Author Topic: Funeral Music  (Read 1893 times)

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Offline Knightingale

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Funeral Music
« on: February 12, 2020, 12:24:02 AM »
I was just wondering what music people chose for the funeral. At David's funeral we had Ernie by Benny Hill (I hate Benny Hill) but David liked that song. Then Stay by East 17, which had me in bits because it just said everything I was feeling. Then Always on my Mind by Elvis, David was a massive Elvis fan and then at the end Burning Love by Elvis, David said it would be funny, it was a cremation!
There is a light that never goes out.

Offline Sandra61

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Re: Funeral Music
« Reply #1 on: February 12, 2020, 07:56:04 PM »
Music was a a big thing for my mum. She loved to sing and was in the church choir for many years. We had some of her favorite church music, Ave Maria and a favorite song of her's, The Old Rugged Cross to end with. She liked so many different hymns, we had plenty to choose from. We had 'Now the green blade riseth' at my dad's funeral and I still can't hear that one without it making tears spring into my eyes, more than thirty years on.  Music is so emotive. It matters so much to get it right, doesn't it? It evokes so many different memories and feelings.

Offline SarahB

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Re: Funeral Music
« Reply #2 on: February 13, 2020, 09:35:02 AM »

Michael Bolton, Ave Maria and then Second Star to The Right from Peter Pan. Mum loved Peter Pan, he was her favourite character and she was tiny and said she'd never grow up.

I also got a little Peter Pan tattoo on my arm a couple of weeks ago.

Offline Sandra61

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Re: Funeral Music
« Reply #3 on: February 13, 2020, 10:10:46 AM »
People used to tell my mum she was a 'Peter Pan' and she did stay young in spirit all her life. 'Smiler' was her other nickname, because she was always smiling and had such a lovely smile.

Offline SarahB

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Re: Funeral Music
« Reply #4 on: February 13, 2020, 11:11:20 AM »
That's so nice for me to hear Sandra.

I guess it's how Mum would want to be remembered and for that I am grateful for her youthful spirit and am (selfishly) grateful she didn't have to go through anything which deprived her of that.

Offline Karena

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Re: Funeral Music
« Reply #5 on: February 13, 2020, 11:38:22 AM »
I will never forget me and my daughters chosing one for my mums funeral.
It was back in the days when you had to have hymns at the church and i cant remember what they were - abide with me i think but her friend was a church organist so we left the others too him - she was in the local amatuer singers and one of them did a solo (which was in all honesty a bit erm warbly and out of tune i am blessed or often cursed with perfect pitch ) Overall with the exception of Auntie Jessie who started the familly tradition of always wearing bright pink knickers at funerals that demanded black outer wear he friends were very conventional.
My mum was into classical music so for the crem we went through a best of the classics CD  we had got her while she was in hospital - a lot of the tunes on it you hear on adverts etc which we didnt want to be reminded by some commercial advert for sofas -  so we picked something that sounded a bit Jolly as she was always a cheerful person.
It just had a track number next too it and a title in another language and was vaguely familier and she liked a bit of Handel so we gave the cd to the funeral director with a note with the number.
In between then and the funeral some-one must have very kindly translated the title. Towards the end of the service the vicar anounced we would now listen too "the Arrival of the queen of sheba"   
I,m ashamed to say - and thank goodness we were on the front row so no-one could see our faces we started laughing   - and in my case that then released a stream of tears as well - which the girls said was fine because my shoulders were shaking but when i finally looked up i was obviousely crying.

The thing was though it was something she used to say about other people - "she turned up and like it was the arrival of the queen of sheba" - "she flounced in like the arrival of the queen of sheba" - she even called one of her boss,es the queen of sheba - but we didnt know where it came from it was just one of the things she used to say.Just writing this and remebering i have that mixed  laugh or cry feeling going on.
In the end it didnt matter that we got some very disaproving looks afterwards (except Auntie Jessie who thought it was hilarious) - it didnt matter that we laughed - and the change from that to tears were genuine because it felt almost like she had a hand in us chosing it - to make us laugh -  thats what she was like - there were little jokey notes all over the house in tea cups and glasses and under ornaments  when we went to sort through her stuff and in a drawer a load of unused presents with a note saying give away but be careful you dont give back to the person who gve me it - and a list - the awful teapot - such a such a person, the stinky talc such and such etc.

I was very careful with the choice at Keiths funeral but by then the hymn rule had been relaxed so chosing was much easier but we narrowly avoided a line in fix you by cold play -His daughter recorded herself singing a christina agualara song she we-wrote the lyrics of. Can you feel my love (Adelle) Everybody hurts REM - but  the fix you replacement - some- where only we know by Keane came back to bit me big style when Lilly Allen did the vesion for the John lewis advert.

And now i made the mistake of you tubing it and am sitting in work crying - for goodness sake.I love music but this is why i dont often listen too it. :cry: