# What song do you want played at your funeral? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 19, 2000, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-song-do-you-want-played-at-your-funeral/37548 "2000-10-19T16:42:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**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:** [October 20, 2000, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-song-do-you-want-played-at-your-funeral/37548/61 "2000-10-20T14:35:09Z")
“Vienna” by Billy Joel. It’s basically the theme song/anthem of my life – and he played it _for me_ in concert once right after I had written him a letter thanking him for writing it. Yes, I am confessing to writing a fan letter! \ A lot of people know this is my favorite song, but very few of them have heard it. I’ll make sure they hear it _eventually._ ---
**Author:** ![Edwardina](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5f8ce5/32.png) [@Edwardina](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Edwardina)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2000, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-song-do-you-want-played-at-your-funeral/37548/62 "2000-10-20T16:23:49Z")
I really like _Spirit in the Sky_ and _Amazing Grace_ on the bagpipes, both are sentimental favorites of mine, but for me, I think it will be: **Learning to Fly** , Pink Floyd ---
**Author:** ![Opengrave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/919ad9/32.png) [@Opengrave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Opengrave)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2000, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-song-do-you-want-played-at-your-funeral/37548/63 "2000-10-20T16:39:16Z")
Fade to Black - Metallica (before they started sucking) Skin O’ my Teeth - Megadeth Last Caress - Misfits ---
**Author:** ![smilingjaws](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b782af/32.png) [@smilingjaws](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smilingjaws)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2000, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-song-do-you-want-played-at-your-funeral/37548/64 "2000-10-20T22:25:56Z")
I am a poor wayfaring stranger (Emy Lou Harris has performed this folk song) On the Wings of a Snow White Dove ---
**Author:** ![Serendipity](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f17d59/32.png) [@Serendipity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Serendipity)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2000, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-song-do-you-want-played-at-your-funeral/37548/65 "2000-10-21T03:40:49Z")
“Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)” by Green Day, “A Little Fall of Rain” by Les Mis, and “Amazing Grace” have been mentioned already, so I’ll just add my vote to those piles. I’d also like Pachelbel’s Canon in D, “Home” by Deep Blue Something (remember them? One-hit wonders of “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” fame), and Louis Armstrong’s “What a Wonderful World” to play. ---
**Author:** ![Scotticher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9c0ed/32.png) [@Scotticher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scotticher)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2000, 4:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-song-do-you-want-played-at-your-funeral/37548/66 "2000-10-21T04:34:25Z")
**Amazing Grace** as stated before, with bagpipes. Loreena McKennitt **Dante’s Prayer** Linda Ronstadt **Goodbye My Friend** Vince McGill **Go Rest High On That Mountain** ---
**Author:** ![Gabz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/838e76/32.png) [@Gabz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gabz)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2000, 5:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-song-do-you-want-played-at-your-funeral/37548/67 "2000-10-21T05:20:39Z")
Only the Good die Young (Billie Joel) Followed by a resounding chorus of “Another One Bites the Dust” (Queen) And then the ultimate: “The Lady in Red” (can’t hink of who did it) I didn’t get married in red - so I’ll be buried in it!!! ---
**Author:** ![Feynn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ecb155/32.png) [@Feynn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Feynn)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2000, 6:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-song-do-you-want-played-at-your-funeral/37548/68 "2000-10-21T06:10:13Z")
I will be cremated and not buried and as they spread my ashes to the four winds I have let people know that there must be a piper playing. This is the tradition in our family that a piper will play at the burial of a family member, my grandmother used to tell me that the music was played to clear a way for the spirit to make it’s final journey. Should they neglect to grant me this final wish I have promised to return and haunt the living… ---
**Author:** ![anya\_marie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ebca7d/32.png) [@anya\_marie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/anya_marie)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2000, 11:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-song-do-you-want-played-at-your-funeral/37548/69 "2000-10-21T11:41:53Z")
here is my short list of what i want them to play: “Under Pressure” Queen and David Bowie “Misty Mountain Hop” “Dancing Days” Led Zeppelin “Plush” Stone Temple Pilots ----unplugged, ideally “Rio” and “Ordinary World” Duran Duran ---
**Author:** ![Eo\_Echo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ebca7d/32.png) [@Eo\_Echo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eo_Echo)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2000, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-song-do-you-want-played-at-your-funeral/37548/70 "2000-10-21T16:40:07Z")
“In My Time Of Dying,” by Led Zeppelin. ---
