Momento Mori Poll

[davywavy]

When German radio announced the death of Hitler in 1945 (fighting bravely on the steps of the Reichstag, allegedly) they followed the news by playing Bruchner's 5th Symphony, a rather joyless dirge. I can only assume that they didn't have any other records as you'd expect they'd play Zip-pe-de-doo-dah, but there you go.
Royalty tend to have music specially composed for their funerals - you can get the music for everyone from Mary Queen of Scots to Queen Victoria online. Lesser mortals don't get that sort of opportunity that often and have to choose their own funeral music from ditties already written.
Back in 2006 someone ran a survey of music played at funerals in the UK in that year and got the following as a top ten list:
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

I tell you - if any of those get played at my funeral, I shall vault from my grave and punch the person who arranged it.
When I was younger I always thought it would be funny to have Dave lee Roth's cover of Just a Gigolo played were I to snuff it, but these days I'm not so sure. Perhaps my musical tastes are changing.*

Anyway, enough of this preamble. What do you want playing at your funeral, and why?

^{*Changing from Dave Lee Roth? What madness is this!?}

Comments

[annwfyn.livejournal.com]

Lord of the Dance, Morning Has Broken and possibly Jerusalem.

That does, however, have little to do with the meaning of the hymns and mostly is because the first two are really quite nice pieces of music, and I have a strange fondness for Jerusalem based on my school days.

[davywavy.livejournal.com]

I'd be tempted by 'You ain't never had a friend like me', from Disney's Aladdin.

[davywavy.livejournal.com]

Oh, if yo're about Saturday, do you fancy showing me your museum?

[annwfyn.livejournal.com]

Damnit. I wish I could, but I fear I am booked on Saturday and will be in Birmingham trying on bridesmaid's shoes.

This is a shame, for twould be lovely to hang out again.

[gnommi.livejournal.com]

I also have an unnatural fondness for Jerusalem. Also, all of my family and freinds are bound to hate it, and therefore it is an excellent choice of funeral music
^_^

[flywingedmonkey.livejournal.com]

The Childcatchers theme from Chitty-Chitty-Bang-Bang.

JmC
And I wanna be dressed in the outfit

[lexx-uk.livejournal.com]

Dixie......The civil war version and every one should sing!

[davywavy.livejournal.com]

Gosh, that reminds me - I shall insist on the 4th verse of the National Anthem.

[lexx-uk.livejournal.com]

What the one about assaulting people from Scotland?

[davywavy.livejournal.com]

Precisely!

[(Anonymous)]

Firmly but justly disciplining, I think you'll find.

[bringeroflight.livejournal.com]

Good Riddance, by Green Day. :)

It sounds bad, but the music makes sense.

[song-of-copper.livejournal.com]

Hmm... tricky. Personally, I'd rather not have a funeral at all. They can be so insincere - I don't want to be commemorated by some sort of platitude-fest.

But given that I am hardly likely to have a choice in the matter (if people want an excuse to have a family reunion and eat large quantities of sausage rolls, who am I to stop 'em?!), at least I could leave instructions as to the music.

Well, it's a hard choice. If I had to choose one song, I'm rather torn between the following:

1. The Meek Shall Inherit Nothing, by Frank Zappa. The last verse is an accurate summary of a common sense lifestyle. :-) [I hasten to add that this ceremony should not be taking place in a church...]

2. Or perhaps... Number One Song in Heaven, by Sparks. (Lyrics at the bottom of the page.) Self-explanatory, really. Also, a shiny disco song may cheer things up slightly...

3. Option 3 could be 'Where Am I', sung by Al Bowlly. I can't find online lyrics but it goes, "Where am I? Am I in heaven?" etc. A somewhat more sentimental choice. :-)

Oh, decisions, decisions!

[nicnac.livejournal.com]

I'll Fly Away by Gillian Welch from the O Brother, Where Art Thou? soundtrack.

[robinbloke.livejournal.com]

Bladerunner Blues - Vangelis, as people linger and wander in

followed immediately by

I like to move it - Reel 2 Reel

when the eulogy party starts

[medusa-nw.livejournal.com]

'Walking in my shoes' by Depeche Mode. The title should be obvious why.
And 'Knights of Cydonia' by Muse. Because it's a belter and it's got 'No-one's going to take me alive' in the middle of it. :-)

And yeah, if anybody dares to play anything out of that top 10 at my funeral I'm coming back to haunt them. And not in a fun way.

[rssefuirosu.livejournal.com]

Knights of Cydonia FTW.

