They've been wondering what funeral mix you'd like to have played when your big day arrives. I've long toyed with the idea of playing deejay at my own send off and so, here's my first attempt at a list. Granted, not all of these would make the final cut but there are a few buried in the mix that I'd keep.
1. The Trick Is To Keep Breathing - Garbage
2. If You Were To Wake Up - Lyle Lovett
3. Born Secular - Jenny Lewis
4. God Is A Real Estate Developer - Michelle Shocked
5. Strange Angels - Laurie Anderson
6. I Set Myself on Fire - XTC
7. Try Not To Breathe - R.E.M.
8. Rocket's Tail - Kate Bush
9. Oh Happy Day - Harlem Gospel Choir
10.What'll I Do - The McGarrigles - this song makes me want to cry every time I hear it.
42 comments:
Damn good death mix! I may have to play, too ...
A girl from my high school killed herself (over a boy, natch), and demanded in her suicide note that they play Elton's "Funeral for a Friend/Love Lies Bleeding." Wish carried out.
I like that mix! I just started working on my funeral playlist earlier today. Good job!
That's a great mix, Dale. I only want the sound of weeping and wailing at my funeral. Oh, and Ave Satani, the theme from The Omen. I don't think anyone who knows me would disagree with the choice.
I'll work on the actual mix later, but I felt obliged to pass along the hilarity of another. The Adam Corolla show had "most confusing songs for your funeral," and Yello's "Oh Yeah" (from Ferris Bueller and every other movie in the 80s) was his #1 for inducing "What the hell"s from the attendees.
I agree with chelene. I want weeping and wailing, as well as other sound effects, to compliment my final hurrah.
Would it be tacky if I had a slideshow, and assigned seating? Everyone would have the chance to purchase my cd in the lobby, of course. It will help offset the cost the funeral, e.g. the full bar, the kids college fund, as well as gas money for the pickup truck that drives me out to some country dirt road, and pitches me in a ditch.
Yeah, I'm goin' in style!
Doc
Bring Sexy back - Justin Timberlake
Are you lonesome tonight? - Elvis
Can I touch you there? - Michael Bolton
Very eclectic list... something for everyone attending... very considerate of you! lol
I actually had a friend who died of breast cancer... while still alive, she planned the ENTIRE funeral... down to asking her friends to wear Lilly Pulitzer (extremely bright colored clothes) not black. She invited the pole barers... selected the church music and even made a video tape.
It brought many people comfort. It just freaked me out.
Death pretty much does that to me.
How is it that I don't recognize that XTC song?
You cry Dale??
Don't really know most of them(or I don't recall hearing them) but just by the name should be kite interesting at a funeral home...
Would these be played at the funeral home itself? You'd better check out their sound system first, you wouldn't want to be dependant upon a shoddy sound quality, because then nobody would get up to dance.
Should I bring some lemon squares to the wake?
"I Didn't Mean to Turn You On," by Robert Palmer is conspicuously absent from this list, Dale.
Too much depression in your list.
How about "The House is Rockin'" by Stevie Ray Vaughan?
I'm going out with a bang and one heck of a party. I hope my wife (God please let her outlive me), has a rockin' band, dance floor, lots of Italian food and a mini-driving range.
One stipulation to attend: The only person allowed to cry is my wife.
Dale,
Won't all of this music be at least 50 years old by the time it gets played at your funeral?
Who am I kidding,--my wife will be partying right along with the rest of 'em.
Great list! I particularly love the inclusion of Michelle Shocked. I saw her open for Billy Bragg in the late eighties. Great show.
Am I invited to your funeral?
Oh, some of the comments I could leave on a post such as this. Perhaps we should think about doing a funeral mix for people we don't like. That could be a lot of fun.
(1) Live and Let Die--Wings
(2) It's Too Late--Carol King
(3) Highway to Hell--AC/DC
(4) Oh Happy Day--Harlem Gospel Choir
(5) I Just Want to Celebrate--Rare Earth
(6) Way Down--Elvis Presley
(7) It Wasn't Me--Shaggy (in case you murdered the person)
(8) I Will Survive--Gloria Gaynor
(9) Kiss him Goodbye--Steam
(10 Another One Bites the Dust--Queen.
Hmmm, very interesting thought.
Glad you like Beth, I hope you do play. Most of my answers of course had more to do with the titles but I do love all the songs just the same.
That's pretty extreme with the girl from your high school!
Thanks Bubs, I'm curious what yours will involve and shall be checking on it.
Excellent Chelene, lots of weeping and wailing. They should blare Ave Satani outside the church to see who's brave enough to enter.
That's a great idea Pistols at Dawn, I think to throw them off, I'd have them play on a loop Duran Duran's Girls on Film or some such.
Yes, it would be tacky Doc, but that's just you! Actually, that's a great idea, to help offset the costs. What other sound effects are we talking about? Toilets flushing? Doves cooing?
SJ, I applaud your creepy inclusion of Can I Touch You There?, a song I've never heard but immediately hate.
Pole barers Kate? Was she a stripper? The video tape would have had me either throwing up or screaming.
Should I have gone with 'Great Fire' instead Chris? I was going for the 'I Wanna Be Cremated' vibe with my XTC choice or now that I think of it 'Dear God' would have been good too.
I'd cry if I still had tear ducts Jill, it's all the plastic surgery, just not possible now.
Please bring lemon squares Barbara! I'm not sure where it'll be held, perhaps in the neighbours backyard, they like fire.
That's on our super secret private list Flannery, shhh.
