Every funeral we plan here at Austins is different and every family has different ideas about the music which should be played. Sometimes, it’s been chosen in advance in consultation with the deceased person or it’s something they particular enjoyed through their life.
Sometimes, there’s a real message in the song that acts as a farewell, so three favourites from Eva Cassidy are Fields of Gold, Songbird and Over the Rainbow, with Sarah Brightman’s Time to Say Goodbye and Robbie Williams’ Angels featuring often.
Celebrating life past leads to My Way by Frank Sinatra, Simply the Best by Tina Turner and Westlife’s You Raise Me Up. As for Francis Albert Sinatra, his middle name is enough to evoke poignance at such events.
You’ll Never Walk Alone by Gerry and the Pacemakers, Dance with My Father Again by Luther Vandross and Eric Clapton’s Tears in Heaven all reflect the sense that something of a person will live on.
And then, of course, there’s the more unusual choices we’ve been asked to play, including:-
Wish Me Luck as You Wave Me Goodbye by Gracie Fields, Eric Idle’s Always Look on the Bright Side of Life and Queen’s Another One Bites the Dust.
Whatever music family and friends opt for, it is always the right choice for someone and often reflects an important relationship.
