A little Morbid I know, BUT .....

[Nicole]

I know this is a morbid question but.

As I got into bed last night I put my music on, (I can't sleep without it) and the song Tears in Heaven by Eric Clapton was on, I automatically thought of the pain that he went through to write that song for his son. Now I know a few people that have picked this out as a funeral song. So I guess what I'm wondering is :-

Have you ever thaught about what music you would like played at your Funeral?
Have you told anyone of this?
If you have, what music is it and who have you told?
If no, would you consider it or do you think it offensive?

I have had talks with my best friend about this, you see we lost a friend through a drug overdose at an early age, so we starting thinking about it then (6 years ago). I have told her what I would like, and she will follow this through with my parents (whom I have also told) IF, God Forbid anything should happen to me.

I have choosen two songs that mean a certain amount to me and have helped me through some tough times, they are Metallica's "Fade to Black" and "Changes" by Black Sabbath. Then I want Amazing Grace played, because this means alot to me through my realationship with my Nanna.

I would like to apologize now if I have offended anyone at all. I know death is a private matter, and this is not to nice a subject. I guess along with the song I started to think of the funerals that I have been to where the service didn't fit the person that we were saying our goodbyes too. I want to be remembered the way that I lived, and Music plays a big part in my life.

Thank-you for reading this and if you choose not to answer, I completly understand.

Thanks and have a good day/night

[Edited by Nicole on 07-30-2000 at 03:25 PM]

 

[SimplySouthern]

To be 100% honest, at this point in my life, death is not a subject I am comfortable with. One of my many insecurities, I suppose, but although it is a good question, I can't bring myself to imagine either "planning" in some small way my own funeral or the funeral of another person. The recent death of my father has made me a little insecure about the who death thing...suffice to say I have issues!

That is a good question though, and to me I like the song One Sweet Day by mariah Carey and Boyz II Men....just a thought.

 

[Skitten]

Yes I have thought about it and tears in heaven and amazing grace. Are two of the ones that I have chosen to play. You never know what is going to happen so I feel that it is better to plan. Yes people are either afraid or do not want to admit it could happen, but you never know. Your best option is to discuss the matter with your loved ones.
Not only with the music with whatever your last wishes are. It is a hard decision but your family and loved ones will be able to know that your last wishes were carried out.

 

[Ian1]

Music at a funeral is a fine tradition. It is my opinion that we are taking it in the wrong direction when we play songs that depress people. When you leave this world people will be sad, that is a fact, and to add to that by chosing sad music is a cruelty to those who cared for you. So it is for those reasons that when I do make up my mind on funeral music that I will chose something fun. I want peole to first think, "Wow Ian was nuts for picking this, we are crying and Hansons "MMMBop" is on"(that was an example, not to be taken seriuosly), but the end result of the fun music at my funeral will be people cheering, happy, and saying, "Yea, Ian is out of here and a Hell of a lot happier now. Good for him!" Of course, my veiws are not everyones, just my own. I don't mean to offend anyone.

 

[~justin]

Metallica's Nothing Else Matters, Chopin's Nocturne in E flat, and maybe something by me. yeah, i think that sounds about right... but i'm not planning on dying. ever.

 

[RonG]

I always thought a good funeral song for me would be "I'm on Fire", preferably the Tori Amos version, considering I want to be cremated and, depending on what version of the hereafter turns out to be correct, a possible resting place for my eternal soul.

For the proper sense of sarcasm, I think "I Hope You're Happy Now" by Elvis Costello would probably get a few laughs. "Funeral March for A Marionette" (the theme from The Alfred Hitchcock Show) would be a great processional.

I am hoping for this to be well off in the future so I have time to plan for this.

 

[Sonora]

I'm in agreement with Ian. While I don't want to go as far as RonG (although very funny!), I think that I'll prefer to have more upbeat instrumentals played. Probably something from Windham Hill--Barbra Higbee, Montreaux.

 

[Isabella Thorne]

off to never never land ..

how could people talk bout a metallica song at a funeral and not mention Enter Sandman ...

and this reminds me of that scene in the movie The Big Chill, when at the funeral of the friend, the organist breaks out in a rendition of the Stones "You Can't Always Get What You Want" ... priceless!

 

[Patryn]

Dante's Prayer by Loreena McKennitt

When the dark wood fell before me
And all the paths were overgrown
When the priests of pride say there is no other way
I tilled the sorrows of stone

I did not believe because I could not see
Though you came to me in the night
When the dawm seemed forever lost
You showed me your love in the light of the stars

Chorus:
Cast your eyes on the ocean
Cast your soul to the sea
When the dark night seems endless
Please remember me

Then the mountain rose before me
By the deep well of desire
From the fountain of forgiveness
Beyond the ice and the fire

Chorus

Though we share this humble path alone
How fragile is the heart
Give these clay feet wings to fly
To touch the face of the stars

Breathe life into this feeble heart
Lift this mortal veil of fear
Take these crumbled hopes etched with tears
We'll rise above these earthly cares

Chorus

Excuse me...I must go wipe the tears from my eyes now. Something about that song never fails to make me cry.

 

[SeXy ReDHeD]

I've thought about this topic before, too and have decided that I want Metallica's "Wherever I May Roam" and Mozart's Requiem.

 

[Ian1]

Sexy, don't you think that "Wherever I May Roam" would scare the shit out of the mourners? How about the Misfits "Last Caress", or "Night of the Living Dead". Although as far as on last practical joke, nothing would beat that!!

