No Funeral for a Friend... yet.

[A Desert Rose]

At the outset I want to say that I hope I don't offend anyone with this thread. I don't mean it to be morbid in any way. But recent events have made me think and I've decided to get this stuff planned and have it all in place so that my family has nothing to deal with when I die.

In the past we've had threads here about epitaphs and the like, so I don't think this should be too out of line.

So, on to the point:

I'm looking for ideas for music to be played at my funeral.

I know that I want Spirit in the Sky played at the end. It's uplifting and peppy and happy. It's a catchy tune with a nice message. LOL I like it.

I've also picked a couple of pieces by Bach that I've always loved.

There's a song by CSN&Y called Don't Say Goodbye that I've picked.
Brand New Day, Fortress Around Your Heart and of course, Desert Rose (;-D) all by Sting. And A Day in the Life by the Beatles, because for no other reason than it is my absolute favorite Beatles song. And Across the Universe

And I love Funeral for a Friend by Elton John.

Okay... does this choice of music date me or what? LOL

Do you have any ideas what you'd like played at your ending? I'd just love to hear what they are and maybe give me more ideas, too.

Thank you and again, I hope I don't offend anyone with this topic. I apologize to anyone, if I do.

 

[Noira]

(cheerfully)

I've decided I require Carmelldancen to be played at my funeral. And Already Over by Red.

Other than that, I'm good. I also made a friend promise that if I died in a huge fireball in a blaze of glory or something, she'd play those for me. ^_^

I have a nasty sense of humor.

I find it funny because I've contemplated this myself many times...and came up with those two tracks.

Good choices. =D

 

[Desdemona]

Okay... does this choice of music date me or what? LOLQUOTE]

Yes, you are older than dirt. But then, so am I. Your choices will make me want to dance a jig on your grave. That ought to cheer everybody up considerably. LOL

I'll give some thought to my own choices for music. As I've already told you, personally, I'm looking for something completely somber and depressing. I want people to sob and be sad because they miss my fabulousness. I think I'll start out with the Dies Ire from Mozart's Requiem just because I like it. It has an angry quality and people ought to be pissed that I'm gone.

Love ya. Mean it!

 

[catalina_francisco]

I think it is practical...my parents both did it and I have given it some thought over the past few years. At the top of my list and the two which remain a constant are John Lennon's 'Imagine' and Dylan's 'Blowin' In The Wind'...lol, now who is showing their age?!! Some others which cross my mind as possibles are Intimacy by k d lang and also Constant Craving ; Shadow Of Your Smile - Johnny Mathis and Barbra Streisand; Smile - Tony Bennett and Barbra; Louis Armstrong's 'What A Wonderful World'; With One More Look At You/Watch Closely Now' by Streisand (cause it says so much and I love the shift from ballad to rock); and I would love to end the whole shebang with Kylie singing 'Celebration' and 'Good Times' by INXS and Barnsey cause apart from being one of my all time faves, like 'Celebration' it just lifts a mood so damn well and I would prefer that to people being melancholy.

I still can't get into this idea of being buried that F seems to insist on...the closest I could come to finding it OK was if it was like in Epping Forest in biodegradable coffins...cremation just seems much better for me, but I could go with the Epping Forest regeneration method.

Catalina

 

[Desdemona]

my dear friend

Every song I think of is funny to me in a sick, twisted sort of way. With that in mind, I'm going to wait before I post any more of them out of respect for the sincerity of this thread.

So, ADR, do me a fucking favor and let me die first. That way, you can laugh yourself silly at MY funeral.

Catalina, I like your selections. I agree, it's a practical thing to do.

And, Noira, my sense of humor is way nastier than yours. Trust me.

 

[SweetGigi]

I simply will not allow any of you to die. We are gonna freeze y'all like Walt Disney and that is that.

