# What music should be played at your funeral/wake? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 14, 2010, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-music-should-be-played-at-your-funeral-wake/546672 "2010-07-14T16:18:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Taomist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/53a042/32.png) [@Taomist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Taomist)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2010, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-music-should-be-played-at-your-funeral-wake/546672/61 "2010-07-16T02:52:13Z")
Oh damn, thought of another one, which is more likely since, for some reason, I can never hear it without wanting to cry. \ Dante’s Prayer, by Loreena McKennitt. [![]( " - YouTube") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FDw3CyOmj20) ---
**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:** [July 16, 2010, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-music-should-be-played-at-your-funeral-wake/546672/62 "2010-07-16T03:00:13Z")
> [@Taomist](#): > > Oh damn, thought of another one, which is more likely since, for some reason, I can never hear it without wanting to cry. \ > > Dante’s Prayer, by Loreena McKennitt. > > [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FDw3CyOmj20](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FDw3CyOmj20) Yow…this one’s on MY top played/eerily appropriate playlist, too. Small world, huh? Maybe we should plan a double funeral. ---
**Author:** ![gaffa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e68b1a/32.png) [@gaffa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gaffa)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2010, 3:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-music-should-be-played-at-your-funeral-wake/546672/63 "2010-07-16T03:47:20Z")
> [@maplekiwi](#): > > A friend’s stepfather’s name was Jack & they played “Hit the Road, Jack” as they carried his coffin out of the church. 😃 Sounds like a guy I would have liked to have met. ---
**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:** [July 16, 2010, 4:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-music-should-be-played-at-your-funeral-wake/546672/64 "2010-07-16T04:38:24Z")
> [@Satchmo](#): > > I’m partial to “Amazing Grace”. At a funeral, it just brings a lump to my throat and a tear to my eye. > > I blame Star Trek 2. > > “Taps” is good, too. But not on the bagpipes, on a bugle, (or maybe a trumpet.) I’m chortling imagining the program to Satchmo’s Memorial Service. All very serious, but it reads: _ **Reflections** _ _Rev. Smith, Mrs. Satchmo, Billy Satchmo_ ```auto ***Hymn: "Amazing Grace"*** *as featured in Star Trek II* ``` _ **Silent Meditation** _ ---
**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:** [July 16, 2010, 4:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-music-should-be-played-at-your-funeral-wake/546672/65 "2010-07-16T04:51:35Z")
> [@zoog](#): > > It’s not going to matter to me - I’m gonna be dead. I suppose that if my survivors want to play music that I liked, they can do that if it makes them feel better. Or they can play music that they like, even if I hated it when I was alive. Like I said, it ain’t like I’m gonna hear it. I’m not haunting anybody, remember me how you will. This attitude works for everyone from non-believers to ardent born-agains. I’ve told my wife, “I’ll be exploring the universe with CS Lewis, you do whatever you want. I’ll have better stuff to do than watch a funeral.” Besides, I know if I request “Funeral for a Friend” or a favorite Clash song, she’ll just ignore that as soon as I’m (finally) quiet. And substitute an acapella pitch-perfect canticle on the 23rd psalm that brings sobs to the assembled multitudes, or some crap like that. ---
**Author:** ![Baker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bb73d2/32.png) [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2010, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-music-should-be-played-at-your-funeral-wake/546672/66 "2010-07-16T18:14:26Z")
I was raised conservative Lutheran, but am now Episcopalian. My funeral will be straight out of the Book of Common Prayer, and the hymns I chose are some of my favorites, plus not too hard to sing. As a nod to my original denomination I’ll have “A Mighty Fortress”. Three others will be “Praise to the Lord, the Almighty”, “I Know That My Redeemer Lives”, and “Thine is the Glory” The latter is sung to the tune of “Hail the Conquering Hero Comes” from G.F. Handel’s _Judas Maccabeus_. The instructions for my funeral state that the music played before the funeral is not to be that soft, slow, solemn stuff one usually hears. I want loud organ music, with an upbeat Easter theme. I said “I want the organist to play like they are practising for a concert.” ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2010, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-music-should-be-played-at-your-funeral-wake/546672/67 "2010-07-16T19:03:31Z")
You want the organest organist, doncha now? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2010, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-music-should-be-played-at-your-funeral-wake/546672/68 "2010-07-16T20:39:01Z")
I want them to show Warner Bros. cartoons. And free popcorn and candy and soft drinks. And everyone should dress up as their favorite WB character. ---
**Author:** ![Ibanez](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/a4c791/32.png) [@Ibanez](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ibanez)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2010, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-music-should-be-played-at-your-funeral-wake/546672/69 "2010-07-17T15:15:08Z")
I want Nirvana’s Lithium at my funeral. ---
**Author:** ![MsWhatsit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eb8c5e/32.png) [@MsWhatsit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsWhatsit)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2010, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-music-should-be-played-at-your-funeral-wake/546672/70 "2010-07-17T15:42:24Z")
Assuming that MrWhatsit survives me, then he should get them to play “MacArthur Park” because for once he will be able to listen to it without me doubling over in laughter about how stupid the “left the cake out in the rain” line is. ---
