# Music for your funeral??? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 14, 2006, 2:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-for-your-funeral/364419 "2006-07-14T02:43:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![FriarTed](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/friarted/32/1052_2.png) [@FriarTed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FriarTed)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2006, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-for-your-funeral/364419/41 "2006-07-14T16:10:25Z")
> [@CalMeacham](#): > > **Jackalope** writes: > > ?? I gotta get out more. My knowledge of modern popular music is negligible. > > Did somebody really base a song on David Lynch’s movie **Eraserhead**? That’s what it sounds like. No, the song “In Heaven” is actually sung by The Lady in the Radiator in ERASERHEAD. The Pixies do a cover of that song. ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2006, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-for-your-funeral/364419/42 "2006-07-14T16:15:40Z")
> [@verbenabeast](#): > > _Going Home_ … on the Pipes Mark Knopfler’s, from Local Hero? bravo! for hymns: **Sing with All the Saints in Glory** (tune of the Ode to Joy) Life eternal! heaven rejoices; Jesus lives, Who once was dead. Join we now the deathless voices; child of God, lift up your head! Patriarchs from the distant ages, saints all longing for their heaven, Prophets, psalmists, seers, and sages, all await the glory given. Life eternal! O what wonders crowd on faith; what joy unknown, When, amidst earth’s closing thunders, saints shall stand before the throne! O to enter that bright portal, see that glowing firmament; Know, with Thee, O God immortal, “Jesus Christ Whom Thou has sent.” **Love Divine, All Loves Excelling** tune Hyfrydol Finish, then, Thy new creation; Pure and spotless let us be. Let us see Thy great salvation Perfectly restored in Thee; Changed from glory into glory, Till in heaven we take our place, Till we cast our crowns before Thee, Lost in wonder, love, and praise. For fun after the official part: **Blow Gabriel Blow** version from the De-lovely soundtrack Now you’re all ready to fly Yes to fly higher and higher and higher 'Cause you got through the brimstone, And you’ve been through the fire And you purged your soul, and your heart too So climb up the mountain top and start to Blow, Gabriel, Blow, Go on and Blow, Gabriel, Blow I want to join your happy band, To play all day in the promised land So Blow, Gabriel, Blow ---
**Author:** ![Kizarvexius](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/da6949/32.png) [@Kizarvexius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kizarvexius)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2006, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-for-your-funeral/364419/43 "2006-07-14T16:18:56Z")
Borodin’s _Requiem_. It wasn’t intended to be a serious piece of music, just the result of a game Borodin used to play with his other musical buddies. They’d take some trite little folk tune and transmogrify it into some proper musical form. In this instance, at a dare, Borodin took what is essentially the Russian version of “Chopsticks”, a silly, singsong children’s tune, and turned it into a glorious funereal piece – especially when Stokowski (Leopold!) arranged it for orchestra. As far as I know, it’s only been recorded once. You can hear the beginning of it [here](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B00000FDDJ/104-8803190-2398369?%5Fencoding=UTF8&s=music), though you’ll have to turn the volume up high because it starts very quietly. Albinoni’s _Adagio_. I’ve always loved that piece…in fact, I think I’ll put it on right now. Yes, that’s better. I wrote a short story once in which this piece was a critical element. _Marriage of Figaro_ be damned, to me _this_ is the very music of forgiveness. _There was a time_ and _Try we life-long_, both from Gilbert & Sullivan’s _The Gondoliers_. The first of these was a song Sullivan wrote (IIRC) while mourning the death of his beloved mother. The second is a simple and gentle exhortation to enjoy life while it lasts. _Time To Say Goodbye (Con Te Partiro)_. Sublimely, astonishingly gorgeous. And for a finale, _It’s the End of the World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine)_. ---
**Author:** ![Scarlett67](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scarlett67/32/7387_2.png) [@Scarlett67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scarlett67)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2006, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-for-your-funeral/364419/44 "2006-07-14T16:19:22Z")
“The Parting Glass” “Vienna” by Billy Joel (my favorite song; people will finally understand what my vanity license plate is all about!) ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2006, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-for-your-funeral/364419/45 "2006-07-14T16:24:25Z")
