The Most Requested Funeral Songs

Funeral Advice

From Frank Sinatra to Louis Armstrong, Ed Sheeran to traditional Scottish favourites, music has become one of the most personal parts of a funeral service. Some songs are requested time and time again, while others are chosen simply because they meant something to one particular person.

There are certain pieces of music that have become closely associated with funerals in the UK. Some are reflective, some are uplifting and a few can even bring a smile at a difficult time.

Here are ten songs that regularly feature among the most requested funeral music choices.

The most suitable funeral song is not necessarily the saddest one. Very often, it is simply the song that reminds everyone of the person who has died.

10 of the most requested funeral songs

1

My Way

Frank Sinatra

Few songs are associated with funerals quite as strongly as My Way. Its message of looking back on a life lived on your own terms has made it one of the most enduring funeral choices in the UK. It can work particularly well as the final piece of music at the end of a service.

2

Time to Say Goodbye

Andrea Bocelli and Sarah Brightman

Powerful and unmistakable from its opening notes, Time to Say Goodbye remains a popular choice for families looking for something moving and traditional in feel without choosing a hymn.

3

Angels

Robbie Williams

Angels has been a familiar choice at British funerals for many years. It is instantly recognisable and its combination of emotion and a strong chorus means it can work well during reflection or towards the end of a service.

4

Wind Beneath My Wings

Bette Midler

Often chosen for a parent, partner or someone who quietly supported those around them throughout their life. The words make it particularly suited to a tribute centred on gratitude and everything that person did for others.

5

Over the Rainbow

Eva Cassidy

Eva Cassidy's version has become a very familiar funeral choice. It is quieter and more reflective than the original and is often chosen for a moment of reflection during the service.

6

What a Wonderful World

Louis Armstrong

A funeral does not have to be filled entirely with sad music. What a Wonderful World can bring a sense of gratitude to a service and is often chosen when a family wants to remember the good things in someone's life.

7

You Raise Me Up

Josh Groban or Westlife

There are several well known versions of You Raise Me Up, so it is worth checking which recording you prefer. Its words make it a popular tribute to someone who was a source of strength and support within a family.

8

Simply the Best

Tina Turner

A more upbeat choice and one that can say a great deal without needing much explanation. Families often choose it because it reflects how they felt about the person rather than because it sounds traditionally suited to a funeral.

9

Supermarket Flowers

Ed Sheeran

A more recent addition to funeral music choices, Supermarket Flowers was written following the death of Ed Sheeran's grandmother. It has become particularly meaningful to families saying goodbye to a mother or grandmother.

10

Always Look on the Bright Side of Life

Monty Python

Not every funeral song needs to bring tears. For someone known for their sense of humour, Always Look on the Bright Side of Life has become a surprisingly popular final song and can leave people smiling as they remember the personality of the person they have come to say goodbye to.

And what about Scottish funeral music?

Here in Scotland, traditional music continues to play an important part in many funeral services. Sometimes it is played as a recording and sometimes a family chooses to have a piper play in person.

Highland Cathedral

One of the best known pieces of modern Scottish music and a popular choice for the arrival of the coffin, a period of reflection or as everyone leaves the service.

Amazing Grace

Familiar across generations and particularly powerful when played on the pipes. It remains a popular choice for both religious and non religious services.

Wild Mountain Thyme (Will Ye Go, Lassie, Go?)

Often simply known as Go Lassie Go, Wild Mountain Thyme is a familiar and much loved choice at Scottish funerals. Its gentle melody and references to the hills, heather and changing seasons can feel especially fitting for someone with a strong connection to Scotland, the countryside or the outdoors. There are many traditional and contemporary recordings to choose from.

Sometimes the less obvious choice is the right one

Lists like this can be useful if you are struggling for inspiration, but the most requested song in the country does not automatically make it the right song for your family.

We have seen families choose music from favourite films, songs associated with holidays, football songs, country music, rock, classical pieces and songs that simply make everyone in the family think of that person.

If Dad always had a particular song playing in the car, Mum loved a certain singer, or there is one piece of music that immediately transports you back to a particular memory, that may be a far more fitting choice than any traditional funeral song.

A few things to think about

When choosing music for a funeral, it can help to consider:

• What music did they actually listen to?
• Is there a particular song the whole family associates with them?
• Would you like the beginning of the service to feel reflective or more uplifting?
• Would a piece of music work well during a photo tribute or quiet period of reflection?
• What would you like people to hear as they leave?
• Is there a particular artist or version of the song you want?

You do not have to choose traditional funeral music

This is probably the most important point.

There is no requirement for funeral music to be sombre, classical or religious. A service should reflect the person at the centre of it.

If that means Frank Sinatra, that is absolutely fine. If it means AC/DC, Dolly Parton, a Scottish pipe tune, a football anthem or a song that makes the family laugh because of a story only they understand, that can be every bit as appropriate.

Often those are the choices people remember most.

Planning a funeral with Parkgrove?

We can help you choose where music fits within the service and arrange the individual tracks you would like to use. If you are unsure, you do not need to have everything decided at the first arrangement meeting. Music is something we can work through with you as the service takes shape.

Parkgrove Funeral Directors and Crematorium
Douglasmuir, By Friockheim, DD11 4UN
01241 826035 | Available 24 hours