No, the song “In Heaven” is actually sung by The Lady in the Radiator in ERASERHEAD. The Pixies do a cover of that song.
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
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, 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).
“The Parting Glass”
“Vienna” by Billy Joel (my favorite song; people will finally understand what my vanity license plate is all about!)
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.
“Exquisite Dead Guy” by They Might Be Giants
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.
“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.
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 by Little Feat. It was a lot more appropriate when I was younger, but I still like it.
“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
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).
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
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.
**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.
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.
Wow, I’ll definitely have to remember that. Oh, wait. I’ll be dead. Better write it down.
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!
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.
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.
It’s on one of Bruce’s older albums (and my favorite), Lucky Town.