I am not the chattiest Cathy in my circle of friends. I’m not even a Cathy or Kathy. But with just enough ingestion of the right alcoholic elixir or any alcoholic elixir, I become quite loquacious. I recently spent an evening with a friend and we ingested quite a bit of our favorite elixirs. Somehow our conversation turned to songs we would like played at our funerals.
Me: I would want Gravedigger for my song.
Dex: That’s a terrible song to pick.
Me: It’s a great song for a funeral. What’s wrong with it? I like the sentiment of “when you dig my grave, could you make it shallow so I can feel the rain.” I’d want to feel the rain.
Dex: You’ll be dead. You won’t feel anything. That song is depressing.
Me: It’s a funeral, it’s supposed to be depressing. And I don’t think that song is depressing. Okay, maybe a little. I could go with a classic like Chopin’s Funeral March, but that always makes me think of Bugs Bunny. It probably makes everyone think of Bugs Bunny. Would Bugs Bunny be appropriate for a funeral?
Dex: Why does it make you think of Bugs Bunny?
Me: Because the first time I heard it was on a Bugs Bunny cartoon. Bugs was sitting at a piano and with one bunny finger he plinked out Chopin’s Funeral March, but I didn’t know it was Chopin at the time. Anyone who ever saw that cartoon probably associates that melody with Bugs Bunny.
Dex: Is plinked a verb?
Me: It is now. I don’t think Chopin will work. How about Wish You Were Here?
Dex: The Pink Floyd song?
Me: Yeah, they’re one of my favorite bands, or my favorite. I’m torn between Pink Floyd and Led Zeppelin, though they are very different. They could be co-favorites. But that song will work on multiple levels. The audience will wonder if I picked it because I wished they were with me or because they should wish I was still with them.
Dex: That’s awful. You don’t want people wondering that. Funerals don’t have audiences, they have mourners.
Me: Well, a group of mourners is an audience. I don’t think I’ll have a very big audience or group at my funeral.
Dex: Are you planning on outliving everyone you know?
Me: I might. Women on my mother’s side of the family have lived into their 100s, but I take after my father’s side. I might have my mother’s longevity genes. I just don’t think there will be many people there. Kind of like in The Big Chill when the Mary Kay Place character says, “You won’t get this kind of crowd at my funeral,” and Jeff Goldblum says, “Oh, I’ll come and I”ll bring a date.” Maybe we should put that in the funeral notice.
Dex: What?
Me: That everyone should bring a date. I’ll get a bigger crowd. I still like Gravedigger for my song.
Dex: Didn’t you once tell me that you wanted to be cremated?
Me: Yeah, I think so. Why?
Dex: Well, Gravedigger won’t work for a cremation.
Me: Oh yeah, you’re right. Well then, I guess I’ll have to go with Dust in the WInd.
sandylikebeach 
I’ve had less intelligent conversations completely sober. (I have 3 kids). Just yesterday, ten minutes on “does your belly button hold your tummy in place”. Maybe I should try a glass of wine…
I find that wine almost always helps, unless I’m driving.
If you really want to make everyone mournful, try Mozart’s “Requiem”. And I mean all 60 minutes (approx) of it, not just selected do-dads.
I don’t want people weeping at my funeral. (Here I am making an assumption they will be weeping. lol) I want them to have a good time. i haven’t given it much – okay, any – thought, but whatever I picked would be designed to encourage people to drink and dance. Failing that I might get all clever and choose “Comfortably Numb” or “What Is Life”.
I thought about Comfortably Numb and Eclipse – both great songs. Or maybe a little Monty Python – Always Stay on the Bright Side of Life – for laughs.
Spirit in the Sky is my #1 choice.
That’s a good choice, too, and now I’m going to have that song in my head.
Elton John’s “Funeral fo a Friend” is my choice. Love the thunderous organ as my dead remains are carted up the aisle…
Morbid mental picture, but great song!
How about “In My Life”? But not too soon for any of us. Especially since I’ve just discovered your blog!
Yet, another great choice. Thanks for reading, Elyse.
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Somewhere I have a blog post about bad stripper songs. I think some of them would work at funerals.
Since Facebook thinks I’m an exotic dancer, perhaps a bad stripper song would be the perfect choice for my funeral.
Lmao! 😀
Glad I brought a chuckle your way!
Good one Sandy, glad to have stumbled upon your blog… signing up to your musings… 🙂
Alright … I would take a traditional route of my favorite hymns … .but I don’t know what they are without going through the hymnal. More importantly, I love wine … what you were drinking to have this conversation?
I do enjoy my wine time, but this particular conversation was fueled by beer for him and rum and coke for me.
at my uncles funeral they played ian dury hit me with your rhythm stick. everyone laughed. thats the way i want to be remembered
That’s a great way to be remembered. I hoped everyone is laughing at my going away party, too.
Dust in the WInd, while appropriate thematically, seems whimpy and whining. I agree with Tinkerbelle. Leave smiling. Pink Floyd or Bugs Bunny? either sounds good.
Comfortably Numb, Eclipse and Wish You Were Here – it could be a Pink Floyd medley! Thanks for stopping by.