In my salon.com newsletter today, I read an interesting blurb about the top British “death” songs. You know - what most people have played at their funerals.
The article said:
At times of crisis, as ever, it seems most people still resort to traditional institutions and the music that goes with them. That said, more and more contemporary music is being played at funerals. Some 40%, in fact, of the choices collected by the Co-op now fall into this category, and increasing secularisation will probably see that figure grow.
There is of course a Top Ten of funeral faves, an appropriately depressing list:
1 My Way Frank Sinatra
2 Wind Beneath My Wings Bette Midler
3 Angels Robbie Williams
4 My Heart Will Go On Celine Dion
5 Simply The Best Tina Turner
6 I Will Always Love You Whitney Houston
7 You’ll Never Walk Alone Gerry and the Pacemakers
8 Over The Rainbow Eva Cassidy
9 Time To Say Goodbye Sarah Brightman
10 We’ll Meet Again Dame Vera Lynn
Presumably there is some deep truth in here about the changing mores of contemporary Britain, but I'm not clear what it is: something to do with mawkish sentiment replacing religion, perhaps?
A curious footnote is that looking up favorite wedding music reveals many of the same choices.
I love that last statement. A nice commentary on the institution of marriage, no doubt. And, the fact that Celine Dion is number four on the list just MAKES me want to stab myself in the eyes. I’ve narrowed mine down to a few...
"It’s My Life" by No Doubt
"Take it to the Limit" by the Eagles
"Learning to Fly" by the Foo Fighters
"Highway to Hell" by AC/DC (yes, you read that correctly)
OR
The Golden Slumbers/Carry My Weight/In the End three-song-set by the Beatles.
And, in the end, the love you take is equal to the love you make.
And, there better be chicken wings, beer, and a deejay.