*firm nod*

At the thought of this, I can't seem to stop crying. The very idea of any of you leaving just rips me up. I don't think this is a morbid thread, and I'm not in anyway offended, I just don't want to think of this world losing such amazing people like you guys. Loss is hard enough without it having to be permanent. I'm sorry I just can't think about this right now

I love you all too much to imagine this life without you.

 

[Luna_Wolf72]

I began planning

my own demise after my mother passed away. I am making payments on my funeral arrangements and my place of burial. I don't have any ideas on the music outside of the fact that most of my friends know I do NOT want a *normal* memorial service. (Most of my friends are shaman/wiccan/pagan)

More than likely I won't even have a *true* funeral (as I want to be cremated and my remains placed in the crypt below my mum and sister)...and the only music I would want to hear would be something along the lines of Bauhas, The Cult, The Cure or Marilyn Manson..all of which are completely inappropriate for the gravity of that day.

 

[Caitlynne]

I had a serious illness some years ago and I planned and paid for my own funeral as well. It's not morbid in my opinion, it's merely planning ahead. It's also a gift to your loved ones, who will be in no shape to think straight once you're gone. They will know "exactly" what you 'would have wanted".

As to music, the only song I picked was Nina Simone's "Feeling Good". It added that "jazz' kind of feeling that I'd like.

 

[WriterDom]

This is a cheery thread.

Mother, mother ocean, I have heard you call
Wanted to sail upon your waters since I was three feet tall
Youve seen it all, youve seen it all

Watched the men who rode you switch from sails to steam
And in your belly you hold the treasures few have ever seen
Most of em dream, most of em dream

Yes I am a pirate, two hundred years too late
The cannons dont thunder, theres nothin to plunder
Im an over-forty victim of fate
Arriving too late, arriving too late

Ive done a bit of smugglin, Ive run my share of grass
I made enough money to buy miami, but I pissed it away so fast
Never meant to last, never meant to last

And I have been drunk now for over two weeks
I passed out and I rallied and I sprung a few leaks
But I got stop wishin, got to go fishin
Down to rock bottom again
Just a few friends, just a few friends


I go for younger women, lived with several awhile
Though I ran em away, theyd come back one day
Still could manage to smile
Just takes a while, just takes a while

Mother, mother ocean, after all the years Ive found
My occupational hazard being my occupations just not around
I feel like Ive drowned, gonna head uptown

Coda:
I feel like Ive drowned, gonna head uptown

 

[Netzach]

Likewise, I don't want to offend, but -- I have a sick sense of humor, part of me want to have this played. And I have thought about this some. I would like to be ashes and not a big deal made. Although - there is this swank service that makes your carbon a diamond and people can wear you. Piling on the cheesy sentimentality - for me it's like "just make me into a bead and stick me in a store, how cool is that?"


I also envy the epitaph of Erma Bombeck - "I told you I was sick!" If I could think of something that good I'd do it.

I want people to be thinking I was a good lay or laughing even though they think it's really wrong.


The Dead Only Quickly

S. Merritt

Priests and fools say
We are but animate clay
Rude vessels
Housing immortal souls

But the dead only quickly decay
They don't go about being born and reborn
And rising and falling like soufflé
The dead only quickly decay

It would be swell
To see some folk burn in hell
But when they go
It's just pleasant to know
That the dead only quickly decay

They don't go about being born and reborn
And rising and falling like soufflé
The dead only quickly decay

 

[YourCaptor]

I too have an early funeral awaiting me up ahead, so I have often done some thinking on it. If all works out and I have kids when I plan to have them, then according to the doc I will see my demise around the time they are in their early teens or so, probably the worst time to lose a father So I already know my funeral will not be for me, but for my loved ones. Burials serve as a symbolic sort of closure that really does wonders for the mind, so I want them to have that. I don’t think I will have any music playing, but will probably have a letter from me too the attendees read.

However just for fun… how about closer, “you get me closer to god” By the way if I see god when I die (unlikely), I’ll make sure to tell him to stop being such a dick to everyone.

