Easy one for me, though - Monty Python's "Always Look On the Bright Side of Life". It only makes sense, to play the song from the end of "Life Of Brian", to mark the end of the life of Brian.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WlBiLNN1NhQ
A good friend told me his wife wants "Baby Got Back" by Sir Mixalot played at her funeral - some inside joke. I love the irreverence of that idea.
Or perhaps you would actually let them all know and it would be a moment of "musical" reflection. Better yet, you could pass out blank sheets of paper and ask them to all sing along.
Words are very unnecessary, they can only do harm http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pMfV0sVQ_VU
"When I was a child I had a fleeting glimpse Out of the corner of my eye I turned to look but it was gone I cannot put my finger on it now The child has grown, the dream is gone"
If you've not heard it, it's got some of my favorite lyrics.
I don't have a Hubski dollar, but I'd be happy to send you a Detroit Cheer, which is probably even cooler. Send an address to hubski at hubski.
Though, a Nick Drake tune at your funeral might be just what the mourners ordered:
here is a link to a song that I recorded called "Grow Up". I love this song and I think I'd like it played at my funeral. Why not? I wrote it and recorded it with some great friends. I love this question though and I'm going to think on it some more. Baby Got Back?? -Hmmm.... :-)
I think I need to write this song. It should be from me. What an interesting challenge. cW
Hmmm ... now that would be a tough project. So many people to think of. I might have to pick one I've already written, if I had one with enough genuine warmth and hope worthy of sharing with all of my friends and family. I think Embrace, which I sent you last month, might be the best candidate so far. I did play one of my songs at a friend's funeral once. Very surreal experience. It wasn't about death, or about him in any way, just a song he had always really liked. He passed really suddenly though, I think you remember the time? And when I and his mutual friends were planning the service, they asked me to play a song for him, and that was the only one I had any reason to pick. You know it well, I think? Personally, picking from others' tunes, I could probably go a bunch of different ways, but njósnavélin by Sigur Rós would be today's pick.
Yes, I do recall that time and I do know that song well -it's beautiful. It would be interesting to write a song, knowing it was your "last letter" to friends and family and humanity in general. -a tough challenge
New Order Mesh This is the first time I've mentioned it though. Below the surface this day I need it light
Inside dimension lies another sacrifice
Once out of reach, we never speak, we never compromise
As they turned to gold the edges froze and seemed to turn to ice
All flight departures assembled not returned
Left in these passions I looked but never learned
There's hope, you've heard there's life in another world
Sometimes you'll find that truth is never kind
In the ghost lies a portrait of space that time is never here
In the mind of a fallen man, an easy day in another land
Ship sails out to sea, away from me, I just stand and stare
Assassin clears his lens, another end, I wasn't even there
One day it came to mind we even leave the rest behind
Some day, I know, you get where you should go
There's hope, you've heard there's life in another world
Sometimes we'll find that truth is never kind
One day it came to mind we even leave the rest behind
Some day, I know, we even get where we used to go
There's hope, you've heard there's life in another world
Moby - My Weakness http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ioDcGjwu988