...seriously, I was at a funeral for a friend's father, a man who liked Johnny Cash and Hank Williams, so they played Johnny Cash and Hank Williams songs until it was time for the preacher to talk. I liked it better than the typical "Ave Maria" and "Amazing Grace".

I'd kind of like Beethoven's 6th at mine, ala Soylent Green...or maybe Wagner's Ride of the Valkyrie to make them wonder where I'm going...

[This message was edited by Pat Burns on 10 October 2005 at 01:57 PM.]

One song I have played in church that would work for a funeral is "A Mighty Fortress Is Our Lord", providing the furneral was for a christian celebrant.

Larry

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Emmons S/D-10, 3/5, Sessions 400 Ltd. Home Grown E/F Rack
"ROCKIN COUNTRY"

Since I don't read music, I had to tab it out. This song doesn't seem to have a main Hook to it so it took me a while to learn it.

One evening I was practicing the song and finally got it right. It was exactly 9:40 pm when the phone rang. It was Phyllis, my friend wife, asking if I had learned the song because Boyd had just passed away. That was a wierd feeling.

At the service the pastor announced the requested song. I pushed the cd play button and the cd skipped. Luckily the pastor had a good sense of humour and fudged it until I fixed the problem.

The steel guitar was barkin' loud and clear in that day. Phyllis got many compliments for having such a different service and I was glad to have been part of it. Blunders & all.
Joe

[This message was edited by Joe Delaronde on 10 October 2005 at 04:37 PM.]

I can tell you, there was not a dry eye in the whole place. Hardly anyone could say anything about Danny without getting all choked up. He's one great guy that will be missed by all of us in the Oregon area.

A more high church hymn is "For All the Saints." My Dad was a Methodist preacher, and this hymn was very uplifting when we sang it at his funeral.

There are many classical choices. Mozart's Requiem is a natural choice. Supposedly he wrote it shortly before his own death, at the request of a mysterious stranger dressed in gray. But that is a long piece. Mozart's "Masonic Funeral Music" is a reasonable length, and is very stately, beautiful and profound. Wagner's "Siegfied's Funeral Music" is another natural choice. The problem with all these is nobody has a symphony orchestra at their funeral. The "Masonic Funeral Music" is short enough to be bearable as a recording.

Theresa G., there's gotta be a story behind that one...

[This message was edited by Ray Minich on 11 October 2005 at 05:59 AM.]

I guess it depends on whether you want people to laugh or cry.
I'll be for laughter. Maybe a steel duet:
Jeff Lampert playing 'Stairway to the Stars' and Dave Grafe playing 'Stairway to Heaven.' A Battle of the Steels.

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www.phelpscountychoppers.com/steelguitar

quote:

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a song should suggest that the deceased is in a better place,on higher ground,so to speak

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Farewell Party?

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But never, EVER do "Alone Again Naturally"

I actually saw this once,
and the singer got a beating from the widow...
literally a beating, she was enraged.
Finally collapsing on the floor in tears,
as they carried the singer out.

Click then scroll down to a list of oft used songs for funerals, a few on the list are country.

[This message was edited by David Cobb on 11 October 2005 at 09:02 PM.]