**Author:** ![Rushgeekgirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rushgeekgirl/32/3715_2.png) [@Rushgeekgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rushgeekgirl)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2010, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-music-should-be-played-at-your-funeral-wake/546672/71 "2010-07-17T16:15:14Z")
I would like to have some light amusing music such as this song from The Cat Empire: [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D\_PcUJxY63Y](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D_PcUJxY63Y) I chose Amazing Grace on bagpipes for my mom. Her best friend had planned to sing but she just couldn’t handle it so this was a spur-of-the-moment decision I regret. I loved that song but now it tears me up so bad every time I hear it, it’s ruined for me. I try to keep that in mind when thinking about what song I want to expose to grieving family and friends. ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2010, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-music-should-be-played-at-your-funeral-wake/546672/72 "2010-07-17T16:17:50Z")
That’s easy. _Dark Side of the Moon_. ---
**Author:** ![AClockworkMelon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aclockworkmelon/32/10803_2.png) [@AClockworkMelon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AClockworkMelon)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2010, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-music-should-be-played-at-your-funeral-wake/546672/73 "2010-07-17T21:46:44Z")
An audio loop from _Fight Club_. “His name is Robert Paulson. His name is Robert Paulson. His name is Robert Paulson.” ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2010, 11:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-music-should-be-played-at-your-funeral-wake/546672/74 "2010-08-10T11:07:00Z")
I’ve always been fond of _The Party’s Over._ ---
**Author:** ![GHO57](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/df788c/32.png) [@GHO57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GHO57)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2010, 11:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-music-should-be-played-at-your-funeral-wake/546672/75 "2010-08-10T11:43:29Z")
> [@Ranchoth](#): > > Looking over my iTunes library, the top 10-15 most played tracks are mostly surprisingly appropriate for my own wake, with a few notable exceptions (“The Fight Song” and the Tiger Lillies’ “Hell,” you might be able to make work. The Robocop theme…not so much). It’s actually a little eerie, though probably not that surprising. Yea… try this for eerie. My number 1 is Necro - Beautiful Music For You To Die To Then again… in the top 20 there’s “Alive” and “not die’n”… “so it burns”… “the worst”… and something that loosely translated from Finnish is “this is a deception” I’m starting to reconsider the cremation idea… misdiagnosed as dead… and that playlist would get ironic pretty quickly. ---
**Author:** ![Private\_Bin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c0e974/32.png) [@Private\_Bin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Private_Bin)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2010, 12:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-music-should-be-played-at-your-funeral-wake/546672/76 "2010-08-10T12:08:37Z")
I would like some kind of portentous classical thing that goes on for ages, real sturm and drang, and then there’s a record scratching sound and ‘No more heroes’ by The Strangles slam cuts in and I smash open the lid of the coffin and stand up only to fire a Tommy-gun over the heads of the audience. By the way, who do you get to do your funeral arrangements? Apparently not your barrister, because he looked a bit tight in the eyes and got short with me when I was explaining this to him. ---
**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:** [August 10, 2010, 12:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-music-should-be-played-at-your-funeral-wake/546672/77 "2010-08-10T12:14:26Z")
My first thought is John Prine’s “Please Don’t Bury Me”: Please don’t bury me Down in that cold cold ground No, I’d druther have 'em cut me up And pass me all around Throw my brain in a hurricane And the blind can have my eyes And the deaf can take both of my ears If they don’t mind the size Give my stomach to Milwaukee If they run out of beer Put my socks in a cedar box Just get 'em out of here Venus de Milo can have my arms Look out! I’ve got your nose Sell my heart to the junkman And give my love to Rose mmm ---
**Author:** ![Rafe\_Hollister](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/fbc32d/32.png) [@Rafe\_Hollister](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rafe_Hollister)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2010, 12:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-music-should-be-played-at-your-funeral-wake/546672/78 "2010-08-10T12:25:40Z")
I’ve given this a lot of thought. I’m the ripe old age of 35, so I need to start planning now. 😃 [Far Side Bank of Jordan](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZwxL9ekKtbU&feature=related) by The Cox Family [Will There Be Any Stars In My Crown](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JutZEoi8OeU&NR=1&feature=fvwp) by The Cox Family [I Am Weary Let Me Rest](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=URl4QkyH5QM&feature=related) by The Cox Family [Rank Stranger](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W_vtOd_d40o&feature=related) by the Stanley Brothers And a ton of others done the old-timey way. Love it. ---
**Author:** ![DfrntBreign](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f6c823/32.png) [@DfrntBreign](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DfrntBreign)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2010, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-music-should-be-played-at-your-funeral-wake/546672/79 "2010-08-10T14:09:17Z")
Like others have said, I don’t really expect to be there, but I think [this song](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4hoqa5Asp2g) might be oddly appropriate. My daughter might like to hear [Epitaph](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V-tH0Z6Enb8), If someone insists on something “traditional”, I guess this version of [Amazing Grace](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=izbmzmsVlM0) would work. ---
**Author:** ![Kamino\_Neko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kamino_neko/32/34_2.png) [@Kamino\_Neko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamino_Neko)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2010, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-music-should-be-played-at-your-funeral-wake/546672/80 "2010-08-10T14:36:34Z")
I fully intend to have [this](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8TFWva_lb00) performed at my funeral. I’ll record it myself to be played if I know I’m dying early enough! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-music-should-be-played-at-your-funeral-wake/546672.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-music-should-be-played-at-your-funeral-wake/546672.md?page=5)