Or how about that theme to gladiator, “Now we are free”, that song really strikes a cord with me, the end of gladiator almost makes me cry

And basically anything on a monstrous pipe organ.

 

[A Desert Rose]

I had a serious illness some years ago and I planned and paid for my own funeral as well. It's not morbid in my opinion, it's merely planning ahead. It's also a gift to your loved ones, who will be in no shape to think straight once you're gone. They will know "exactly" what you 'would have wanted".

As to music, the only song I picked was Nina Simone's "Feeling Good". It added that "jazz' kind of feeling that I'd like.

That's kinda what I was thinking. They know their mom pretty well so I'm guessing I will be buried in the bling-y-est stuff they can find. HA!

There's already been some great song ideas added here! thanks!

And thanks to everyone for taking this thread in the spirit I intended.

 

[A Desert Rose]

Likewise, I don't want to offend, but -- I have a sick sense of humor, part of me want to have this played. And I have thought about this some. I would like to be ashes and not a big deal made. Although - there is this swank service that makes your carbon a diamond and people can wear you. Piling on the cheesy sentimentality - for me it's like "just make me into a bead and stick me in a store, how cool is that?"


I also envy the epitaph of Erma Bombeck - "I told you I was sick!" If I could think of something that good I'd do it.

I want people to be thinking I was a good lay or laughing even though they think it's really wrong.


The Dead Only Quickly

S. Merritt

Priests and fools say
We are but animate clay
Rude vessels
Housing immortal souls

But the dead only quickly decay
They don't go about being born and reborn
And rising and falling like soufflé
The dead only quickly decay

It would be swell
To see some folk burn in hell
But when they go
It's just pleasant to know
That the dead only quickly decay

They don't go about being born and reborn
And rising and falling like soufflé
The dead only quickly decay

Every song I think of is funny to me in a sick, twisted sort of way. With that in mind, I'm going to wait before I post any more of them out of respect for the sincerity of this thread.

So, ADR, do me a fucking favor and let me die first. That way, you can laugh yourself silly at MY funeral.

Catalina, I like your selections. I agree, it's a practical thing to do.

And, Noira, my sense of humor is way nastier than yours. Trust me.

I would expect no less than sick, twisted and funny from the likes of you guys! LOL But even that is kinda neat and unexpected and just how I'd like to go out, to a degree. They all know I'm kinda pervy and to them, "strange" and like I said, reaaaaaally blingy!

And I don't plan to die for a long time. Just that with this Kennedy thing, it made me think that I should put a little time into planning for the benefit of my kids.

 

[A Desert Rose]

my own demise after my mother passed away. I am making payments on my funeral arrangements and my place of burial. I don't have any ideas on the music outside of the fact that most of my friends know I do NOT want a *normal* memorial service. (Most of my friends are shaman/wiccan/pagan)

More than likely I won't even have a *true* funeral (as I want to be cremated and my remains placed in the crypt below my mum and sister)...and the only music I would want to hear would be something along the lines of Bauhas, The Cult, The Cure or Marilyn Manson..all of which are completely inappropriate for the gravity of that day.

This sounds so like you! In a great way, I mean. I don't want a traditional funeral, either. But like you, I want some kind of send-off. I think those left alive need it, for one thing. And I want it to be fun.

 

[Primalex]

Hmmm...

East 17 - It's alright

 

[A Desert Rose]

Hmmm...

East 17 - It's alright

Thanks Mr. Superhero. ;-)

I'll check this out. Never heard of it, but then like I told Des last night, I'm really out of touch.

 

[A Desert Rose]

This is a cheery thread.

