've got a friend in me
If you've got troubles, I've got 'em too
There isn't anything I wouldn't do for you
We stick together and can see it through
Cause you've got a friend in me
You've got a friend in me

Some other folks might be
A little bit smarter than I am
Bigger and stronger too
Maybe
But none of them will ever love you
The way I do, it's me and you
Boy, and as the years go by
Our friendship will never die
You're gonna see it's our destiny
You've got a friend in me
You've got a friend in me
You've got a friend in me

[Veto!]

REmebering songs about paradise, which would be appropriate for anyone's funeral and especially for the sprinkling of ashes at Paradise Cove, Malibu, CA. Here's an old one sung by Gene Kelly in "An American in Paris":

Rufus Wainwright Lyrics

I'll Build A Stairway To Paradise

All you preachers who delight in panning the dancing teachers
Let me tell you there are a lot of features
Of the dance that carry you through the gates of Heaven

It's madness to be always sitting around in sadness
When you could be learning the steps of gladness
You'll be happy when you can do just six or seven

Begin today, you'll find it’s nice
The quickest way to paradise
When you practice, here's the thing to do
Simply say as you go...

I'll build a stairway to paradise
With a new step every day
I'm going to get there at any price
Stand aside, I'm on my way
I've got the blues and up above it's so fair
Shoes, go on and carry me there
I'll build a stairway to paradise
With a new step every day


AND THEN, On the Beach Boy's Summer in Paradise album, there's a song called Forever:

If every word I said
Could make you laugh
I'd talk forever
I ask the sky just what we had
Mmm It shone forever
If the song I sing to you
Could fill your heart with joy
I'd sing forever
Forever
Forever
I've been so happy loving you

Let the love I have for you
Live in your heart
And beat forever
Forever
Forever
I've been so happy loving you

Baby just let me sing it my baby
I wanna be singin' my baby
Baby baby baby my baby
I wanna be singin'
I wanna be singin' my baby

So I'm goin' away
Mmm but not forever
Na na na na
I gotta love you anyway

Forever

[Schwaeky]

I already asked kin folk to play Na Na Na Hey Hey Hey Goodbye (Steam version from 1968), but made My Way (Sinatra version) optional as well...

[ArmstedFragg]

After posting, I did some research.

It's been renamed the Paradise Cove Beach Cafe, but it's apparently still there. Something like www.paradisecove.org. Still looks pretty much like it did during the Rockford days.

So... your plans are still intact. May you not need them 'til at least the next century, though.

[Veto!]

Now here's a generic all-purpose non-traditional funeral song: Spirit in the Sky


Gareth Gates Lyrics

When I die and they lay me to rest
Gonna go to the place that's the best
When I lay me down to die
Goin' up to the spirit in the sky
Goin' up to the spirit in the sky
That's where I'm gonna go when I die
When I die and they lay me to rest
Gonna go to the place that's the best

Prepare yourself you know it's a must
Gotta have a friend in Jesus
So you know that when you die
He's gonna recommend you
To the spirit in the sky
Goin' up to the spirit in the sky
That's where you're gonna go when you die
When you die and they lay you to rest
You're gonna go to the place that's the best

Never been a sinner I never sinned
I got a friend in Jesus
So you know that when I die
He's gonna set me up with
The spirit in the sky
Oh set me up with the spirit in the sky
That's where I'm gonna go when I die
When I die and they lay me to rest
I'm gonna go to the place that's the best
Go to the place that's the best

[radiohead]

the Sid Vicious version!

You beat me to it!

I'm seriously thinking about a rock n roll funeral and have been thinking of a few appropriate tunes. This one is high on the list. If my son can have Star Wars music, I can have Sid Vicious, can't I?

[mlmr]

I like funerals to be funerals. Christian funerals were supposed to be a reminder of the shortness of life and of God's redeeming grace. I have recently gone to several Christian funerals that permit everyone who wishes to go up and tell a funny story about the deceased. We sat for TWO hours as people waited for their turn in the limelight. Normally, the funny stories are for the visiting hours and the reception.

The loss of manners and traditons!!

[richmwill]

NO stories at my funeral- knowing my friends they'd get up there and tell the stories about those wild nights in Tijuana in front of my whole family...

[Jaysun]

I have recently gone to several Christian funerals that permit everyone who wishes to go up and tell a funny story about the deceased. We sat for TWO hours as people waited for their turn in the limelight. Normally, the funny stories are for the visiting hours and the reception.

I wouldn't have this nonsense at one of my family member's funerals. We do a eulogy, a short sermon, and maybe a song or two. But ultimately we bury the body and move on - just as their spirit has.

[Jaysun]

I have recently gone to several Christian funerals that permit everyone who wishes to go up and tell a funny story about the deceased. We sat for TWO hours as people waited for their turn in the limelight. Normally, the funny stories are for the visiting hours and the reception.

I wouldn't have this nonsense at one of my family member's funerals. We do a eulogy, a short sermon, and maybe a song or two. But ultimately we bury the body and move on - just as their spirit has.

[deadhead]

I like this song:

A HOME IN THE MEADOW

Away, away, come away with me
where the grass grows wild and the winds blow free
Away, away, come away with me
and I'll build you a home in the meadow

Come, come, there's a wondrous land
for the hopeful heart and the willing hand
Come, come, there's a wondrous land
where I'll build you a home in the meadow

The stars, the stars, oh how bright they'll shine
on a world the lord himself designed
The stars, the stars, oh how bright they'll shine
on the home we will build in the meadow

Come, come, there's a wondrous land
for the hopeful heart and the willing hand
Come, come, there's a wondrous land
where I'll build you a home in the meadow

[Marie Antoinette]

My mother has requested Spirit in the Sky. ugh.

[LisaMalia]

My siblings and I planned our daddy's funeral service (last May) as a celebration of his life. I think that's the way it should be. The minister read a poem I had written for him, before he got sick. My brother-in-law gave a wonderful eulogy. My friend, who is a gospel singer, sang "Grandpa", the song by the Judds. Another friend sang a song my brother had written. And at the end of the service, we played my daddy's favorite song, an old Ernie Tubb tune. Here are the lyrics:

RAINBOW AT MIDNIGHT

After the war was over I was coming home to you
I saw a rainbow at midnight out on the ocean blue
The stars in heaven were shining the moon gave its light from above
I saw your face in this rainbow and it made me think of our love
We'll build our home in the country and make all our dreams come true
There we will make a heaven sweetheart just for we two

Here we will live so happy and have a baby or two
We'll name them after the rainbow because it reminds me of you
After this life is over and our journey here is through
We'll move to the land of the rainbow and live in the starry blue

[HitmanLV]

Sinatra's My Way

2 jobs ago a woman whose son was getting married assked the firm for advice for the song for the mother-son dance at the reception. She had her heart set on 'My Way.'

I knew her fairly well and did my best to talk her out of it - so out-of-place at a wedding, and when you get down to it, nobody cares that she raised her son 'her way.'

Using it at a funeral is awful, too.

For what it's worth, I am a huge Sinatra fan but never cared much for his version of the song (written for him). Elvis's cover of it is much better, much more inspired, and much more sincere.

[null and void]

At whose funeral might they sing "Ding dong, the witch is dead?"

The demon possessed one...

[OhioAttorney]

Almost anything by Warren Zevon would work, but I think I'd especially like 'I'll Sleep When I'm Dead'.

[HungarianGypsy]

I really wanted to have that played at my father's funeral, since he liked the song "Over the Rainbow". But, since he was Catholic, the priest said a hymn had to be played. I asked that they play "On Eagle's Wings" and something else. I didn't even recognize what was played.