You might be right T, it is a quietish list. I'll have to come up with more of a party list. Can Stevie still play with those wings always getting in the way?
Unless I'm killed in a tragic blog accident, it might just have to be an oldies night Chancelucky.
T, that's exactly what she told me she'd be doing.
Thanks Johnny, I love Michelle and saw her on her Arkansas Traveller tour and she was a blast.
As long as you're not the cause Winter, yep.
Rather a brilliant list X. Dell, I'd have to insist on final approval for any list at my funeral though.
It's all in the planning Old Lady.
They played a Christmas carol at my friend Chrissy's funeral, and that totally sucked. I like your choices WAY better! :O)
Have you heard Harry Nilsson's version of "What'll I Do" from A Little Touch Of Schmilsson in the Night? It's great, too.
I love your list Dale. Let me just ask you this: So is #6 for those opting for cremation?
Okay. Cool. Or to be really cool: Kewl.
My favorite is #9 Oh Happy Day. Best gospel song ever.
Look how nice I was with this comment. Shocking, isn't it? Don't worry, I'll make up for this moment of niceness in the future. I promise. :)
I love Jenny Lewis, just thought I'd mention that, although I would go with "You Are What You Love" myself.
On jewgirl's advice, here I am. And here's my funeral mix.
(1) "The Coldest Day Of The Year" COP SHOOT COP
(2) "The Mercy Seat" JOHNNY CASH
(3) "Alive On Arrival" ICE CUBE
(4) "Lady Midnight" LEONARD COHEN
(5) "Good Old World" TOM WAITS
(6) "Run Straight Down" WARREN ZEVON
(7) "Corned Beef On Rye" KINKY FRIEDMAN
(8) "Rock Bottom" EMINEM
(9) "Where Did You Sleep Last Night" LEADBELLY
(10) "Georgie On The Freeways" TOM PAXTON
Geez, tough call. Can we ask bands to play? I'll pretend that my list will be performed live. I like that image much better. Oh, and there should for sure be beers on ice. I like your snarky list, Dale. Hope I'm invited. Oooops, is that a bad thing to wish for?
You're right Dale.
Besides, that song might send the wrong message at a funeral.
"Putting the fun back in funeral"
hahahahahahahahaha!
you're good
Often thought about this. Morbid, yes? Love your mix. It's much better than mine. I sort of built mine around the idea of making my relatives cry as much as possible. Lots of Dave Matthews. hehe
Dear Dale,
As far as sound effects go, I was thinking about cannon fire, random explosions, whispered swear words, breaking glass, crows cawing, the squeel of brakes, mad men laughing, a sultry woman breathing hard, train whistles, sniffles, dog barking in the distance, spooky wind, the sound of shovels digging, etc., etc. Have any suggestions?
Doc
I hope you don't die. But I got a kick out of the REM song.
Nice mix. I've decided I'm okay with anything as long as it doesn't have the word WINGS in the title.
Only you could make a funeral an exciting event to anticipate.
I'd rather have no service and a compilation distributed in advance, but your mix would be fitting.
Through out my teenage years, all I ever wanted was "In My Time of Dying" by Led Zeppelin. At services of a high school friend and a brother of a friend from nursery school, they both had that on their lists, too. The latter also had "Green Grass And High Tides" by The Outlaws, which was very apropos for him.
Sorry Dale, but I'm totally bringing my own iPod to your funeral. I hope that you live long into the future, so perhaps I'll be wearing some implanted microchip...
When would the before and after picture would be post??
That seems an odd choice Mellowlee. Glad you liked my list.
I have heard it Beth and like it as well. The song just gets to me no matter who sings it. So poignant.
You got it right Zed, I was thinking of cremation when I picked #6. One of my happiest moments was hearing the Harlem Gospel Choir sing and swing the hell out of Oh Happy Day. Ahh. I know you'll get mean again, I'm ready.
That's a great tune as well Lulu, I'll play it at yours.
Hey Kelso's Nuts - I don't know all the tunes on your list so should I kill you to hear them or just download them?
Is this going to be an all day thing Tenacious S with lengthy sound checks in between acts? If so, I'll bring the beer. Everyone's invited.
Always mindful of etiquette we must be Flannery.
I do what I can Gifted Typist.
Enough Dave Matthews and anyone might cry Andi, good call!
The sound of shovels digging is most excellent Doc, in fact all your sound effects ideas are great. Don't forget gasping and wheezing and the occasional air horn just to keep everyone on edge.
Grant, I hate to tell you this but I will die, hopefully though not before giving you several more kicks.
Excellent thinking Allison. Did you ever know that you're my heeeerooo?
I'm a little worried Tumuli, a lot of people seem to want to hear these songs. Are my blog posts numbered? I want one of your compilations but don't wish to hasten your demise.
Is that what you still want Write Procrastinator? Or has your list changed with the times?
Katrocket - why am I picturing you in big sunglasses sitting in the back smoking?
Finally! Jill, you made me laugh.
Maybe not "Green Grass," but "In My Time of Dying?" Absolutely.
I hope it's a long long time before they have to play it WP.
download, because when you do free listen to other songs on same cds you'll want them
I would make sure "My Beloved Wife" by Natalie Merchant played so that my husband would remember that I will haunt him if he gets another girl.
I don't believe in sharing. Sorry. I'm working on that.
I'll go for the cash saving trial and let you know how it goes Kelso's Nuts.
Whoever said sharing was fun anyway Christie? Well, with some things maybe but...
Thank you, Dale.
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