Death and Music -

Leaving aside the internationale (not not not the Billy Bragg travesty) [cf. PoMo a NoNo thread] I'd go with Greenbaum's "Spirit in The Sky" hands down.

I'd go off with a Leonard Cohen song (stop sniggering) - probably 'Famous Blue Raincoat', followed by the 9 minute version of 'Roots Train' by Junior Murvin and Dillinger.

soz. . should be JX's 'Son of a Gun'

no . . I got it .. it's gotta be the theme tune from 'The Water Margin' . . . perfick

Wouldn't mind "Dying" by XTC, unless it made certain friends and relatives unbearably sad (and it might well).

The second track on that Global Communication album (76:14) would be rather nice for a funeral. With The Aphex Twin as DJ.

Goodbye Kind World by Gene Asleep - The Smiths They Ain't Makin' Jews Like Jesus Anymore - The gr8 Kinky Friedman

A part of me says "disco inferno" but hmmm...I wouldn't mind "something to believe in" by Poison. Or a Beach Boys song maybe- "Til I Die". As, I might be watching in spirit form I'd like the music to be good and for people to have an okay time.

"Famous Blue Raincoat" is a fucking great answer. I almost second it, but I will allow myself to suggest "This Must be the Place (Naive Melody)" by Talking Heads. Yeah. "I guess that this must be the place", how peaceful.

"Atmosphere" by Joy Division is almost too perfect for a funeral.

erm, "asleep" had a bit of a suicidal hint to it, no? don't think i'd want that one playing.

How about "Despedimiento del Angelito" by Victor Jara? This was played at the funeral of one of my wife's old Oxford tutors last month (dead of a sudden heart attack aged only 58) and cut very deeply indeed. It's on the album "Canto Libre Volume 2" if you can find a copy.

I've only ever been to one funeral. The hymns affected me a lot more than I'd like to say, really.

At mine? Charlemagne Palestine playing the organ, live. But the real answer is that I wouldn't specify - I'd let my friends pick. I mean, I wouldn't be hearing it, right? They could play Crazy Town for all I cared.

It's gotta be 'seasons in the sun' by Terry Jacks, it's as maudlin as hell and even the bastards who only came along for the piss up afterwards would be crying buckets hee hee

Absolutely, without a doubt, the "Agnus Dei" from Frank Martin's Mass for Double Choir. Also, Barber's "Adagio For Strings".

That's a good idea...you could have a 'Platoon' themed funeral.

For the wake :

Momus- Protestant Art
Pouges- Hes a man you dont meet everyday
Magnetic Feilds - When you die i die
Irish Rovers- Lord of the Dance
Bob Dylan- You got to serve somebody
Johnny Cash -Slow Train Coming

For the Non Catholic Religous Service : Mahalia Jacksons - Amazing Grace.
Benjamin Brittens setting of Auden Poems Movement 3
Carter Family - Make sure my grave is kept clean
Shoshtakovitch - 3rd Concerto

Mass :
Bach - Chorale to God the Father
George Crumb - Black Angels
The Seafearers hymn
Weil - Little Stars
Hildegarde Van Bingen- Requiem ( last section for bendecitan)

I am Catholic. My mother and My Sister are mormon . David is Jewish. My Father is an atheist . Most of my friends are either protestant or agnostic/atheist. Hence the 3 services. Catholics require non pagan music for weddings and funerals. Therefore Weil and George Crumb may be problematic.

At my brother's funeral, I played The Pet Shop Boys' "Being Boring." I KNOW he would've been amused (as was the officiating priest). As for my own, Cage's 4'33"--'cause they're ain't gonna be none!

'Is that all there is' but only played out by a drunken sailor band. I'm sure that my loved one's wouldn't mind terribly.

The Peggy Lee or Christina version?

Am I too late to contribute my tuppence-worth?

Well here goes: Al Bowly "Love Is The Sweetest Thing", and UB40's "Don't Let It Pass You By".

Cheers

"Hocus Pocus" by Focus, thanks, and everyone must weep their hardest during the yodelling bit.

We very nearly used Bowlly's "The Very Thought Of You" for Laura's funeral but in the end went for Handel's "Waft Her Angels" which I thought worked pretty well. Would've maybe liked Kerouac doing "Come Rain Or Come Shine" as well. L's dad agreed in principle but said that it might go over the head of some of the older family members present, so we didn't use it.

I can't believe it. I remember contributing to this thread months ago when L was still OK (even though the cancer was probably there then).

God, what a year. I'll be glad to be shot of it.