Music Choice for my Funeral

I've chosen a selection of my favourite readings and hymns for my Requiem Mass. I'm hoping it will help my sons to make the final decisions.

I love, in no particular order,

As the deer pants for the water, from Psalm 42, ...beautiful words, 'heart's desire', 'apple of my eye..'

Hail Queen of Heaven, the Ocean Star, verse three ends, 'Refuge in grief, Star of the Sea, pray for the mourner, pray for me.'

Be still and know I am with you,
includes 'I will not leave you orphans' and
'The stars shine only in darkness '.

I rise from dreams of time, and an angel guides my feet..

I also love Shine, Jesus, Shine.

The children sang it at my Retirement Mass when I retired from teaching, special memories.

Readings

Ecclesiastes 3.2
A time to be born and a time to die..

John 14
Do not let your hearts be troubled...

Psalm 23
The Lord is my Shepherd...

Haven't yet thought about music for the Crematorium, maybe a piper playing How great thou art?

That's a beautiful song, I think.
There are some marvellous covers of it too.

Guns 'N' Roses Sweet Child of Mine always been my signature tune and my girls say they insist it has to be played at my funeral

I think it is positive you are doing this, when my husband died we had a lot of difficulty choosing the music for both the church and the crematorium. And after all that, the church only had a tiny CD player.

Jessye Norman singing ‘Beim Schlafengehen’ from Richard Strauss’s Four Last Songs. If I can hear that when I die, I’ll know I’ve gone to the right place.

Neen

Before I changed my mind to a pure cremation it was Seasons in the son ..oh what a sing. And shine Jesus shine

Seasons in the Sun is something that I considered too, though as just thinking about that song reduces me to tears (must be an age thing - I didn't think of it as sad when I was young!) it might actually be too sad for a funeral, if that is possible.

I searched the Internet looking for a good classical version of the music on its own, but couldn't find one.

Then I decided, like you, that pure cremation is the way to go anyway, so it's immaterial now.

I`ve told my kids I want Cornet Carillon by Black Dyke Band, same as for my husband`s funeral, but NOT the one where we left, Angels by Robbie Williams, as I can`t stand the bloke!

Shinamae a relative chose “Wish me luck as you wave me goodbye”, for her father’s funeral. It had us all smiling and he would have loved it.

Chestnut, by doomed I mean in my family it is associated with the funeral and makes us sad but also we remember 'Nana'

I'm thinking of stipulating 'Highland Cathedral' played on the bagpipes, either on a recording or by a real piper.

halfpint1 we played 'I Dreamt I Dwelt in Marble Halls' by Enya at my mother's funeral because I found the sheet music amongst her things (I don't know why she had it). But I wouldn't say Enya's music is doomed. I still love it. Another one which is absolutely beautiful is 'A Day Without Rain'.

I love Time to say goodbye. Beautiful but oh so sad.

I also like ‘Going Back’ by Dusty Springfield.

Also ‘Going Home’ by Sissl. Glorious voice, sings about mother and father waiting for you, and friends also.

We played Enya at my mother's funeral and I haven't been able to listen to it since, so I told my kids to use it when I go as it's a doomed sound in our family now

My children know to find the longest version possible of ‘Insomnia’ by Faithless. If my cousin, who is ten years younger, outlives me, I would love her to sing ‘How Great Thou Art’ as a solo, which she did at my mum’s funeral.

At an old friend’s funeral, in a very lovely, very ancient village church, the atmosphere was very sombre - until the coffin was brought in, to the rousing strains of a Gilbert and Sullivan classic - can’t remember which but IIRC one from the Pirates of Penzance. Needless to say he’d been a G&S fan and was always a cheerful, jolly type.
Immediately, the atmosphere lifted so much - everybody smiled - it was entirely in keeping with the man he was.
IIRC there were trad, well loved hymns afterwards, but we did love that initial rousing tune.

For myself I don’t much care - dh/dds, can do whatever they like. I’m not religious but I do love a lot of trad hymns. And we have a really lovely recording of a young niece’s solo with her school choir, of Panis Angelicus. She has a very pure, sweet soprano - TBH that recording beats any other I’ve ever heard, it sends shivers up the back of your neck. We played that at my mother’s funeral so I’d be happy if they chose it for mine.

If there were to be a service of sorts I would choose Pachelbel Canon on entry as I have always loved it and something funny on departure to raise a smile or better, a laugh.
Oh I do like to be beside the seaside comes to mind (but others are available.)

I’m going with Time in a Bottle by Jim Croce. At a friend’s son’s funeral, they played The Kinks, Thank you for the Days.

I want to leave to Peggy Lee singing “The party’s over”.

For those who want to leave their body to science, this radio programme is very helpful. I wouldn't have known where to start.

www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/b09hs5lw

I’d choose these, but I won’t be there so they can choose.
Do not stand at my Grave and Weep by Libera, m.youtube.com/watch?v=lHZ1cuYSRh4
And
You raise me up.

I like Shine Jesus Shine or the Candle Song by Graham Kendrick and since my DC like those they might be used.

As a Prodigy fan I am hoping for 'Firestarter' as people leave. It seems apt. One of my favourite groups and I am being cremated.

I made my music choices some years ago, the main song was to be 'The only disappointment in the family was me' www.youtube.com/watch?v=I6CgoDgKxRE I know some will say not a good choice but it was my one last chance to tell my adoptive parents how I felt after a lifetime of abuse. However, they have both died so it won't be relevant, but if there's time for 3 songs it is still on the list.

I am also having a direct cremation, with a twist... a large bottle of champagne for the crem staff as they go about their business and with the sound system at full volume, I want 'I am Woman' www.youtube.com/watch?v=rptW7zOPX2E followed by 'I will Survive' www.youtube.com/watch?v=eEof53s5lmo the latter not because I think I'm immortal but it's been my mantra for many years of abuse by the above adoptive parents.

I have a few from 'my era' which have lovely words, very important to have words.
'Going Back' Dusty Springfield
'In My Life' the Beatles
'I Can See Clearly Now' Johnny Nash
Look all around, there's nothing but blue skies
Look straight ahead, there's nothing but blue skies
I can see clearly now the rain is gone
I can see all obstacles in my way
Here is that rainbow I've been praying for
It's gonna be a bright (bright)
Bright (bright) sunshiny day

Another bites the dust by Queen for me.