# What should they play at your funeral? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [February 15, 2019, 4:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-they-play-at-your-funeral/829572 "2019-02-15T04:37:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2019, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-they-play-at-your-funeral/829572/21 "2019-02-15T14:48:46Z")
I like the idea of the 1812 Overture, with a full orchestra, along with the cannon and fireworks. I can’t decide if my ashes should be shot out of the cannon or the fireworks. ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2019, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-they-play-at-your-funeral/829572/22 "2019-02-15T15:20:11Z")
I’m in an acoustic band and play in various jams. Not at all religious, and no desire for a “funeral” per se, but I would like some sort of gathering where my friends and family got together and played music. No specific tunes in mind, but would probably include a number of bluegrass/gospel tunes such as Ain’t No Grave Gonna Hold My Body Down. ---
**Author:** ![snfaulkner](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snfaulkner/32/433_2.png) [@snfaulkner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snfaulkner)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2019, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-they-play-at-your-funeral/829572/23 "2019-02-15T16:06:05Z")
Gwar’s “Sick of you” ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2019, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-they-play-at-your-funeral/829572/24 "2019-02-15T16:10:40Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > I don’t want a funeral. Same, but if there is one, they should play “Love the One You’re With.” ---
**Author:** ![74westy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/74westy/32/3950_2.png) [@74westy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/74westy)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2019, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-they-play-at-your-funeral/829572/25 "2019-02-15T16:14:24Z")
Born to be Alive – Patrick Hernandez ---
**Author:** ![Inigo\_Montoya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inigo_montoya/32/124_2.png) [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2019, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-they-play-at-your-funeral/829572/26 "2019-02-15T16:31:02Z")
“Yes, we have no bananas” by Spike Jones & His City Slickers. Just to remind everyone in attendance that they never really understood me. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2019, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-they-play-at-your-funeral/829572/27 "2019-02-15T16:32:20Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > I don’t care what they play, but I’ve worked it out that my friends are going to scatter my remains all over Disneyland. > > I’ve also decided against cremation. Eeeeeeew. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2019, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-they-play-at-your-funeral/829572/28 "2019-02-15T16:37:18Z")
> [@Dinsdale](#): > > I’m in an acoustic band and play in various jams. Not at all religious, and no desire for a “funeral” per se, but I would like some sort of gathering where my friends and family got together and played music. No specific tunes in mind, but would probably include a number of bluegrass/gospel tunes such as Ain’t No Grave Gonna Hold My Body Down. My uncle (my father’s brother) passed away back in December, and his family had a memorial gathering for him a couple of weeks ago. There was no burial, as my uncle had stipulated that his body was to be donated for medical research. At the gathering, one of my cousins, who had been in a bluegrass band for many years, played a few songs, along with two of his old bandmates. In tongue-in-cheek recognition of my uncle’s bequest, one of the songs which they played was [John Prine’s “Please Don’t Bury Me.”](https://genius.com/John-prine-please-dont-bury-me-lyrics) 😃 ---
**Author:** ![EscAlaMike](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/escalamike/32/4177_2.png) [@EscAlaMike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EscAlaMike)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2019, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-they-play-at-your-funeral/829572/29 "2019-02-15T16:47:32Z")
[Dies Irae](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dlr90NLDp-0) ---
**Author:** ![Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/son_of_a_rich/32/5439_2.png) [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Son_of_a_Rich)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2019, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-they-play-at-your-funeral/829572/30 "2019-02-15T16:58:29Z")
[_ **He Stopped Loving Her Today.** _](https://youtu.be/VExw77xJsBQ) ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2019, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-they-play-at-your-funeral/829572/31 "2019-02-15T16:58:58Z")
Along the lines of the other “play”, I’d like my golf buddies to play a round or 2 at some of the courses I played the most, and - if I have myself burnt - scatter my ashes. But my preference is to hang out at a body farm. Always liked the outdoors! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![CelticKnot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/celticknot/32/3392_2.png) [@CelticKnot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CelticKnot)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2019, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-they-play-at-your-funeral/829572/32 "2019-02-15T17:03:09Z")
> [@nelliebly](#): > > Hide-and-seek! > > Oh, wait, did you mean music? When Mr. Celtic Knot’s grandmother passed away, the entire family gathered for the viewing. One of her great granddaughters (about 3 yo) decided we should play the Hokey Pokey. So we did. We figure Maxine would have played, too. ---
**Author:** ![Hari\_Seldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hari_seldon/32/5173_2.png) [@Hari\_Seldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hari_Seldon)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2019, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-they-play-at-your-funeral/829572/33 "2019-02-15T17:06:03Z")
Pinochle. That’s what grandfathers and uncles all played at Shiva. ---
**Author:** ![Biotop](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biotop/32/321_2.png) [@Biotop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biotop)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2019, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-they-play-at-your-funeral/829572/34 "2019-02-15T17:09:39Z")
[The Blue Gates of Death](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=8JUAkWk4bbQ) ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2019, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-they-play-at-your-funeral/829572/35 "2019-02-15T17:17:03Z")
**CelticKnot** , that sounds like the sort of thing my family would have done. After my grandpap’s funeral, we took his favorite easy chair (that was so broken in that nobody but him was capable of sitting in it any more) down to the parking lot, soaked it in kerosene, and burnt it. Afterward, all of the guys went out target shooting. For me, bagpipes. I’ll leave the selection of the tunes up to the piper, but there’s got to be bagpipes. ---
**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:** [February 15, 2019, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-they-play-at-your-funeral/829572/36 "2019-02-15T17:34:29Z")
My brother is a priest and he tells me he’s lost count of the number of times he’s had, politely but firmly to advise the bereaved against Smoke Gets In Your Eyes at the crematorium. For myself, I have quite a list of suitably melancholic pieces of classical music but I’m leaning towards [Wish Me Luck As You Wave Me Goodbye](https://youtu.be/7EUytEX_XkE) ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Duality](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mr.duality/32/4098_2.png) [@Mr.Duality](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Duality)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2019, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-they-play-at-your-funeral/829572/37 "2019-02-15T18:01:34Z")
_He’s Gone_ by The Grateful Dead. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2019, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-they-play-at-your-funeral/829572/38 "2019-02-15T18:16:09Z")
No love for **Wham!**? How about a little _Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go_? ---
**Author:** ![cmkeller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmkeller/32/118_2.png) [@cmkeller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmkeller)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2019, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-they-play-at-your-funeral/829572/39 "2019-02-15T18:36:43Z")
Ping Pong. Based on the trend of my weight, I estimate the size of my casket will be roughly right for that. ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2019, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-they-play-at-your-funeral/829572/40 "2019-02-15T19:38:53Z")
Pre-game: Simple Man (Skynyrd, not Charlie Daniels) Opener: Dixie Mid-show: Immigrant Song Closer: Free Bird, with a shot of Jack for the guests. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-they-play-at-your-funeral/829572.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-they-play-at-your-funeral/829572.md?page=3)