[belak-krin.livejournal.com]

Do You Realise? by the Flaming Lips

possibly followed by the Bonzo Dog Doodah's rendition of the Monster Mash

[davywavy.livejournal.com]

I prefer the Misfit's version, but I understand the motivation.

[sea-cucumber.livejournal.com]

I could make a whole playlist of crazyness!

Arcane Lifeforce Mysteria - Dimmu Borgir
Number of the Beast - Iron Maiden
Neon Knights - Black Sabbath
Time We Left This World Today - Hawkwind
Hell's Bells - AC/DC
Shroud (Exordium) - Fields of the Nephilim
Go To Hell - Faith No More
Final Countdown - Europe
Who Knows Where The Time Goes - Fairport Convention

But as no self-respecting church would let any of those be played (especially not the first one), I would insist on the whole of Mozart's Requiem :D

[edited for spelling]

[davywavy.livejournal.com]

For an even funnier effect on your audience, why not insist on the entirety of the Ring cycle?

[sea-cucumber.livejournal.com]

That's a genius idea! :)

[davywavy.livejournal.com]

Of course! It's *my* idea!

[hareb-sarap.livejournal.com]

My mother told me what music she wanted played at her funeral. It's the sort of thing one should remember.

[dmwcarol.livejournal.com]

My kids are already under strict instructions.

We begin with "Ding Dong The Witch is Dead" from the Wizard of Oz - with darling daughter leading the trail of 'mourners' all of whom have to dance like Munchkins!

Somewhere during the service "Don't worry be happy" would be nice - or possibly "The only way is up"

And to finish Darling son has to get up and do the talking bit - which must end with "I didn't want to give a eulogy, I wanted to be a Lumberjack leaping from tree to tree..." which of course is followed by the lumberjack song.

I just wish I could be there to see it :o)

[davywavy.livejournal.com]

Fake your own death!
Not only do you get to see the funeral (sit at the back in a big black hat & veil), but you get to scoot off to Panama to live on your life insurance.

[applez.livejournal.com]

Anyway, enough of this preamble. What do you want playing at your funeral, and why?

Something hot, with some salsa or rumba beats I think. I want my funeral to be more cheerfully unconventional than those sombre ones I've been to. Let's call is an indigenous variant on the Irish Wake. :-)

[blue-cat.livejournal.com]

Lord of the Dance ~ I had that at my wedding so why not my funeral.

something from Johnathan Livingstone Seagull (Neil Diamond) THere is a particular song that starts wistful lonely and rouses up and up and up :) Possibly Oddesy.

[(Anonymous)]

Oh When The Saints Go Marching In.

Assuming I'm buried in New Orleans, that is.

[davywavy.livejournal.com]

But whose funeral will it be?

[(Anonymous)]

Yours.

[godzuki.livejournal.com]

May the Circle Be Unbroken by Spacemen 3 - just cos its a great funeral sad song.

Followed by Are you Drinkin with me Jesus by Mojo Nixon.

[lapinenoireuk.livejournal.com]

Interesting question ..... hmmmh

Option 1 "Going underground" by the Jam,

Option 2 "Glad all over" by the Dave Clark Five (and yes ! you will be required to sing and clap with the chorus

Option 3 "The Soldiers Song" (but will need gun carriage to transport the coffin)

Option 4 "The Red Flag" or "The International" - clenched fist salutes all round.

Option 5 If, as it claimed "the good die young", I shouldn't have to worry for a VERY LONG TIME

[mrmmarc.livejournal.com]

"Always look on the bright side of life" by the Pythons

maybe 'Enjoy yourself its later than you think'

There will be no sad music unless I am feeling sorry for myself and wish everyone to cry.

Then it will be Samuel Barber's "Agnus Dei" sung by young victims of brain tumors!

[reddragdiva]

http://reddragdiva.co.uk/temp/No_Glory.ogg

[ddraiggwyrdd.livejournal.com]

At my sons funeral the hearse drove him round the football pitch to Queen's "We Will Rock You".
To echo sentiments from other postings here, I don't want a funeral. I've agreed with the daughters that when I'm no longer fit for this world, they will take me up the Himalayas and let me wander off into the snow feilds.
If they feel the need for any sort of Requiem my song of choice would be PF's "Comfortably Numb".
Sea-Cucumber has a point with Sandy Denny, one of my favourites but possibly Joni Mitchel's "Song to a Seagull" would be more me.

[rhythmaning.livejournal.com]

"Goodbye Pork Pie Hat", by Charles Mingus, and "Prayer (Oh Doctor Jesus)" from Porgy and Bess, by Miles Davis and Gil Evans.