Choosing Music for Funerals

Posted on July 27, 2020 by Lifesong Funerals under funeral home
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When you’re deciding on music for funerals at Tallahassee funeral homes, you can literally go with almost any song you can imagine. However, if you are having trouble coming up with ideas on your own, there are some very popular songs that are often included in the music that is played during funeral services.

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What music you decide to include in a funeral service for a loved one is a very personal choice and any song or songs can be played as part of the funeral service. Sometimes people choose songs that have special memories that are associated with their loved ones. Other times people choose songs that were favorites of their loved one.

But sometimes people find themselves at a loss of knowing what kind of music they should play during the funeral service.

Music included in funeral services can be secular, religious, or classical. The following list includes some of the most popular secular, religious, and classical songs that people opt for in funeral services, along with a brief explanation of why they are appropriate selections.

In secular music, one song that is frequently included in funeral services is Vince Gill’s “Go Rest High on That Mountain.” Gill began composing this song as a tribute to country artist Keith Whitley (who died from alcohol intoxication), but he did not finish the song until his older brother had an unexpected heart attack and died. The song is soaked in a beautiful combination of grief, emotion, and celebration.

Another secular song that has become a popular selection in funeral services for younger people who’ve died is Deathcab for Cutie’s “I’ll Follow You into the Dark.” This song is about the natural passing of time in life that eventually ends in death, with the acknowledgement that the people we leave behind will will mourn our passing.

A mainstay secular song that is included in funeral services is “Dust in the Wind,” by Kansas. This song puts a wide-angled lens on life, both capturing its fragility and its brevity. The title of the song is an oblique reference to both Ecclesiastes 12:7 and Genesis 3:19 in the Bible.

A final secular song that is commonly chosen for funeral services is Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah,” performed by Jeff Buckley. This song expressed mourning for love and loss, while it provides wise counsel and comfort to the brokenhearted.

Among religious and classical music that is popular for funeral services, one of the most often played songs is Franz Schubert’s “Ave Maria.” This song is essentially a prayer that is set to music, and many people find it to be very consoling.

funeral homeA very common religious hymn that is routinely played at funeral services is John Newton’s, “Amazing Grace.” This song is about forgiveness, redemption, and salvation, which are concurrent themes in both life and death.

“My Shepherd Will Supply My Need,” which was composed by Isaac Watts, is an adaptation of Psalm 23 in the Bible. This is a very comforting song that reminds people of the consistent presence of a power greater than us who is taking care of every one of our needs from the time we are born until the time we die.

A final classical song that is often selected to be included in funeral services is Samuel Barber’s “Adagio for Strings.” This piece of music starts out very quietly in the beginning and then blooms fully into notes of both sorrow and hope as the song progresses.

If you want to know more about choosing funeral music at Tallahassee funeral homes, our compassionate and experienced staff at Lifesong Funerals & Cremations can help.

Lifesong Funerals

We have nearly twenty years serving families of all backgrounds. These families turn to us in their time of need because they are aware that we are leaders in our vocation, have the highest level of integrity and are committed to providing quality service.

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