John Lennon’s “In My Life” would be the first song. Then I’d leave it up to my loved ones to just keep the crowd of 4 entertained with everything in my jukebox. I have days worth of music in it. Hopefully the send-off will last that long. ---
**Author:** ![Frylock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ce7236/32.png) [@Frylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frylock)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2006, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-for-your-funeral/364419/46 "2006-07-14T16:31:40Z")
“Exquisite Dead Guy” by They Might Be Giants ---
**Author:** ![Missy2U](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/3bc359/32.png) [@Missy2U](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Missy2U)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2006, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-for-your-funeral/364419/47 "2006-07-14T16:32:34Z")
They can play whatever they want - they’re remembering ME so I figure they can pick, I’m not doing much of anything but lying there. ---
**Author:** ![BobT](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e8cbc/32.png) [@BobT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobT)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2006, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-for-your-funeral/364419/48 "2006-07-14T16:48:38Z")
“Going Home (from the “Local Hero” soundtrack)” by Mark Knopfler “I’m Coming Home” by Mel Torme “Oh Lord, I’m on My Way” by George Gershwin, which is the final song in “Porgy and Bess” I figure to be doing some travelling in the hereafter. ---
**Author:** ![Twinkie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d07c76/32.png) [@Twinkie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Twinkie)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2006, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-for-your-funeral/364419/49 "2006-07-14T17:01:27Z")
Lots of great suggestions here. My sister has already promised me that, if she survives me, she’ll make sure my funeral includes [_Dixie Chicken_](http://www.lyricsmp3.net/D15000/kk14861.htm) by Little Feat. It was a lot more appropriate when I was younger, but I still like it. ---
**Author:** ![Rebecca\_DiMwitter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a87d85/32.png) [@Rebecca\_DiMwitter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rebecca_DiMwitter)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2006, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-for-your-funeral/364419/50 "2006-07-14T19:53:15Z")
“And She Was”, Talking Heads “Song For You”, preferably the Herbie Hancock/Christina Aguillera duet from a year ago or so I’ll second “Ten Years Gone” by Led Zep Now to talk everyone into it… –Beck ---
**Author:** ![ddgryphon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/8c91f0/32.png) [@ddgryphon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ddgryphon)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2006, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-for-your-funeral/364419/51 "2006-07-14T20:21:24Z")
At the risk of sounding pretentious, I’ve already written an intimate Requiem for it (I’m not dead yet). However in addition to that I’d like “Amazing Grace” (Live) and “Knocking on Heavens Door” (Warren Zevon Version). ---
**Author:** ![AuntiePam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@AuntiePam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AuntiePam)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2006, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-for-your-funeral/364419/52 "2006-07-14T20:30:47Z")
What, no love for We’ll Meet Again? I think of funerals when I hear Springsteen sing If I Should Fall Behind. Now theres a beautiful river in the valley ahead There neath the oak’s bough soon we will be wed Should we lose each other in the shadow of the evening trees Ill wait for you And should I fall behind Wait for me ---
**Author:** ![jsc1953](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5daacb/32.png) [@jsc1953](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jsc1953)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2006, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-for-your-funeral/364419/53 "2006-07-14T20:47:23Z")
A few years back, Walter Haas – president of Levi Strauss, Inc (and descendent of Levi Strauss himself) and major benefactor of the University of California – died. The UC Marching Band came to his funeral and played “Sons of California”. That’s what I want. But not being a donor at his level, I’m not likely to get it. Amazing Grace on bagpipes (but this is getting kind of trite…) Siegfried Funeral March – so the mourners can picture me kickin’ in the doors to Valhalla. O Death, Where Is thy Sting/But Thanks Be to God, from _Messiah_. I like the chorus a lot better than the duet, but you need the duet for context. Worthy Is the Lamb That Was Slain/Amen from _Messiah_, as it evokes the “heavenly choir” image. ---