 

[Skibum]

I can't think of any particular song I would want played at my funeral, other than "Taps". I was in the military, and that was one experience that I think helped define who I am, and that is a traditional piece of music for a military funeral. It has a peaceful, soothing sound to it that implies rest. That may be why it is played on a military base at lights out every night.

 

[Cheyenne]

Easy one

I love Metallica, too, but at my funeral people will be singing "I Know that My Redeemer Lives"- my favorite hymn. Sing it every Easter and still can't get through it without tears.

As for the rest of the arrangements, my sister-in-law is in charge of making sure I am cremated and then my ashes spread over my favorite fishing hole. Why an in-law? Because I don't trust my immediate family not to stick me in the ground at the last minute, no matter what I tell them I want. I remind them every chance I get that I want to be cremated, and it is in all my legal papers with my Will.

 

[Sweetbitch]

I have to say that I would love my funeral to be a celebration of my life - although I hope I live long enough to give everyone something to celebrate.
I never really heard anything great until I bought the Macy Gray cd a few months ago and heard the last song on it. It's called 'The Letter', and until you listen to the words, you would never think it's about death. This is the chorus

So long everybody
Mama don't be sad for me
Life was a heartache and now I am finally free
Don't know where I'm headed
Hope I see you someday soon
So long everybody
I have gone beyond the moon

It is such a happy song, I recommend that EVERYONE finds someway to listen to this. I hope people aren't listening to this without me *too* soon, but it's the one song I'd like people to remember me by.

 

[Svedish_Chef]

Um Some roxette some madonna.... just the music I like not the traditional I'm dead lets make everybody else think of death too.

Nikki, in the same vein... is it wrong to play unhappy love songs at a wedding?


Da Chef

 

[Mensa]

I can name that tune in......

If I have a regular funeral then it should be " Thank God and Greyhound, He's Gone" and if cremation then " Great Balls of Fire"

Definition of a funeral dirge: a dead beat

 

[Firesprite]

My friends mothers funeral they played Witchy Woman by the Eagles.. to be frank, it was bizarre.

One Sweet Day was played at my friends funeral after he killed himself. It was very fitting, and though it made people cry harder, I think that helps. I don't want to sound callous, but when you have a good long cry you are more easily able to control the tears later. God, that sounds awful.

I havn't given it too much thought for my own funeral, but Dire Straits "Brothers in Arms", Metallica's "enter sandman" and Michell Tumes "Listen" are all ones that I think I'd like played.

Once all is said and done though, I am going to live so long I'm going to be able to go to my own funeral anyway (and not in the normal horizontal position.. I'm gonna walk in on under my own steam and surprise the lot of them) LOL

 

[dusk2dawn]

A person I knew in school had this same conversation with friends of hers. She had said that she wanted Garth Brooks "The Dance" to be played at her funeral. A year later she was killed in a car accident by a drunk driver. Her friends made sure it was played.
I think that is a decent song for a funeral.

 

[CreamyLady]

Well, I'm 47, and have given this some thought, particularly after attending about six funerals in two years.

I'd like the chant, We All Come From the Goddess, because we do. I'd like Gounod's Funeral March of a Marionette, because I was a big Alfred Hitchcock fan. I'd love O Viridissima Virga, because anything by Hildegard von Bingen is music to my ears.

Finally, as I'm being sent off, I'd like Lionel Richie's All Night Long, so people would know that my priorities were as straight as ever.

 

[Lajo]

First, I plan on dying at the ripe age of (at least) 105 after having had a night of wild passion with my 26, hard bodied, nymphomaniac wife.

At my funeral, I want Amazing Grace played by a lone piper (bagpipes). Something very mournful, yet beautiful at the same time. As my body won't be there (I want to be cremated)...pictures of me doing what I love and with people I love will be around. There will not be a priest, but perhaps, a "moderator." People will stand and share stories of things I had done, we had done, and why they loved (or hated) me.

But, at the WAKE, there will be lots of food, drink, laughter, and fun music. It will be a celebration of my life!

And one way or another, I plan on being there to see it.

 

[Xander]

A few friends asked me this not long ago. perhaps because I was the only one they knew who had cheated death so many times at such an early age.
First of all, I don't think I would have any depressing music played at my funeral. In my humble oppinion, death is supposed to be a release, not a punishment. So basically, bag me, rack me. And beers are on me.

As for music I think I would like something that meant smething to me while still alive.

So. Red Hot Chilly Pepers: Give it away.
The Corrs: Toss the feathers.
And as a last practical joke from the Xman.
Metallica: Ride the lightning.

 

[Expertise]

Traditional with military airs I think.

In the church Amazing Grace (by a choir) then Abide With Me.

At the graveside Amazing Grace again but by a piper (its incredibly moving when done by a piper) then Taps. The combination is tear jerking but my family and friends can get it out of their system and open a few bottles and remember the happy times.

Your right this is a morbid subject.

 

[Deborah]

I guess this is morbid, Nicole. You are one sick puppy, 'er
pussy.

My choice would be the "Hawaiian Wedding Song."

"This is the moment
Of sweet Aloha
I will love you longer than forever
Promise me that you will leave me never ..."

But when Flagg, author of "Still Love," came to the funeral home to do my dead body, all he would find is dust in a bottle.

 

[Flagg]

Damn it Deborah - you are always one step ahead of me!

 

[ShyGuy68]

I have also been thinking about this for a couple of years. I decided a long time ago that I want to be cremated when I have died. And at the service for me, I have only decided on one song so far. I still have to think about what else I would like to have played, but the one I do want to have played are:

Queen: Who Wants To Live Forever

There is just something in that song that talks to me, and touches me deeply.


ShyGuy