"Church" music isn't very common at a Jewish funeral, but I kinda see where you are coming from.

Though, my grandmother had "My Way."

They use a different tune from the standard North American one, though. Always makes me think of the Monty Python take-off, Ode to Creation:

All things dull and ugly,
All creatures short and squat,
All things rude and nasty,
The Lord God made the lot.

Each little snake that poisons,
Each little wasp that stings --
He made their brutish venom.
He made their horrid wings.

My favorites:
 

"In the Garden"
"Beyond the Sunset"
"Amazing Grace"

I bust out crying every time I hear Amazing Grace. I cry everytime I hear bagpipes. Put the two of them together, and I'm a MESS. We used to run at Belmont Plateu in Philadelphia, and one time this bagpiper was practicing (I guess when you live in a city, a park is probably one of the few apporpriate places to practice) before the race. Oh man, I was a mess that race. I think it might have been one of my worst times ever.

Back to the topic at hand...

LMBO, I wondered the same thing but substitute "Amazing Grace" for "Precious Lord, Take My Hand."

Thats what i am thinking too

A few years back, during undergraduate days, one of my brothers was musing about his idea of an ideal funeral for him when that time came. He wanted to be cremated, have his friends gather near a fast running creek near where he grew up, pop a bottle of champagne, scatter his ashes over the waters of that creek, and everyone lift a glass to his memory as they played a recording of the Canto in D.
I thought this was pretty good but suggested for mine I would like everyone to gather in the party room of our chapter house, pop a fresh brew, play Louie, Louie on the juke box, and flush my ashes down the john.
Stricken, he looked hard at me and allowed as to how I had ruined his funeral.
I asked, you are kidding, right? Naw, he answered, I like your idea a whole lot better!
So, when that day comes, and not too soon I hope, there will be a gang of us having a unique send off.

dekeguy, that's awesome

when i was an undergrad, unfortuneately, one of my brothers biological older brother died in a car wreck.

They played amazing grace, but here is something you might not know, protestants and catholics have different lyrics for that song. I don't think in the first part, but after that I was lost and could not sing them. Just thought I should share that.

Sarah McLachlan's "I Will Remember You"

That is what I would have thought. I remember when a good friend of my aunt's died, this was the song they played at her funeral.



I'm the same way! My grandmother died 10 years ago, and that was the song they played at her funeral. Her death had a huge impact on me, so to this day its hard to hear the song (i have to plug up my ears, but i still cry).

So i kinda thought as a way to heal, i'd get the first few bars (musical notes and all) of Amazing Grace tattooed on my lower back. Don't know if i'll actually do it though! lol

This thread is making me think that I need to call up my lawyer and make an addendum to my will of things I do NOT want played at my funeral.

Haha, some djs were talking about this list on the radio this morning and I told my husband, "If you play any of these songs at my funeral, mark my words, I will come back and haunt you!!"

Very true. Also, what about Ave Maria?

I've also heard of one case where "Seasons of Love" from Rent was played.

Agreed. It's been played at most funerals I've attended, including my grandma's this past summer, but that could have been because of sentimental value to our family.

A fireman in my town passed away back in February, and they had a memorial service that was incredibly moving. A bagpiper played "Amazing Grace", "Death of a Chieftain" and a song I didn't recognize. "In the Garden" was sung by all.

After the chaplain's message, the firemen came down the aisle, two by two & carrying a flower. Each pair paused a moment at the casket, saluted, put the flower in the vase, then left. The whole time the 60+ firemen did that, "I Will Remember You" was played, then the bagpiper played one more song as everyone filed out.

On the moving factor, it was a 15 out of 10 !!!