**Author:** ![Gordon\_Urquhart](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/db5fbb/32.png) [@Gordon\_Urquhart](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gordon_Urquhart)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2006, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-for-your-funeral/364419/54 "2006-07-14T21:07:20Z")
\*\*BobT \*\* was right on with “Going Home,” performed by Mark Knopfler. There’s some good stuff on Knopfler’s soundtracks to the movies \*Cal \* and _Last Exit_ (ha!) that will probably be on the Soundtrack of My Death as well. I’ve always thought the coda of “Layla” would be good at a memorial service (most of the guests thankfully won’t be reminded of the scene in \*Goodfellas \* that also uses it, as I would were I alive). Also, I think Bach’s “Sleepers, Awake” is the most beautiful thing I’ve ever heard – I’d like it to accompany me as I disembark on my next adventure. ---
**Author:** ![Scissorjack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c67d28/32.png) [@Scissorjack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scissorjack)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2006, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-for-your-funeral/364419/55 "2006-07-14T21:50:48Z")
If I’m buried, I shall have The Jam’s _Going Underground_. If cremated, I shall have Deep Purple’s _Burn_. And if my organs go to science, I shall have The Advert’s _Gary Gilmore’s Eyes_. ---
**Author:** ![freckafree](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/freckafree/32/3050_2.png) [@freckafree](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/freckafree)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2006, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-for-your-funeral/364419/56 "2006-07-14T22:31:25Z")
> [@MaxTheVool](#): > > While making random mix tapes, I stumbled upon the fact that the _Confutates_ from Mozart’s Requiem seques absolutely gorgeously into _Let It Be_ by The Beatles. That would be what I’d have to request. Wow, I’ll definitely have to remember that. Oh, wait. I’ll be dead. Better write it down. ---
**Author:** ![freckafree](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/freckafree/32/3050_2.png) [@freckafree](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/freckafree)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2006, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-for-your-funeral/364419/57 "2006-07-14T22:43:20Z")
> [@AuntiePam](#): > > I think of funerals when I hear Springsteen sing If I Should Fall Behind. > > Now theres a beautiful river > in the valley ahead > There neath the oak’s bough > soon we will be wed > Should we lose each other in the shadow of the evening trees > Ill wait for you > And should I fall behind > Wait for me I’m another one with a huge deficit in the popular music category so I don’t know this song, but, geez, the words! Wa-a-a-a-a-a-a-h! ---
**Author:** ![foolsguinea](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foolsguinea/32/14751_2.png) [@foolsguinea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/foolsguinea)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2006, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-for-your-funeral/364419/58 "2006-07-14T23:39:19Z")
OK, I have to post this before slogging through the thread. The coolest funeral (albeit fake) I ever saw was the bowling alley funeral Phil designed on NBC’s tv show _Ed_. I think they played Styx. ---
**Author:** ![NailBunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecae2f/32.png) [@NailBunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NailBunny)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2006, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-for-your-funeral/364419/59 "2006-07-14T23:48:04Z")
Yay, no one’s taken mine yet! _(I Don’t Wanna Be Buried in a) Pet Sematary_ - the Ramones. For those who know me and love me, they will realize it is absolutely appropriate. ---
**Author:** ![AuntiePam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@AuntiePam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AuntiePam)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2006, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-for-your-funeral/364419/60 "2006-07-15T00:44:20Z")
> [@freckafree](#): > > I’m another one with a huge deficit in the popular music category so I don’t know this song, but, geez, the words! Wa-a-a-a-a-a-a-h! It’s on one of Bruce’s older albums (and my favorite), Lucky Town. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-for-your-funeral/364419.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-for-your-funeral/364419.md?page=4)