I don’t want this thread to spiral into a metaphysical debate about the afterlife, etc.
But I am curious as to what fellow Dopers would like to have musically speaking, at their funeral/wake (if any). Would the music be a remembrance for your friends and loved ones about you? A reminder of your personality? A funny one-off to tweak everyone present? A sad dirge?
Me, I want two songs:
Marley’s “Redemption Songs” for its sad, yet uplifting tone.
And Bowie’s “Space Odyssey”, as the idea of my soul travelling into space appeals to me, even if the song doesn’t have any mention of souls, other than Major Tom dying in his spacecraft.
Of course, followed by “Paint It Black” and possibly “666: The Number Of The Beast” to close it out real proper-like?
That’s another good one.
I’m also curious as to your justification for selecting your music. What does it say about you? What does it remind your loved ones left behind about you? What purpose does it serve? Will there be dancing (presumably not on your grave)?
Crash Test Dummies, At My Funeral. Princess and the Pony, by Har Mar Superstar (This is obviously not his video, but the only non-live version of the song I could find) If only for the line “Shake your ass around my casket”
I don’t want a funeral. Cremate me and scatter the ashes (after all organs have been harvested if possible).
But I want a wake where everyone tells stories about me, good, bad or otherwise. And I want John Denver, Gordon Lightfoot, Acoustic Alchemy, Enya and a host of others playing on the stereo while it’s going on.
I’m probably an unlikely Willie Nelson fan, being a young woman in my, let’s say early, thirties. But I adore the man and his writing like nobody’s business.
Anyway, I’ve met so many people who helped me out during bad times in my life and who I expect will be at my funeral. I imagine those people will really relate to the lines in the song about helping me out while my wings were broken, with the understanding that some day I’d fly away.
It’s going to be heartbreaking for them, but hey, what can I do?
“Do You Realize?” by the Flaming Lips has always struck me as something of a funereal song…rather depressing but quite accurate, particularly “Do you realize that everyone you know someday will die?”
In spite of the dark lyrics it has a gentle sentimental quality to it…
I’ve always liked bagpipe music (maybe it’s because I have Scottish blood in me), I’d like to have a piper at my funeral. Why should cops and the military have all the fun?
I’m also an anthematologist, my first thought was to have one of my favourite anthems played at my funeral (I managed to get one played at my wedding, and I doubt many people noticed - interesting story which I’ll relate at the slightest bit of interest), but I figured if I’m not there to enjoy it, it might not be worth it (yeah, I know, I won’t be there to appreciate the bagpipe music either, but I sincerely think that more people would enjoy bagpipes at a funeral then they would a national anthem (although an anthem would be so “me” … ))
I probably won’t die until the 2060s, so the song likely hasn’t been written yet. In fact I bet the band members who will write the song I would want played haven’t even met yet. I am too young to say (I don’t feel I have enough musical experience to know for sure on an issue this important). I say that because the 3 songs I picked below as songs I’d want played were songs I hadn’t even heard of 4 years ago. So if you’d asked me 4 years ago I would have a totally different list.
However if you asked me what songs I would pick based on the 15 years or so that I have intently listened to music since I was in my mid teens before I started listening with any real intention:
Eels - PS you rock my world (first pick)
JJ Cale - Old Friend
Terry Jacks - Seasons in the sun
The entire album 2525 by Zager & Evans. And then Conquistador by Procol Harum. There would also be a mandatory funeral procession like this one for Prince Frederik Hendrik of Orange.
