Tag Archives: Funeral Songs

Paul K. Joyce’s musical adaptation of Mary Elizabeth Frye’s “Do Not Stand At My Grave And Weep.”

A composer sets the popular bereavement poem to music with hauntingly beautiful results

Since 1932, when florist and Baltimore-based homemaker Mary Elizabeth Frye wrote “Do Not Stand at My Grave and Weep,” quite a few musicians have felt compelled to set the poem to music. Frye’s wise, comforting lines have been transformed into … Continue reading

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“Grace” by Jeff Buckley

A stunning funeral song that celebrates both life and death

Like many of Jeff Buckley’s songs, “Grace” has taken on new meaning almost 20 years after the singer’s death. Buckley dives into an interesting paradox in the song: Life feels short and fragile, yet it also moves at a molasses-like pace. … Continue reading

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Gillian Welch’s Neo-Traditional Hymn “I’m Not Afraid To Die”

A simple tune, a deep well of comfort

The first time I heard Gillian Welch’s achingly lovely neotraditional folk song “I’m Not Afraid To Die”, I heard it sung in harmony by my dear friend and her dying father. He was in hospice at home in Santa Fe, lying … Continue reading

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“Always Look On The Bright Side Of Life” by Eric Idle

Monty Python's Life Of Brian song Is a popular funeral tune

In 2014, the Telegraph published the findings of a study carried out by a cohort of funeral directors investigating which is the most played song at funerals in the United Kingdom. The survey, based on more than 30,000 funerals, found that … Continue reading

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“I’m Going Away” by Walter Hawkins

A soulful funeral gospel and choir memorial song

  You don’t have to be a church-gower to appreciate this song. The lyrics and music create a nostalgic atmosphere of a celebration in grievance of the loss of a loved one. There is a clear indication that the person … Continue reading

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“I’ll Be Missing You” by Puff Daddy, Faith Evans and 112

The hit single that also speaks of love and loss

For everyone who loved the big hits of the nineties, this might be a great send off song. “I’ll Be Missing You,” while a Grammy-winning single and classic R&B song, also touches on a few timeless themes including love, loss and … Continue reading

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