**Author:** ![Wonko\_The\_Sane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/258eb7/32.png) [@Wonko\_The\_Sane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wonko_The_Sane)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2000, 11:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-song-do-you-want-played-at-your-funeral/37548/71 "2000-10-21T23:26:33Z")
I’m with the previous poster who listed “Spirit in the Sky” ---
**Author:** ![BiblioCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ed8c4c/32.png) [@BiblioCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BiblioCat)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2000, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-song-do-you-want-played-at-your-funeral/37548/72 "2000-10-22T00:22:37Z")
Slight hijack. A close friend of mine died suddenly, right around the time “Time Of Your Life” by GreenDay came out. She was one of those people who always had a “favorite new song”, and that was her favorite new song at the time. The song played at her wedding 10 years previously was “Time Of Your Life” from the _Dirty Dancing_ soundtrack and her husband had both played at her funeral. So sad. I can’t hear either one without thinking of her and bawling like a baby. What is the line? “So make the most of this DEATH and don’t ask why…” OR “So make the most of this TEST and don’t ask why…” ? Some people say it’s “test” but I swear he sings “death.” ---
**Author:** ![Serendipity](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f17d59/32.png) [@Serendipity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Serendipity)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2000, 3:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-song-do-you-want-played-at-your-funeral/37548/73 "2000-10-22T03:37:29Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Kinsey \* > \*\*Slight hijack. > What is the line? “So make the most of this DEATH and don’t ask why…” OR “So make the most of this TEST and don’t ask why…” ? > Some people say it’s “test” but I swear he sings “death.” \*\* As far as I know, it’s “test,” which makes more sense with the next line (“It’s not a question, but a lesson (answer?) learned in time.”) than “death” does. ---
**Author:** ![Coldfire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a587f6/32.png) [@Coldfire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coldfire)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2000, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-song-do-you-want-played-at-your-funeral/37548/74 "2000-10-22T17:32:45Z")
> [@](#): > > _Originally posted by Gabz \* > “The Lady in Red” (can’t hink of who did it)_\* Chris DeBurgh. ---
**Author:** ![TheUnforgiven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e480ec/32.png) [@TheUnforgiven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheUnforgiven)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2000, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-song-do-you-want-played-at-your-funeral/37548/75 "2000-10-22T18:04:48Z")
The Unforgiven (!) or Outlaw Torn, both from Metallica Also Down in a Hole by Alice in Chains would be nice. ---
**Author:** ![Carina42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/439d5e/32.png) [@Carina42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carina42)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2000, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-song-do-you-want-played-at-your-funeral/37548/76 "2000-10-22T18:09:10Z")
My father had chosen “On the Steppes of Central Asia”, a classical piece by Borodin. Since my father died in a foreign country we were not able to have a funeral for him. So I have the score tattooed around my right bicep, in memory. Me? Good question. Back in Black? ---
**Author:** ![screech-owl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/82dd89/32.png) [@screech-owl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/screech-owl)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2000, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-song-do-you-want-played-at-your-funeral/37548/77 "2000-10-22T18:37:38Z")
“The Day is Yours” - Henry V soundtrack and they can throw in the “Non nobis, Domine”, too. (Is that the one you meant, Zebra?) Aw heck, play the whole soundtrack. My favorite. Then again, according to the people who knew me _way_ back when, “Highway to Hell” might be more appropriate. ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2000, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-song-do-you-want-played-at-your-funeral/37548/78 "2000-10-22T19:41:26Z")
Give me a good old **bluegrass band** at my funeral. A partial play list:[ul] [li]Danny Boy[/li][li]There Is a Time for Us to Wander[/li][li]Look Down That Lonesome Road[/li]Amazing Grace (_a cappella_, with some nice high lonesome harmonies)[/ul] ---
**Author:** ![The\_Pit\_and\_The\_Pendulum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f08c70/32.png) [@The\_Pit\_and\_The\_Pendulum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Pit_and_The_Pendulum)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2000, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-song-do-you-want-played-at-your-funeral/37548/79 "2000-10-22T21:15:13Z")
If they ever play the wedding march in my honor, I hope it’s at my funeral. I’m never going to be ready for that one, as long as I live! ---
**Author:** ![UnEasyRider](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/e56c9b/32.png) [@UnEasyRider](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UnEasyRider)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2000, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-song-do-you-want-played-at-your-funeral/37548/80 "2000-10-22T23:57:48Z")
Your so vain. Carly Simon [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-song-do-you-want-played-at-your-funeral/37548.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-song-do-you-want-played-at-your-funeral/37548.md?page=5)