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Wednesday, October 04, 2006

Most popular funeral songs

The Research for the Bereavement Register poll found these to be the songs most frequently requested for funerals in Britain:
  1. Goodbye My Lover - James Blunt
  2. Angels - Robbie Williams
  3. I've Had The Time Of My Life - Jennifer Warnes and Bill Medley
  4. Wind Beneath My Wings - Bette Midler
  5. Pie Jesu - Requiem
  6. Candle In The Wind - Elton John
  7. With Or Without You - U2
  8. Tears In Heaven - Eric Clapton
  9. Every Breath You Take - The Police
  10. Unchained Melody - Righteous Brothers
  11. Danny Boy

Others in the top twenty were Knocking On Heaven's Door (Bob Dylan), I Want To Live Forever (Fame), and Reach for the Stars (S Club 7)

I've sung at several funerals - in fact, I've sung "Danny Boy" at two. "Amazing Grace" is very popular here in North Carolina. I notice there are no hymns in the list, that surprises me.

So what do you want played at YOUR funeral?

UPDATE: Some songs I've done at funerals:

Bob and I (The Pratie Heads, are currently (spring 2008) recording an excellent funeral song: "Fear No More the Heat of the Sun," words by Shakespeare (from Cymbeline), music by composer Penka Kuneva.

FURTHER UPDATE from Australia:
Hymns are being replaced at funerals in one Australian city by popular rock classics like Led Zeppelin's "Stairway to Heaven" and AC/DC's "Highway to Hell."

Leading the funeral chart is crooner Frank Sinatra's classic hit "My Way," followed by Louis Armstrong's version of "Wonderful World," a statement said.

The Led Zeppelin and AC/DC rock anthems rank outside the top 10, but have gained ground in recent years as more Australians give up traditional Christian hymns.

"Some of the more unusual songs we hear actually work very well within the service because they represent the person's character," Centennial Park chief executive Bryan Elliott said.

Among other less conventional choices:
  • "Always Look on the Bright Side of Life" by the Monty Python comedy team;
  • "Ding Dong the Witch is Dead;"
  • "Hit the Road Jack;"
  • "Another One Bites the Dust;"
  • "I'll Sleep When I'm Dead."


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32 Comments:

At 1:11 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

"Always Look On The Bright Side Of Life" (Monty Python) and/or "The Parting Glass."

 
At 11:03 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

White Bird

(It's a Beautiful Day)

listen here:
http://www.jwsrockgarden.com/jw011-iabd.htm

 
At 2:35 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Rinconcito en el Cielo (Ramon Ayala)

Breathe -- including the reprise (Pink Floyd)

Monkey's Gone to Heaven (The Pixies)

 
At 7:28 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

''Last Dance'' Donna Summer --- '' Sail On'' Beach Boys -- ''Con Ti Partira'' Andrea Bocelli-- ''Dust in the Wind'' Kansas-- ''Who Wants to Live Forever'' Queen-- ''Clair de Lune'' Claude Debussy--- ''If I Could Turn Back the Hands of Time'' Tyrone Davis--- ''Canon in D'' Pachebal --- ''Love and Happiness'' Al Green--- ''What a Fool Believes'' Michael Macdonald--- ''I'll Do It for Love'' Hall and Oates---''Pink Cadillac'' Aretha Franklin---''You Say It's Your Birthday'' Beatles Susanlynn

 
At 4:06 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

I'll leave that to those who pay for the funeral. And I think Anonymous' funeral will be a VERY long one....

 
At 3:25 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

"I'll stand by you" Pretenders

 
At 8:44 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

I am trying to choose somehing for my mum at the moment
Days by Kirsty MacColl keeps coming to mind

 
At 9:48 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Listen to "Old and Wise" .. Alan Parsons Project.

 
At 5:48 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

"Old and Wise" APP

 
At 2:27 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

I have alway wanted R.kelly--I believe I can fly at my funeral.
Everyone thinks its naff but I love it and ive made sure everyone knows I want it!!!

 
At 4:22 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

For someone who has been to 5 funerals this year alone (2007), I have felt that here has been a theme to all the funerals.
funeral 1-young father songs played-youth group-forever young, James Blunt-goodbye my lover and You're Beautiful,
funeral 2-cricket mad-khe sanh-cold chisel, daughters band,
funeral 3-family man, hockey mad-land of my fathers-Paul Robeson, If tomorrow never comes-Ronan Keating, Take it easy-the eagles
funeral 4-older bloke-war vet-last post, older music
funeral 5-Biker, family man-Thunderstruck-AC/DC, Thirsty Merc-20 good reasons

personally I am only 18 I have no clue what sort of music I would like played. All i know is that 4/5 fathers were aged 44-57. You never know when your time is up. be prepared.

 
At 10:44 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Whiter Shade of Pale / David Lantz

 
At 6:10 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

orinoco flow by enya

 
At 7:49 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Together Again- Janet Jackson...

 
At 7:24 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

i want "Man of the Hour"by Pearl jam, have a look at the lyrics.

 
At 12:06 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

I went to a funeral of a friend in 2000 and they played Wind Beneath My Wings, Yesterday Once More and the full version of Bat Out Of Hell
The Bloke was a well loved family man of 39.

 
At 5:21 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

We did a montage/video of my nephew set to Janet Jackson's Everywhere I go - The lyrics, I think, are perfect, and it was nice to have something a little more upbeat AFTER the service.

 
At 3:04 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

I want...
wish you were here-pink floyd
stairway to heaven- led zepplin
life goes on-tupac
in the air tonight- phil collons
gravedigger- dave mathews
I can only imagine-mercy me
life is beautiful-?
I want so many more songs played to

 
At 5:28 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

I'd love to have Aqualung - Strange and Beautiful played at my funeral it represents a very sad time in my life and even though it reminds me of that time i still love the song

 
At 8:24 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

naive melody- talking heads
someone great -lcd soundsystem
everywhere i go -janet jackson
ill believe in anything-wolfparade
exit music for a film - radiohead

 
At 11:59 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

my mum wants
100yrs by five for fighting
and
dont be shy cat stevens

id think id want the same with
ruby tuesday by franco battiato

 
At 9:40 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Morning has Broken (Cat Stevens)
Twilight and Mist (James Horner)

 
At 5:29 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

I'm having "High" by the Lighthouse Family!

 
At 9:50 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

"My Way" by Frank Sinatra... or the Sex Pistols.

 
At 2:41 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

i was at a funeral the other day and he had andreas bocelli A TIME TO SAY GOODBYE it was heartbreaking

 
At 9:59 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

I have told all my friends and family i want "I Wish You Heaven" by Darren Hayes (Prince Cover)

 
At 11:28 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Remember that funeral music is played for the living, not the dead. The most requested song for funerals is "On Eagles Wings."

You who dwell in the shelter of the Lord,Who abide in His shadow for life,
Say to the Lord, "My Refuge,
My Rock in Whom I trust."

And He will raise you up on eagle's wings,
Bear you on the breath of dawn,
Make you to shine like the sun,
And hold you in the palm of His Hand.

The snare of the fowler will never capture you,
And famine will bring you no fear;
Under His Wings your refuge,
His faithfulness your shield.

And He will raise you up on eagle's wings,
Bear you on the breath of dawn,
Make you to shine like the sun,
And hold you in the palm of His Hand.

For to His angels He's given a command,To guard you in all of your ways,
Upon their hands they will bear you up,Lest you dash your foot against a stone.

And He will raise you up on eagle's wings,
Bear you on the breath of dawn,
Make you to shine like the sun,
And hold you in the palm of His Hand.
And hold you in the palm of His Hand.

 
At 11:46 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Take a listen to this new song by Amy Helmuth called "You're Near"
It is very touching and would serve well for a memorial or funeral service.
www.amyhelmuth.com

 
At 11:17 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

im having Felling A Moment by Feeder :)

 
At 5:15 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

I would like Solsbury hill played at mine.
"You can keep my things, he's come to take me home"

 
At 8:27 AM, Anonymous Funeral Songs said...

I'd like to have Echoes by Pink Floyd played at mine - all 20 minutes!

 
At 10:26 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Time to say goodbye is what my grandmother wants how sad is this going to be so emotional x

 

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