Funeral Songs

[smilnJackB]

Good music is a big part of a good funeral. #For my funeral, I would like a mando player and guitar player with nice voices to sing and play Amazing Grace, Glory Glory (Since I Laid My Burden Down) and one or two other songs--- Maybe an instrumetal version of the Stones' You Can't Always Get What You Want. #
#I would like my friends to jam after my funeral. #I hope this event is delayed for few decades. #What songs would you choose? #
# #Jack
#

[Coy Wylie]

I attended a funeral last week where some friends of mine (guitar/fiddle) played "God on the Mountain" and "Far Side Banks of Jordan." Excellent!

[Jonathan Reinhardt]

hey sJB -'Lay My Burden Down' is a good one - my buddy Gabe and I do that one at all kinds of gigs.
I sang 'Pastures of Plenty' at my Mother's funeral.
At mine? Well, I gotta think about that one, as I may not even have a funeral. But for starters, how about 'Sea of Heartbreak'?

[jim simpson]

Will You Miss Me

[Bob A]

Amazing Grace on a National (lots of slide) and a Nawlins-style rendition of When the Saints, complete with marching band. Mebbe an open bar at the gravesite? Haven't given it much thought, since it's sure that I won't be in a position to enjoy the party.

[JiminRussia]

You're asking the wrong person. I wont be able to hear it. Ask the folks, if any, that are going to attend.

[maroon]

This is an interesting question. #I've thought about this on and off for quite a while. #Somewhere around here is a piece of paper where I actually wrote down the fact that I wanted the first 2 of these at my funeral. #The third is a very recent addition.

1. #Amazing Grace on bagpipes. #As many know, this was written out of the heart and experience of John Newton a slave ship captain who saw his life entirely changed. #I love the celebration of the verse, "When we've been there, ten thousand years, bright shining as the sun, we've no less day to sing God's praise, than when we first begun."

2. #It is Well With My Soul on a pipe organ. #Written by a man upon learning that his wife and daughters had been lost at sea. #It is a song of comfort, deep strength and ultimate celebration. I love the verse "Lord, blessed be the day when my faith shall be sight. #The clouds be rolled back as a scroll. #The trump shall resound and the Lord shall descend. #It is well, it is well with my soul." #

3. #(A very recent addition) a contemporary up tempo song with full contemporary band. #I belive the song is entitled "Blessed Be the Name." #It has a verse: #Every blessing you pour out I'll turn back to praise. #When the darkness closes in still I will say" and then the chorus "Blessed be the Name of the Lord. #Blessed be the Name of the Lord. My heart will always say, blessed be His Name." #I find this very comforting and very true.

I like the idea of a jam, Jack. #At some point, probably at the grave site after the grave site service and after everyone else has gone, I'd like some musician friends to stay a little while under the tent and jam by my side one last time.

This is an excellent question. #I hope it gets many responses.

[johnwalser]

Old songs written in the late 2050s.
John

[sailaway]

Good question ! I think I'd lead off (oops, i guess-- my friends would lead off --) with Angel Band (my latest sun is sinking fast, my race is nearly run , my strongest trials now are past , my TRIUMPH has begun! ) then they segue into "I'll Fly Away " ( some bright morning , when this life is over .... I'll FLY AWAY !!!!! YAY!!!! ... just like a bird who these prison walls has flown ...) then maybe O Them Golden Slippers, 'they will look so neat 'for the proper fashion effect , after flying all that way into heaven. O yeah, -- after the good songs , then make sure all your bluegrass buddies have some good brew to drink at your wake, and may ye be in heaven an hour beofre the devil knows you be dead....

[EasyEd]

Hey All,

Like wow! I'm goin to a wake/funeral for my aunt day after tomorrow. At least it's hers an not mine - yet. If I decide to I'll probably do Amazin Grace on Harmonica. Anyway...

At my funeral in the 22nd century (I hope - as if) I'd like Amazin Grace, Uncloudy Day, Keep on the Sunny Side, Rank Stranger, Garth Brooks The Dance, Ghost Riders, Amarillo By Morning, Josh Turner Long Black Train and some Cowboy Poetry especially Reincarnation. A poem where a fellow dies is buried, is transformed into soil, a flower grows on the spot, a horse eats the flower, takes a dump, a buddy happens by looks at the horse apples an says that I ain't changed all that much. Probably true in some folks opinion. The last song I'd like to have at my funeral is the last song sung at my wedding - Roy Rodgers Happy Trails - to you until we meet again...

I don't want folks to come to my funeral but to come to my wake - an if a pickin party starts - so much the better.

Take Care! -Ed-

[rhetoric]

"Don't Ya Monkey 'Round My Widder When I'm Gone" by Chet and Doc.

[kvk]

"Brokedown Palace" - Garcia/Hunter

Fare you well, my honey
Fare you well, my only true one
All the birds that were singing
Are flown, except you alone

Gonna leave this brokedown palace
On my hands and my knees, I will roll, roll, roll
Make myself a bed by the waterside
In my time, in my time, I will roll, roll, roll

In a bed, in a bed
By the waterside I will lay my head
Listen to the river sing sweet songs
To rock my soul

River gonna take me, sing me sweet and sleepy
Sing me sweet and sleepy all the way back home
It's a far gone lullaby sung many years ago
Mama, Mama, many worlds I've come since I first left home

Going home, going home
By the waterside I will rest my head
Listen to the river sing sweet songs
To rock my soul

Going to plant a weeping willow
On the banks' green edge it will grow, grow, grow
Singing a lullaby beside the water
Lovers come and go, the river will roll, roll, roll

Fare you well, fare you well
I love you more than words can tell
Listen to the river sing sweet songs
To rock my soul

[John S]

What do I want played at my funeral? Well, considering my name... Get Up John!

