Tell us your own funeral music choices
By Henry Mair, Strategic Business Partner, Internal Communications
Music is a really important part of any funeral. It can reflect our loved ones’ personality and give comfort during a difficult time by helping recall memories of times spent together.
Last week we announced the results of our #FuneralMusic survey to discover which songs were the most requested at funerals by clients. My Way by Frank Sinatra was chosen as their top #FuneralMusic song.
Now we’d love to know what music our colleagues would choose for their own funerals. Whether it’s a tear jerker, a ballad, an inside joke or your all-time favourite song, we’d love to hear from you.
Everyone can take part, no matter what you do or where you work. Just email colleague.comms@coop.co.uk with your name, the business area you work in, your #FuneralMusic song choice and the reason why.
We’ll take a look at all your songs and stories and include as many as we can in Our Voice, the Funeralcare and Life Planning colleague magazine in July.
Personally, I’d choose Holocene by Bon Iver. To me, this song speaks about how our lives are tiny specks of dust throughout the history of the universe, but no matter how insignificant we are, there’s still ‘significance in that insignificance’.
I can’t wait to see your choices.
Johnny Cash ‘Hurt’ (Nine Inch Nails Cover)
Nine Inch Nails ‘Something I Can Never Have’ (Still)
possibly one of my own compositions
subsystmusic.bandcamp.com
Pearl Fishers Duet – not a massive opera fan but my late father loved this and I ended up loving it too. Played at his funeral as well. It is so moving, I recommend anyone to listen to a version of it.
Not sure about in the middle as I need something upbeat, possibly something from the 70s to celebrate my youth – Suzi Quatro and Devil Gate Drive maybe?? In any event I’ll leave that decision to those that know me best as I’m sure they’ll come up with something apt!!
Softly As I Leave You – Matt Munroe – I’m really not that old but I just love the tone and lyrics of this and some music is timeless.
In My Life by The Beatles and then most likely a Chas & Dave song like Gertcha or Rabbit
My Husbands choices for me – in to Have I Told you Lately that I Love You and as the curtain falls, everyone is going out dancing to My Brown Eyed Girl
Bitter Sweet Symphony – The Verve
London Grammar have done a beautiful cover of that song
Both ends burning ….Roxy Music
Would ask all my friends to wear a Welsh flag waistcoat as they are English and would hate it.
Relight my fire – Take That
Heaven from here – Robbie Williams, as I am coming into the church
Albatross – Fleetwood Mac, as the curtain goes round the coffin
I try not to think about the inevitable but as I am currently enjoying reliving my youth attending Butlins 70s music weekends I think “When will I see you again” by the Three Degrees would be a good choice for me. “Is this the beginning or is this the end? “
There is a light that never goes out – The Smiths
No explanation needed.
Great choice Mark, fantastic song
Hurt (Johnny Cash)
That would be one of my choices too… or perhaps the original
The Road To Hell
Baby I’m Burning. Dolly Parton’s flop song (but still amazing) from her 1978 Heartbreaker album.Just as the crematorium fires up. Suits my humour and will get all the sobbers laughing their heads off!
To All The Girls I’ve Loved Before. There were many of them at my partner’s funeral. They all appreciated the choice, (except for a couple of his relatives, but they only came for the food afterwards”.
Z CARS for me in and out…..everyone wearing football shirts….No BLACK…….
A Tout Le Monde – Megadeth
Bad Reputation – Joan Jett
YES to A Tout Le Monde!
A tout le monde, a tout les amis! Perfect!
The Great Gig in the Sky – Pink Floyd
Would sound fantastic with the acoustics in a big church. Shame I wouldn’t be able to hear it
Hell of a song that Mark 🙂
Different Corner – George Michael my brother also told me he wanted this song at his funeral I told him he can’t it’s my funeral song! and as I’m the eldest I trump him and will probably go first anyway. I know there will be a few minds pondering at this choice at my funeral wondering what the significance is.
Suddenly you were gone – Rush
Dude I totally miss you – Tenacious D
Don’t fear the reaper – Blue Oyster Cult
Carry On my Wayward Son – Kansas
Break on Through – The Doors
What Colour is God – Fish
The Company – Fish
No Laughing in heaven – Gillan
Grey is the New Blond – Henry Priestman
Meet you at the Moon – Imelda May
Different Shades of Blue – Joe Bonamassa
Chronic Blues – John Coltrane
Shed no Tears – Jump
Hounds of Live – Kate Bush
God Gave Rock n Roll to You – Kiss
Summertime – any good jazz version
Dazed and Confused – LEd Zeppelin
The Immigrant Song – Led Zeppelin
Kashmir – Led Zep
ok, waay too many to list here. how do I summarise myself in just a few songs? there’s the songs I love, the songs that tell a story I support, the songs that rail against death and injustice, the songs that have been the soundtrack of my life. it’s impossible.
“Horn of Quintus” (extended version).
Awake my Soul – Mumford and sons
In these bodies we will live, in these bodies we will die
And where you invest your love, you invest your life