Mother, mother ocean, I have heard you call
Wanted to sail upon your waters since I was three feet tall
Youve seen it all, youve seen it all

Watched the men who rode you switch from sails to steam
And in your belly you hold the treasures few have ever seen
Most of em dream, most of em dream

Yes I am a pirate, two hundred years too late
The cannons dont thunder, theres nothin to plunder
Im an over-forty victim of fate
Arriving too late, arriving too late

Ive done a bit of smugglin, Ive run my share of grass
I made enough money to buy miami, but I pissed it away so fast
Never meant to last, never meant to last

And I have been drunk now for over two weeks
I passed out and I rallied and I sprung a few leaks
But I got stop wishin, got to go fishin
Down to rock bottom again
Just a few friends, just a few friends


I go for younger women, lived with several awhile
Though I ran em away, theyd come back one day
Still could manage to smile
Just takes a while, just takes a while

Mother, mother ocean, after all the years Ive found
My occupational hazard being my occupations just not around
I feel like Ive drowned, gonna head uptown

Coda:
I feel like Ive drowned, gonna head uptown

This is so you, WD.

You need to make an email notification list for someone in case you go before me. LMAO I want to be there for you. ;-D

I made my list and sent to Des already. ;-)

 

[A Desert Rose]

Hmmm...

East 17 - It's alright

Okay.... this is TERRIFIC! I like this A LOT.

thank you for adding to the thread.

 

[Homburg]

I won't be buried. I can't abide by cemetaries. I want to be burnt, and my ashes, or a portion thereof, scattered in a particular area. After that, my survivors can do what they will with the rest.

My honest hope is that whatever happens around my death, I hope that it ends like the last funeral I went to. I tend to avoid them like the plague, but my best friend from high school called and told me that his dad had passed unexpectedly. I loved that old man, and knew that I had to be there for my buddy, as he was completely estranged from his family. So I went, and felt horrid and hated it, like I did all funerals. Then the coolest thing happened. My buddy, myself, and few of our friends gathered outside in the parking lot and told stupid stories about the old man, recalling all the off-the-wall shit that the old coot said. It's hard to cry when your doing impressions of a crazy loon named Richard that introduced himself half the time as "Dick, y'know, like a penis! Har har har!"

That's how I want to be remembered. None of this morose shit. Play some Pogues or Fishbone and talk about the crazy shit we all did together when we were young and stupid.

Smile, you bastards, I'd do it for you

 

[FurryFury]

I'm not ready to do this. I don't want a funeral but if the family wants that, it's okay by me, whatever they need or want.

My preference would be to be cut up for medical science or transplants if viable, then cremated as cheaply as possible.

I'd like folks together, drink, recall funny, (hopefully loving) stories about me and celebrate my damn life!

 

[Homburg]

My preference would be to be cut up for medical science or transplants if viable, then cremated as cheaply as possible.

Should've mentioned this. I am an organ donor. Use what ya can. I have a friend sitting on a waiting list for a heart. Organ donation saves lives.

 

[A Desert Rose]

I'm not ready to do this. I don't want a funeral but if the family wants that, it's okay by me, whatever they need or want.

My preference would be to be cut up for medical science or transplants if viable, then cremated as cheaply as possible.

I'd like folks together, drink, recall funny, (hopefully loving) stories about me and celebrate my damn life!

Me too. With lots of great music!

 

[A Desert Rose]

Should've mentioned this. I am an organ donor. Use what ya can. I have a friend sitting on a waiting list for a heart. Organ donation saves lives.

I'm one of those, too. It's a good thing to do.

If nothing else, after all the cookies I've been eating, I have lots of skin for someone's use.

 

[Netzach]

I would expect no less than sick, twisted and funny from the likes of you guys! LOL But even that is kinda neat and unexpected and just how I'd like to go out, to a degree. They all know I'm kinda pervy and to them, "strange" and like I said, reaaaaaally blingy!

And I don't plan to die for a long time. Just that with this Kennedy thing, it made me think that I should put a little time into planning for the benefit of my kids.

I don't have a lot of parties, but I'd hate for this one to be totally unthought out. Then I'd get stuck with some droning hymn and a box.

 

[Desdemona]

I just can't help myself.

This song has been going through my head since we talked. Just for you babe.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z7_YNTQmtGg