wnyc.org / 93.9fm / am 820

Sweet Old World by Lucinda Williams. It stays with you for a long, long time.

Every time I go home for the holidays, my mom reminds me of her demand that "The Weight" by The Band be played at her funeral.

There was not a dry eye in the house when "My Blue Heaven" (by Frank Sinatra) was played at my Uncle George's funeral.

It includes the lyrics "Just Molly and me, and the baby makes three. We're happy in my, in my Blue Heaven" and was a song he often sang to his dear wife, Molly.

The caller who mentions the "Adagio for Strings" by Samuel Barber has my vote! I heard it played as an elegy right after 9/11 and thought it so poignant. I can still feel the emotion it evoked.

A friend of mine died last year, and at his funeral his son's girlfriend sang Warren Zevon's "Keep me in your heart". It worked.

We played the Intermezzo from Cavalleria Rusticana at my grandmother's funeral. I can think of no more ethereal music with which to be escorted to the other side.

As Bereavement Counselor for Holy Name Hospice, I attend a LOT of funerals. I concur with the statement that song choices for funerals are personal. Memorializing individuals must be individual. Me? For my funeral I want either "What was that about?" or "Send In The Clowns." Lol Ron Owens, MA, Bereavement Counselor for Holy Name Hospice.

Glad he mentioned Dirty Dozen Brass Band. They have an album called "Funeral for a Friend"

It has a number of traditional and features cameos by Elvis Costello and Modest Mouse

you MUST listen to jewel's "hole in my heart", it is unrecorded but can be heard on youtube. it will speak to most listeners. it certainly spoke to me

I'm originally from Wayne, NJ (where Moore's is located), and I think it should be noted that it is a somewhat conservative suburban community. I think the song choices and use of music overall would be more prevalent in an urban community.

(PS. We used "On Eagles Wings" at my aunt's funeral. A more contemporary song sometimes used in Catholic churches that she often sang at mass. It was very uplifting and well received.)

I have a friend who was requested (back in the 80's) to sing @ his pregnant niece's wedding as people were being seated "When a Man Love's a Woman" I kid you not! Thank goodness it was recorded on VHS so that we could enjoy it for years to come...

As my casket is wheeled out of the church, I have requested that they play "Mony,Mony" - it's a great song and no one can feel sad when they hear it!

I have been a church organist for over 30 years. A few years ago, I was asked to play "I Could Have Danced All Night" from "My Fair Lady" by a dear man who'd lost his wife to cancer. After everyone had left the church, I began to play the song softly on the church's large pipe organ. By the time I'd finished I was crying so much I could barely see the music. What I didn't know until a few days later was that the widower had slipped back into the church and listened from the balcony. This was "their" song, and I was honored to agree to his choice.

At my mom's funeral my brother in law, Robert Moore, played and sang "Hope" by Steven Curtis Chapman. It was wonderful!!

As an old soldier, there are 2 songs that I want at my funeral. "Mansions of the Lord" sung by the US Military Academy Glee Club to make everyone cry and "All the things that I've done" by the Killers to get them rock'n.

I'm a Presbyterian minister and my favorite funeral was the one which we ended with everyone singing "Take Me Out to the Ballgame." The deceased was a great baseball fan. Everyone there felt it was a perfect tribute and loved it.

"Many Rivers to Cross" - Jimmy Cliff.

Its a bit sad, a bit weary, but it has a touch of optimism to it. And beautiful organ.

My friend Irene and I discovered a few years ago through one of those "get to know your friends" emails that we both want Wildflowers by Tom Petty played at our funerals.

Not sure whether this would be considered contemporary, but we played Ella Fitzgerald's version of 'All the Things You Are' at my mom's funeral last July. This was a Jewish grave side service.

For our father's memorial service my sister made a mix of some of his favorites and things that reminded us of him. This included the theme to Star Trek which of course was what was playing just as the first guests arrived. "Space... the final frontier."

I chose "Blue, Red & Grey" by Pete Townshend as a sort of meditation. (Please don't sue me Pete.)

My friend Irene and I both found out a few years ago through one of those "get to know your friends" emails that we both want Wildflowers by Tom Petty played at our funerals. I am also pretty fond of Unknown Legend by Neil Young.

My mother has requested that I play "Send in the Clowns" at her funeral ... guess I don't know what the song really about. Maybe you could ask Judy Collins if it would appropriate the next time she is on your show..

Being Jewish I've never been to a Jewish funeral where music was played.
However when my dad (a huge Sinatra fan) died 2 1/2 years ago I brought a CD with My Way on it, and requested that they play it in the chapel before the service began. This was a bit out of the ordinary for them so they did screw it up a bit, but at least part of the song was played.
As an aside, other than a few sharp people most were not aware of either the music or the song choice. I am convinced that my dad knew, and that's all that really mattered to me.

I'm a huge Zeppelin fan, but to hear Stairway to Heaven it at a funeral for a casual friend in a Catholic church in Brooklyn was weird.

My dad has told me that in his will he has requested: "Don't Fear The Reaper" by Blue Oyster Cult

I have told my loved ones that "I want One Hell of a Life" by Katell Keineg.

AMAZING GRACE seems to be a popular song at funerals in the USA. How does in rank in the UK?

My uncle died a couple of years ago and they played "who let the dogs out" as part of the "celebration of life"...this segment has gotten me thinking what songs would make people cry the most & I think "So It Goes" by Tom Waits would do the trick nicely and with some substance.

It all started with "The Big Chill" when they played "You Can't Always Get What You Want" at a funeral.

Music is only part of it all:

http://tinyurl.com/pktczx