# Death music...or...music at my funeral **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** music\ **Created:** [March 24, 2023, 1:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/death-music-or-music-at-my-funeral/981592 "2023-03-24T13:00:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2023, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/death-music-or-music-at-my-funeral/981592/21 "2023-03-24T21:09:56Z")
I was out drinking with our minister, and I told him some of my “non-traditional” ideas for my funeral. He let me finish, and smirked “Great ideas, but I’m going to do whatever your wife wants.” CURSES! But, I can still request a hymn, and it’ll be “What Wondrous Love is This?” It’s got an Americana rootsy feel\*, and the last verse says _“And when from death I’m free, I’ll sing on, I’ll sing on…”_ The other reason I want it played is that then the program’ll read “ **Hymn** # **666** ”. \*See what I mean?: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/1g26dbNJYJI/maxresdefault.jpg "Chelsea Moon with the Franz Brothers - What Wondrous Love Is This?") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1g26dbNJYJI) (Hey, I know a great dobro player…) ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2023, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/death-music-or-music-at-my-funeral/981592/22 "2023-03-25T02:49:04Z")
> [@ZipperJJ](#): > > The only thing my dad ever told me about his funeral was that he wanted us to play “In My Life” by The Beatles. > > We played it at the end of the service and it was beautiful. Beautiful. I like it. ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2023, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/death-music-or-music-at-my-funeral/981592/23 "2023-03-25T02:58:37Z")
> [@Sigene](#): > > 1. Turn Turn Turn by the Birds This is a beautiful song, and I might choose that for mine. But I just wanted to check with you, if you wanted to avoid Bible-based songs. Because if you weren’t aware of it, this song is from the Old Testament book of Ecclesiastes: > The lyrics are taken almost verbatim from the book of Ecclesiastes, as found in the King James Version (1611) of the Bible, (Ecclesiastes 3:1-8) though the sequence of the words was rearranged for the song. See here: > **[Turn! Turn! Turn! | Lyrics](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turn!_Turn!_Turn!#Lyrics)** > > The lyrics are taken almost verbatim from the book of Ecclesiastes, as found in the King James Version (1611) of the Bible, (Ecclesiastes 3:1-8) though the sequence of the words was rearranged for the song. Ecclesiastes is traditionally ascribed to King Solomon who would have written it in the 10th century BC, but believed by a significant group of biblical scholars to date much later, up to the third century BC: ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2023, 4:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/death-music-or-music-at-my-funeral/981592/24 "2023-03-25T04:23:20Z")
I’ll go out with the raucous “Jellybelly” by the Smashing Pumpkins. ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2023, 12:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/death-music-or-music-at-my-funeral/981592/25 "2023-03-25T12:18:31Z")
This is a good idea for a [thread](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-song-or-songs-do-you-want-played-at-your-funeral/954993/83). mmm ---
**Author:** ![velomont](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/8491ac/32.png) [@velomont](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/velomont)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2023, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/death-music-or-music-at-my-funeral/981592/26 "2023-03-26T03:09:53Z")
I would go with Symptom of the Universe or A National Acrobat by Black Sabbath ---
**Author:** ![USCDiver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/uscdiver/32/354_2.png) [@USCDiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/USCDiver)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2023, 4:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/death-music-or-music-at-my-funeral/981592/27 "2023-03-26T04:45:46Z")
_Satisfied Mind_ I like the Jeff Buckley version from his posthumous album. ---
**Author:** ![PatrickLondon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/patricklondon/32/4422_2.png) [@PatrickLondon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatrickLondon)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2023, 6:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/death-music-or-music-at-my-funeral/981592/28 "2023-03-26T06:50:09Z")
The trouble is, the pieces I might suggest are a bit long, and not necessarily to the taste of the people who might be there. But for the mood, I like any of these: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/-v1zlfWZXDw/hqdefault.jpg "Renee Fleming - Strauss' 4 Last Songs - Beim Schlafengehen") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-v1zlfWZXDw) [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/k_aBwXWGyrs/hqdefault.jpg "Rachmaninov：Cello Sonata 3rd mov.／Yo-Yo Ma & Emanuel Ax (1989 LIVE)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k_aBwXWGyrs) [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/JlMHjo7Jwhk/hqdefault.jpg "Shostakovich - Piano Concerto No. 2: II. Andante") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JlMHjo7Jwhk) [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/2ao9ucsUslM/maxresdefault.jpg "BWV82: Aria: Schlummert ein, ihr matten Augen") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ao9ucsUslM) PS: My brother the minister told me once how often he had to discourage people from using “Smoke Gets In Your Eyes” or “Blaze Away” at the crematorium. ---