[John Flynn]

I'll go with the Joe Diffie tune:

Prop me up beside the jukebox when I die
Lord I wanna go to heaven, but I don't wanna go tonight
Fill my boots up with sand, put a stiff drink in my hand
Prop me up beside the jukebox when I die

Seriously, I do a mean rendition of "Amazing Grace" on the harmonica. I go for a real "lonesome" sound with a lot of slow vibrato. I have done it for years during the Lenten season at church and I have had multiple requests to do it at funerals.

[Cragger]

this is easy, "my last days on earth" by monroe with a full symphony backing it with choir singers and everything. just the way it was on his 2cd anthology set. i was learning to play this song one night over at my parents house and my mom said that she would be honored if i would play it at her funeral.

[smilnJackB]

WOW, what great responses, songs and ideas. It's tough to beat Amazing Grace on a bagpipe. And for veterans, playing Taps on a bugle... it always makes me cry. I think I will make Angel Band my third song choice and I am going to add it to my 'perform' list. Thanks. Jack

[Mastersound]

Hi all

I almost died from congestive heart failure back in 1999, so I've given this a bit of thought since and my partner and my daughter both have the playlist and a CD of the tracks I'd like to have at my funeral gathering.

"For The Children" by John Schumann kinda sums up my thoughts on life, the universe and everything, and as it's an Aussie song by an Aussie I've taken the liberty of including the lyrics for you here!


For the Children - John Schumann

The lady from the paper asked me would I write a song for you,
I didn't know you then but now I do.
And I'm stuck in this motel room with an empty aching heart,
And the miles roll out between us and they're tearing me apart…
All I've got are tunes and rhymes - this one's for you.

May you always feel the sunshine and take time to taste the rain,
May your friends be true and caring and I hope you are the same;
And in your fleeting passage, leave a little bit behind
For the children who will follow in your footsteps, along the sands of time.

I dreamed there was a world for you, without the rush of rockets
And the thump of khaki gunships in the sky…
But there were rows of eucalyptus and trains for little boys
And tadpoles in a still black creek and playgrounds full of noise;
In my vision, fear and greed and anger were the only things to die…

May the wind blow gently through your life, may your principles be strong;
May you stand up and be counted when they work out right from wrong…
May your nights be short and peaceful, may your days be warm and long;
May your music be a service…may they pause sometime and listen to your song

And here's this little voice, reaching down the phone,
"Dad you've been away so long, when are you coming home?"

May your eyes be filled with kindness, may the seeds of wisdom grow…
May you seek for truth and beauty and when you find it may you know…
May you help feed those who are hungry, and comfort those who hurt
May you always fright for justice for all of us who walk upon the earth

[joshro78]

Maroon,
Great choice with It is Well With My Soul. I've always loved that song. And Amazing Grace on Bagpipes at a funeral, I've experienced that one before, if that doesn't touch you I don't know what will. On a lighter note- I had bagpipes at my wedding! But if I had to choose ONE song I would pick Be Thou My Vision, that song brings tears to my eyes everytime I hear it.

[Ken Berner]

"Who Will Sing For Me" picked on guitar by Earl if I go first.
"Amazing Grace" a capella.
"Far Side Bank of Jordan" if I precede my wife.

Since I haven't firmed up my funeral plans, I'm sure to request other great songs, performed by my closest pickin' survivors!

[Mark Normand]

Wow, in the bluegrass/gospel world, there sure are lots of choices. About midday thru the jam, this one, then later end the jam on a happy upbeat note.

Darkest Hour Is Just Before Dawn, The

The darkest hour is just before dawn
The narrow way leads home
Lay down your soul at Jesus' feet
The darkest hour is just before dawn
The sun is slowly sinking
The day is almost gone
Still darkness falls around us
And we must journey on

Like a shepherd out on the mountain
A watching the sheep down below
He's coming back to claim us
Will you be ready to go

[Kelly_guy]

Rob/Mastersound, that John Schumann song is wonderful! I looked on amazon.com and couldn't find anything by him. I'd love to hear how that song goes.

Oh, Brokedown Palace, great choice indeed!

Me, I'd like my friends to play Iris DeMent's tune "Let the Mystery Be". Lyle Lovett's "The Waltzing Fool" would be a good choice, too. I had that played at my wedding. The marriage only lasted 2 years, but I'm still waltzing like a fool!

And since this event will, with luck, be a long time in the future, my niece and nephews will by then be a well-known bluegrass family trio, the Duerr's, and I'll have them play a nice medley of fiddle tunes. So far, the younger nephew hasn't picked up the fiddle, but the older two are great on guitar and banjo.

[mandowannabe]

I kind of like "Beulah Land, and Rank Stranger," when the time comes of course, way on down the road! # G.B.

[Flowerpot]

I told my wife I wanted somebody to sing "Angel Band", followed by "When We All Get to Heaven", done very uptempo. And my wife and I agree, when we go, absolutely no organ music! Any organ music, and I'll come back to haunt ye!

("Get Up John" -- now John, that's a good one!)

[Eugene]

I'm partial to Fernando Sor's (1778-1839) Elegiac Fantasy, op. 59 for solo guitar with the long funeral march...but I'm a geek.

[evanreilly]

I want the Black Watch to play slow airs and marches on the pipes & drums; 'The Skye Boat Song' is the best slow march. I made recording of quite a few slow marches by several pipe bands, which I play on occasion in memory of my dad.