# What Song(s) Do You Want Played At Your Funeral? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 28, 2009, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-song-s-do-you-want-played-at-your-funeral/519264 "2009-11-28T19:43:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Lucky\_13](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lucky_13/32/13209_2.png) [@Lucky\_13](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucky_13)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2009, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-song-s-do-you-want-played-at-your-funeral/519264/41 "2009-11-29T21:50:10Z")
We’ve had this thread before. I’m sticking by the songs I put last time: 1. “China Roses” by Enya. Particularly because of the lines _A new moon leads me to Woods of dreams and I follow A new world waits for me My dream, my way_ I like this song because it sounds so beautiful and magical, and it shows the part of me that’s always been a daydreamer, believing in fairies and moonlight and magic and what not. Also, this used to be my .sig file years ago, and I kind of want it to work like that. A signature on my life, if you will. 1. “Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)” by Green Day. Cause, yeah, that’s how my sense of humor works. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![StusBlues](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dc4da7/32.png) [@StusBlues](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StusBlues)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2009, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-song-s-do-you-want-played-at-your-funeral/519264/42 "2009-11-29T21:54:19Z")
Solsbury Hill. I’d like it to begin sparely - piano, clarinet, and voice. On the second verse, add acoustic guitar and trapset. On the third verse, add congas and electric guitar. That would make a good memorial. And [this](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jHPOzQzk9Qo). ---
**Author:** ![kittenblue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ba8739/32.png) [@kittenblue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kittenblue)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2009, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-song-s-do-you-want-played-at-your-funeral/519264/43 "2009-11-29T22:18:29Z")
I can’t remember the exact track right now, but there is a short track on the Firefly/Serenity soundtrack that was, I think for a funeral scene. I’ve asked a composer friend to use that as inspiration for a piece I want to commision. He’s brilliant, and so far I’ve liked everything he has composed for our church, and as he’s just beginning to sell his work for publication I want to get this arranged before he becomes too popular and raises his prices! Then there is the hymn This is My Song from Finlandia, and a few other hymns I want. The playlist for the wake will be livelier! ---
**Author:** ![MacTech](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c0e974/32.png) [@MacTech](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MacTech)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2009, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-song-s-do-you-want-played-at-your-funeral/519264/44 "2009-11-29T23:24:35Z")
Hmm, lets see; Alice Cooper’s **No more Mr. Nice Guy** Monty Python’s [**Galaxy Song**](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=buqtdpuZxvk&feature=related) and ALOTBSOL “And pray that there’s intelligent life _somewhere_ out in space, 'cause there’s bugger-all down here on Earth.” (one of my favorite quotes) ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2009, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-song-s-do-you-want-played-at-your-funeral/519264/45 "2009-11-29T23:55:19Z")
[Louie, Louie](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Vae_AkLb4Q) by the Kingsmen [Ace Of Spades](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9e5cqe_JE0Q) by Motörhead ---
**Author:** ![John\_DiFool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_difool/32/19543_2.png) [@John\_DiFool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_DiFool)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2009, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-song-s-do-you-want-played-at-your-funeral/519264/46 "2009-11-30T00:45:48Z")
“Try Not to Breathe” by REM. ---
**Author:** ![dada2fish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ccd318/32.png) [@dada2fish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dada2fish)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2009, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-song-s-do-you-want-played-at-your-funeral/519264/47 "2009-11-30T00:55:58Z")
My sister died at 32 years old and gave me specific requests for her funeral once she knew her death was imminent. Two of the songs she picked were Sunset by Roxy Music and Love is the Answer by England Dan and John Ford Coley. It was a beautiful service. ---
**Author:** ![palindromemordnilap](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/db5fbb/32.png) [@palindromemordnilap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/palindromemordnilap)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2009, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-song-s-do-you-want-played-at-your-funeral/519264/48 "2009-11-30T20:48:35Z")
“Wish You Were Here.” ---
**Author:** ![PeacePlease](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/71c47a/32.png) [@PeacePlease](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PeacePlease)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2009, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-song-s-do-you-want-played-at-your-funeral/519264/49 "2009-11-30T21:12:55Z")
Shine On You Crazy Diamond. Both parts. ---
**Author:** ![yanceylebeef](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yanceylebeef/32/12290_2.png) [@yanceylebeef](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yanceylebeef)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2009, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-song-s-do-you-want-played-at-your-funeral/519264/50 "2009-11-30T21:13:46Z")
Apropos of nothing this Thanksgiving, my mom informed me that she would like “One Toke Over The Line” by Brewer and Shipley played at her memorial, and that my Dad would like “Drop Kick Me Jesus, through the Goalposts of Life” by Bobby Bare. It made for an awkward few minutes between the main course and dinner. ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2009, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-song-s-do-you-want-played-at-your-funeral/519264/51 "2009-11-30T21:15:21Z")
“Ding Dong, the Witch is Dead” from the Wizard of Oz. An instrumental version, please, and played at a funereal pace, so that the realization will break upon the mourners slowly. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![wayward](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a87d85/32.png) [@wayward](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wayward)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2009, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-song-s-do-you-want-played-at-your-funeral/519264/52 "2009-11-30T21:17:37Z")
> [@Audrey\_Levins](#): > > “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 came in here to say that, but I actually find it a very hopeful song - “Realize the Sun don’t go down / It’s just an illusion caused by the world spinning round…”. You can either take it as having religious meaning (Death is not the end etc) or, as I prefer to think, you can take it in a much more secular but still philisophical way. At a funeral it would mean something like “I know you’re sad now, but this is all part of life, it happens, and one day you will be happy again”. ---
**Author:** ![Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2009, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-song-s-do-you-want-played-at-your-funeral/519264/53 "2009-11-30T21:29:52Z")
> [@palindromemordnilap](#): > > “Wish You Were Here.” I figured someone would beat me to it. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Lethal\_Babydoll](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/3be4f8/32.png) [@Lethal\_Babydoll](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lethal_Babydoll)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2009, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-song-s-do-you-want-played-at-your-funeral/519264/54 "2009-12-01T00:00:51Z")
\*\*To Sir With Love \*\*by Lulu ---
**Author:** ![dnooman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/839c29/32.png) [@dnooman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dnooman)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2009, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-song-s-do-you-want-played-at-your-funeral/519264/55 "2009-12-01T02:19:21Z")
Nobody has mentioned “Don’t let the sun go down on me”? I’m kinda surprised. [sub]Now I’m picturing Elton John singing “Don’t let your son…” Wow, my mind is in the gutter tonight.[/sub] ---
**Author:** ![CaptMurdock](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/captmurdock/32/11736_2.png) [@CaptMurdock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CaptMurdock)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2009, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-song-s-do-you-want-played-at-your-funeral/519264/56 "2009-12-01T03:48:07Z")
> [@Dragwyr](#): > > My wife has specific instructions to play,“Always Look on the Bright Side of Life” from Monty Python’s “The Life of Brian” at my funeral. Damn your eyes! You stole my song! (Nice to know someone else on this board has a sense of humor…) ---
**Author:** ![Askance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/askance/32/8281_2.png) [@Askance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askance)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2009, 4:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-song-s-do-you-want-played-at-your-funeral/519264/57 "2009-12-01T04:28:25Z")
Elvis Costello - [The Favourite Hour](http://www.elviscostello.info/lyrics/by.html#favourite_hour) - I cry every time I hear that song, dammit all my mourners will too! If anyone thinks I deserve it, they can put **Auden** ’s\* [Funeral Blues](http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/funeral-blues-2/)\* to music, they can cry to that too, just like I do in **Four Weddings and a Funeral**. ---
**Author:** ![heavybuhbuh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5a626/32.png) [@heavybuhbuh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/heavybuhbuh)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2009, 5:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-song-s-do-you-want-played-at-your-funeral/519264/58 "2009-12-01T05:14:32Z")
Dvorak’s New World Symphony and Michael Andrew’s Mad World ---
**Author:** ![salinqmind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ec8ea/32.png) [@salinqmind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/salinqmind)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2009, 6:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-song-s-do-you-want-played-at-your-funeral/519264/59 "2009-12-01T06:36:01Z")
The Long and Winding Road by the Beatles. I was at a funeral for a 50- something woman and there was a power point presentation at the end of the service, showing various high points of her life. The music: My Way, by Frank Sinatra. ---
**Author:** ![heavybuhbuh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5a626/32.png) [@heavybuhbuh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/heavybuhbuh)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2009, 9:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-song-s-do-you-want-played-at-your-funeral/519264/60 "2009-12-01T09:53:35Z")
[![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/VP8EVKgIYsg/hqdefault.jpg "Bob Marley - Cornerstone (Rare Acoustic)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VP8EVKgIYsg) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-song-s-do-you-want-played-at-your-funeral/519264.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-song-s-do-you-want-played-at-your-funeral/519264.md?page=4)