**Author:** ![Ranchoth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranchoth/32/1066_2.png) [@Ranchoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranchoth)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2023, 7:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/death-music-or-music-at-my-funeral/981592/29 "2023-03-26T07:21:25Z")
Is “Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door” too cliched? [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/O-sVpVIovKk/hqdefault.jpg "Bob Dylan - Knocking on Heaven's Door (Original 1973)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O-sVpVIovKk) Or you could shake it up with a [poignant favorite cover of mine](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ZHmmW-75to). ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2023, 9:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/death-music-or-music-at-my-funeral/981592/30 "2023-03-26T09:07:18Z")
“Farewell and Goodnight” by the Smashing Pumpkins. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/-uJvUG3Dshs/maxresdefault.jpg "Farewell And Goodnight (Remastered 2012)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-uJvUG3Dshs) ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2023, 11:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/death-music-or-music-at-my-funeral/981592/31 "2023-03-26T11:04:43Z")
A friend of mine used to pull out his guitar and sing this to his kids as a lullaby. It was always a joy to be around his place at bedtime. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/Wkpkst2AGrs/maxresdefault.jpg "ASLEEP (the Smiths) by Morrissey live@Utrecht 28-10-2014") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wkpkst2AGrs) ---
**Author:** ![Sigene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df788c/32.png) [@Sigene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigene)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2023, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/death-music-or-music-at-my-funeral/981592/32 "2023-03-26T23:14:58Z")
yep, I’m aware of that. It’s my favorite (perhaps only) bible verse. I wanted it played at my wedding too, but the wife wanted more traditional music. ---
**Author:** ![John\_T.Conklin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_t.conklin/32/3307_2.png) [@John\_T.Conklin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_T.Conklin)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2023, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/death-music-or-music-at-my-funeral/981592/33 "2023-03-26T23:55:54Z")
> [@Turek](#): > > If you’re an agnostic/atheist in a committed relationship, “Time” by The Alan Parsons Project. That’s one of mine. > [@Si\_Amigo](#): > > Actually, I’d perfer [“Can’t Take It With You”](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qpOJvpKi5EE) by Alan Parsons for my funeral. I’d be trying to make a deal with death right up to the boatman getting to the shore. If we’re talking Alan Parsons, how about [“Old and Wise”](https://youtu.be/FDlDKvidYbk)? ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2023, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/death-music-or-music-at-my-funeral/981592/34 "2023-03-27T00:17:10Z")
[The Traveller](https://youtu.be/SJ83GGLb73k) for me. It may not be the most appropriate, but it’s my favorite. ---
**Author:** ![InternetLegend](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/internetlegend/32/13154_2.png) [@InternetLegend](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/InternetLegend)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2023, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/death-music-or-music-at-my-funeral/981592/35 "2023-03-27T00:39:06Z")
Your link takes me to a 15-second underwear ad on YouTube. It does have some driving electronica music underneath, but I’m thinking that’s not what you meant. Mine is [R.E.M.'s “Find the River.”](https://youtu.be/HLCao-GQ1SQ) ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2023, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/death-music-or-music-at-my-funeral/981592/36 "2023-03-27T00:46:24Z")
😄 Good to know! If that happens at my funeral, even better. But I think this is what I meant to post. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/F4F_K95ol8c/maxresdefault.jpg "Days Are Numbers (The Traveller)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F4F_K95ol8c) ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2023, 11:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/death-music-or-music-at-my-funeral/981592/37 "2023-03-27T11:33:18Z")
One for the agnostics: [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/nlaoR5m4L80/hqdefault.jpg?sqp=-oaymwEmCOADEOgC8quKqQMa8AEB-AH2BIAC4AOKAgwIABABGH8gQSgsMA8=&rs=AOn4CLC6wwkTDiDXfeRYGJNfkOFJOc8rTQ "Let The Mystery Be - Iris DeMent H.Q.") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nlaoR5m4L80) It’s on my list. ---
**Author:** ![E-DUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/e-dub/32/403_2.png) [@E-DUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-DUB)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2023, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/death-music-or-music-at-my-funeral/981592/38 "2023-03-27T21:17:08Z")
Just as long as it isn’t “I’ll Be Back”. ---
**Author:** ![Crafter\_Man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crafter_man/32/458_2.png) [@Crafter\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crafter_Man)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2023, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/death-music-or-music-at-my-funeral/981592/39 "2023-03-27T23:46:59Z")
[A Dying Business](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=edcDzn9VhPM&t=57s) by The Chad Mitchell Trio. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2023, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/death-music-or-music-at-my-funeral/981592/40 "2023-03-27T23:54:08Z")
The party can’t start until we hear this number. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/j7q5SHNDJAc/hqdefault.jpg "Oh, Death Ralph Stanley Traditional") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j7q5SHNDJAc) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/death-music-or-music-at-my-funeral/981592.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/death-music-or-music-at-my-funeral/981592.md?page=3)