Any ideas of funeral songs for an elderly parent's service?

Coming up FAST on being an 'elderly parent' - myself, I haven't set foot in a church in decades and don't know sh*t about hymns . If *I* ever did have a funeral, I would like 'Long and Winding Road' and 'Mull of Kintyre' for the sad slow songs....there are a few more peppy songs to play after they plant me in the ground, as my mourners go out to tip a few and get a free meal....

I recently attended the memorial service aka "celebration of life" for a dear friend. His adult children and grandchildren played the song "Here Comes the Sun" by the Beatles, with photos of my friend and his family members flashing on a video screen. It was absolutely beautiful. Very uplifting and moving.

We had Dad's memorial service a month after he passed away. Dad had asked that his boatswain's whistle be used to "Pipe the Side". I had to learn how to do that, quickly, and prayed that I did it justice without squeaking, plus warning those present to watch their ears! We closed his service with a rousing rendition of When The Saints Go Marching In.

I have sung at Nursing homes for years both with church choirs and secular ones. Some beautiful songs the church choirs sing are "Precious Lord, Take My Hand", "Since Jesus Came Into Heart" and "When The Roll Is Called Up Yonder" and the residents seem to like them. However, for my own funeral, I particularly want the WWII classic popularized by the great British singer Vera Lynn--- "I'll Be Seeing You", "You'll Never Walk Alone" from "Carousel" and "I'll Walk Alone" by the great Jane Froman. I want people at my funeral to hear the beautiful music of the Gershwins, Jerome Kern, etc. before rap music entirely takes over.

my husband has requested his friend (and former boss) sing "How Great Thou Art) Yes -- we are planning for his memorial service. He is on hospice)

A Closer Walk With Thee. I've been asked to sing this numerous times at funerals and wakes.

Perhaps the LO has already dictated/mentioned what they would want. My late mother had a booklet on which was written "Funeral."

"Hallelujah"(sp?) By Leonard Cohan. It is sung by various artist. He explained what the song meant to him..It explains that many kinds of hallelujahs do exist, and all the perfect and broken hallelujahs have equal value." Leonard Cohen. My parent's want amazing grace but no words just bag pipes. Also " I Can Only Imagine" this one is religious but very pretty. I cry when I hear it. Also " One more Light" by Linkin Park( no its not a rock song. It is about when someone dies an who cares? " Well I do" at the end. Beautiful. Just some suggestions. Im sorry you are having to even think of this. Both my parents have wrote down what they want for each service. At first they wanted burial. Now they want creamated. Totally diff service for creamation. An almost all their friends an relatives have passed. Both 83 an married for 61 yrs. We may just have a " wake" where family is at one place an people can cone by to pay respects an maybe have some pics there of Mom or Dad fr birth through their life. Fav flowers. Or like for my Dad, he was a cowboy. A real buckaroo. Rodeo bareback rider. Won a buckle. Made saddles by hand an chaps etc...we would have that kind of stuff an his "wake". Goodluck

This probably won’t help, but it was good for us. First we had an organ version of ‘Sheep may safely graze’, because Mum loved it. Then a song called ‘Music Makers’ that she sang in college. We finished up with a doozy: ‘Wonderful Wonderful Copenhagen’ from the film of Hans Christian Anderson. When we were children, we sang with Mum around the piano before bed, and the final ‘going to bed’ song was always ‘Wonderful Copenhagen’. It sounded strangely upbeat at the funeral, but my sisters and I all hugged and laughed and cried together, so people knew it meant something to us all. My beloved aunt had already chosen for hers: ‘Thank you for the music’ because she loved ABBA and that song, and Judith Durham from the Seekers singing the Lord’s Prayer because she also loved the Seekers. So it can work if you pick for your loved one and their loved ones, not for the audience.

For a Christian funeral, my favorite hymn is "Softly and Tenderly."
Softly and tenderly Jesus is calling,
Calling for you and for me.
See on the portals He's waiting and watching,
Watching for you and for me.

Come home! Come home!
Ye who are weary come home.
Earnestly, tenderly Jesus is calling.
Calling "O sinner come home"

O for the wonderful love He has promised
Promised for you and for me
Though we have sinned He has mercy and pardon
Pardon for you and for me

Come Home, come home
Ye who...

