|
Selecting the Perfect Funeral Song to
Create a Celebration of Life
By Mary Hickey
Music can add a very special touch and feeling to the
funeral or life celebration that you are planning. Music
has a way of bringing back memories to special moments
in our lives. It's important to put some thought into
the music and songs that you select for yours or your
loved ones funeral for it will set the tone for the
service. Music reflects the personality of the deceased
and peoples taste in music is as unique as we are.
Ways to select appropriate songs and music
When looking for appropriate songs for someone who has
passed, I begin by thinking of the kind of music they
listened to when they were at their best or happiest.
This could be a time period say the 60's or it could be
what music they listened to when they were doing what
they loved. Picture your loved one taking part in one of
their hobbies, what music do you think would be playing?
If you are not sure, you can check the CD player in
their car or home. If they had an iPod you could go
through and find their favorite playlist. If they were
happily married do you know which songs they selected
for their wedding? You can also ask close friends and
relatives what song or music they think of when they
think of your loved one.
How to use Funeral Songs to set a theme for the
Celebration of Life
Music can set the theme for the service. For example, my
uncle wants a traditional Irish funeral where the
gathering involves lots of storytelling, laughter and
drinks. I envision playing uplifting Irish music in the
background. I could also see us singing along to his
favorite Irish songs, of course "Danny Boy" and "When
Irish Eyes are Smiling"comes immediately to mind. I can
also see hiring an Irish band to play live music at his
funeral. Imagine having such a service without the Irish
music...
Another current theme being used in funerals and life
celebrations is angels. Borrowed Angels by Kristin
Chenoweth and Angels Among Us by Alabama come to mind as
perfect songs for an angel theme. You could also
incorporate angels on the folder that you hand out to
attendees, the thank you notes you send out, and you
could hand out pewter angel pocket charms as people
enter the service.
How you can use the Selected Funeral Songs at the
Service
You'll want to have music playing as people enter the
service. This is the time when people may take a moment
to listen to the music because it usually rather quiet
as they are getting seated and the service has not yet
begun. If people are giving eulogies, you may want to
play songs between the eulogies so there if not that
sometimes awkward pause between speakers. The music can
be kept at a low volume during these times. After the
service, when people are leaving you'll want to have
music again. Singing can help people feel like they are
contributing to the event. I suggest if there are songs
that were particularly special to your loved one that
you print the lyrics in the program and suggest that
people sing along. This can be an uplifting song so the
service ends on an upbeat.
The songs can be incorporated into video presentations.
Many people are making CD's with photos to celebrate the
life that was lived. Keep in mind, if you are putting
together a multimedia presentation to show at the
service, you don't need to play the entire song. Fade
the music to flow with the theme of the photos. The
video presentation can be shared with attendees via CD
or they can be directed to a website where they can
download it. You may also want to add the song playlist
to the memorial website you are putting together or to
their Facebook page.
Some very nontraditional Funeral Songs
As people make their wishes known ahead of time, I've
heard of some rather unusual funeral songs chosen such
as Queen's "Another One Bites the Dust," AC/DC's
"Highway to Hell, "Always Look on the Bright Side of
Life" by Monty Python, and "Ding Dong the Witch is Dead"
from "The Wizard of Oz." Obviously you'd want to select
those very carefully as not to offend family or friends
of the decease however if it was their wish you can make
that known and certainly lighten the mood.
As you go about choosing an appropriate song selection
for the funeral you are planning, hopefully you'll keep
in mind the important role music will play in the
service. You'll choose music that truly reflects the
personality and spirit of the person you loved and lost.
After the service people will say, wow that service was
so personal, our friend _________ would have loved the
tribute we gave him/her.
To listen to a large collection of songs: Funeral Songs
For country funeral songs, visit Country Funeral Songs
Mary Hickey is an urn designer and thought leader in the
funeral industry. For some drastically needed new life
celebration ideas, contemporary memorial poems and
verses visit her site Next Gen Memorials. She is
co-founder of Renaissance Urn Company, based in San
Francisco. |
