Funerals and memorial services can be very private and solemn affairs. They can also be a healing time when people have a chance to say goodbye, process their feelings, and make peace with the situation. The right bereavement music can help with all these issues and more.
Below are some recommended memorial service song ideas for different types of funeral services and for various personalities and ages of individuals being honored, celebrated and mourned.
Additional song notes are at end of this article.
Songs for Children's Funeral Services
As tragic as a child's memorial is, lovely and sweet music can help give time for reflection and comfort loved ones. Here are some ideas for a young person's funeral service.
- Tears in Heaven: This song is touching sung with acoustic accompaniment, especially as it was written after the death of Eric Clapton's own young son.
- Over the Rainbow: This is lovely -- sung by Judy Garland, as in the Wizard of Oz.
- All Through the Night: A traditional Welsh song (Sample lyrics - "Sleep my love, and peace attend thee, All through the night; Guardian angels God will lend thee, All through the night,")
- Gartan Mother's Lullaby: A touching version is sung beautifully by Meryl Streep. (Sample lyrics - "And over it all the paley moon, Has sweeped her cusp in dew, ,And weeps to hear the sad sleep tune I sing, oh love, to you.")
- Tell Me Why: Sung by Pat Benatar (Sample lyrics - "Tell me why the stars do shine, Tell me why the ivy twines, tell me why the sky's so blue, And then I'll tell you just why I love you."
Music for Adult Women's Memorial Ceremonies
- Bridge Over Troubled Water: by Simon and Garfunkel. Choose from the original by Simon and Garfunkel or for for the right person, Johnny Cash does a wonderful job with this song. (Sample lyrics - "When you're weary, feeling small, When tears are in your eyes, I will dry them all; I'm on your side.")
- Candle in the Wind 1997: by Elton John & Bernie Taupin, rewritten for Princess Diana's memorial and sung by Elton John (Sample lyrics - "Loveliness we've lost; these empty days without your smile...")
- I Am Weary (Let Me Rest): written Pete Roberts; performed by The Cox Family (Sample lyrics - "Seems the light is swiftly fading, Brighter scenes they do now show, I am standing by the river, Angels wait to take me home")
- Will There Be Any Stars in My Crown: (traditional, Christian) performed by The Cox Family. (Sample lyrics - "I am thinking today of that beautiful land I shall reach when the sun goeth down; When through wonderful grace by my Savior I stand, Will there be any stars in my crown?")
Funeral Service Songs for Men
- Before My Time: by Johnny Cash (Sample lyrics - "And there was some old song that said I love you 'til I die, Before my time, Before my time")
- The Long and Winding Road: written by Paul McCartney and performed by The Beatles (Sample lyrics - The wild and windy night, That the rain washed away, Has left a pool of tears, crying for the day...)
- Life By the Drop: performed by the late Stevie Ray Vaughan & Double Trouble (Sample lyrics - "Youre livin a dream....wo you on top, My mind is achin....lord it wont stop, That's how it happens....livin life by the drop"
- Stairway to Heaven: performed by Led Zeppelin (A more rock and roll oriented classic, popular with Baby Boomers)
Other Memorial Songs To Play at any Funeral Service
- When You Wish Upon A Star: performed by Louis Armstrong (Sample lyrics - "Like a bolt out of the blue, fate steps in and sees you through, When you wish upon a star, your dreams come true"
- It's A Wonderful World: performed by Louis Armstrong
- Good Riddance (Time of Your Life): performed by Green Day (Sample lyrics - "It's something unpredictable but in the end it's right. I hope you had the time of your life.")
- In the Sweet By and By: (Sample lyrics - "There's a land that is fairer than day, And by faith we can see it apart, For the father waits over the way, To prepare us a dwelling place there")
- Amazing Grace: Written by John Newton with many versions available; Christian.
- Chopin's C Minor Prelude
- Gospel Songs (perhaps ask a church for suggestions)
- Instrumentals of favorite songs
Other Suggestions for Personalizing Music at a Memorial Service
- Keep in mind the departed person. What music did they love?
- A funeral need not be too stuffy. If the deceased liked rock or country music, by all means bring appropriate songs in from those genres.
- For older folks and seniors, older classics may be most appropriate.
Most of these bereavement songs are available for download online, in music stores, or in sheet music form for a keyboardist, musician or soloist singer. The author hopes these suggestions will help bring peace and ease to those who have lost a loved one.
For more ideas, see the website Uplifting and Sensitive Funeral Music, Songs and Ideas.
Related articles include: Childrens' Funeral Services Music, Country Music Funeral Songs, and Uplifting Christian Funeral Music.
Reference Sources
Lyrics from A-Z Lyrics Universe
Tears in Heaven: written by Eric Clapton and Will Jennings; performed by Eric Clapton (Eric Clapton Unplugged, 1992 Reprise Records)
Eric Clapton personal reference from Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition
Over the Rainbow: Music by Hyman Arluck, Lyrics by E.Y. Harburg (The Wizard of Oz, 1939)
Gartan Mother's Lullaby: From For Our Children: 10th Anniversary edition (1991, Walt Disney Records, benefiting the Pediatric AIDS Foundation)(This lovely CD is available in used copies on eBay or Interlibrary loan)
Tell Me Why: Words and music traditional (Also available on the album For Our Children: 10th Anniversary edition, above)
What a Wonderful World: Written by Bob Thiele (using the pseudonym George Douglas) and George David Weiss
When You Wish Upon A Star: music by Leigh Harline; Lyrics: Ned Washington
In the Sweet By and By: written by Joseph P. Webster (1921, NY Times).
Janienne Jennrich - Janienne Jennrich, Topic Editor for Kids & Teen Parties and for Hair, is an award-winning freelance writer & webmaster.