my parents were both very religious, which worked with my mom but when it came time for my dad, maybe it was our own doing since he was the last, while with for mom we just pretty much let her/their church guy who normally did the singing for them just sing pretty much whatever he wanted but for dad we'd found out the song that was sung at his mom's - that he was close to - and was hoping to have him sing it but...guess maybe we should have prepared him; we'd found it out several months before but just never thought about that; anyway he said he didn't know it and seems like couldn't find it online (though seems like did later; trying now to remember what it was - O, What a Blessed Day? maybe - but anyway, not only that but he also said he was no longer the song leader for the church, like that mattered why? but then he went on and said he at least had a sore throat and just really couldn't sing, hm..I don't know, it just seemed like he just didn't really want to - granted, as I'm sure you here, of all people would understand, he hadn't been to church for 2 yrs. at that point but still he'd gone there for fifty before but oh well so we didn't really know what to do, so while sitting around then trying to decide, I can somewhat understand whoever said it's really about the mourners rather than the one who's passed away, dad wasn't really going to know anyway and his grandson was the one who was really left; he'd been the one taking care of dad for those past two years, so his best friend and his wife; well, really she was the one who mentioned the song Go Rest High on than Mountain - that was their type music; I just wasn't familiar with it, but it seemed to fit and I think wasn't too far off for dad, either, though I did hate what had seemed to happen. A song I had wanted for a long time ever since I heard it was one that a minister in my church - which had become somewhat different, though I'd like to think not too terribly so in some ways - had written called The Old Man in the Chair in the Yard - dad was 95 when he passed so pretty he'd quality - it was about him sitting and just being passed by, which was pretty much how things had gone for him those last couple years, though not quite in the yard but on his back deck, which might explain, maybe if he'd been in his front yard, but anyway, and there were back neighbors but oh well, but, again, should have gotten it together, again, maybe as soon as heard it because turned out the man who wrote it had never recorded it, even had a friend who was in the area, but also turned out we - as in our church where I'd heard it - oh, also an interesting twist on it was I got the call, not the final one where he passed but the one that started us on the beginning of the final journey even as he was singing it - were the ones who'd recorded it then so we'd had it the whole time, just glad that friend was coming back and then coming - forgot to mention I, with dad, was in a yet different state 5 hrs. away - to the funeral so picked it up and brought it, sliding in at the 11th hour, just in time - well, we actually played the other one first - and, yes, both were on CD; the funeral home had that one but of course not this one; they were sweating, but if she hadn't shown not sure what would have done, maybe nothing, maybe just picked on off the list, or something that was known - but she made it - something dad wouldn't have really wanted; he wanted live but just turned into that, hopefully not too upset; however, having said all that, another thing that had happened was his pastor had no longer been there, although we did get him back for his funeral but he'd gotten a new one who'd been there just 6 weeks at that point but thanks to someone who thought a lot of dad in the church had made a point to bring him up to date on dad, even bringing him out to see him so that when he'd wound up in the hospital about a month later and in there for 2 weeks before he passed - after coming home on hospice for just a day - was there pretty much immediately and then was at the house to meet us when we got there - just meant so much - since the old song leader was no more - I think there was a connection but anyway - he was leading the singing and offered to do something like that, if we'd like - he said he wasn't a "special" singer, as they called them and like that other song leader was, so he couldn't sing a solo - so even though it's been called "trite" on here; I'd never heard it done this way and not at all, except my cousin did at my grandmother's graveside - but he led us all in "Amazing Grace", a song I guess I just thought everybody knew and hopefully almost everybody did but now I'm somewhat wondering about a side of my family of a different religion, the same as son's gf, who I had no idea would have no idea about that song; I did feel so bad for her about that, however, it was the one part of the service I felt was exactly what "dad" would have wanted; we conceded the rest to the "mourners", if you will, because of what had happened but that ended it as I feel dad would have wanted - sorry

My mom wanted Precious Lord Take my Hand and also Go rest high on that mountain by Vince Gill was a beautiful song. My grandmother wanted Old Rugged cross So sorry for your loss

It really depends on the person, their beliefs and wishes. If Christian, I would recommend: The Old Rugged Cross, Amazing Grace, songs of that nature, for an elderly person, as those were the hymns of their time and for a while after. Loud and fast was not the norm and would considered disrespectful to their peers.

We did Amazing Grace, How Great Thou Art, but we also did a song called Holes In the Floors of Heaven by Steven Wariner because my mom loved that song. I've also been to funerals and have heard the song Spirit In The Sky. Personalize it for how you see that it fits the person.

I am not especially religious, so for myself I have chosen "Shall We Gather at the River," as the UU church of which I am a member is located on the banks of the Mississippi River. Also, Cat Stevens' rendition of "Morning Has Broken." Then I like Beethoven's "Ode to Joy," and Frank Sinatra's "My Way."

Hello, I'm so sorry for your loss. Here are a few thoughts.

You Lift Me Up youtube.com/watch?v=xj8wHfBKoRU
I'll Fly Away youtube.com/watch?v=grV3zPU7kdc
Danny Boy youtube.com/watch?v=DquA6KyHTos

Try to Remember by Perry Como (more our parent's generation)
youtube.com/watch?v=d5R7jk2sw4M&list=PL1EA3C96E65094E6C&index=3
The Last Farewell by Roger Whittaker youtube.com/watch?v=hKdRpDpIR70&list=RDhKdRpDpIR70#t=0

I hope this helps at a difficult time.

The one I recall from my mother's service is Beyond the Sunset; another oldie that is upbeat is Mansion Over the Hilltop (Ira Stanphill), also Just a Closer Walk with Thee. It also depends on whether there are other old-timers there that remember the oldies.

For some great ideas search: "best funeral songs" You will get plenty of ideas. Good luck

For my mother's Memorial Service, I chose the following:

1. "His Eye Is On The Sparrow" Her Favorite song
2. "Some Where Over The Rainbow"
3. "How Great Thou Are"
4. "Peace Be Still"

These songs were very uplifting for me and others.

Swing Low, Sweet Chariot

my mums died on the 18th of march this year and ive found2 lovely songs that will help me get through the service. one is david alexanders cd if i only had time track 14 {if heaven had a phone}. the second is ann breen cd pal of my cradle days track 2 {medals for mothers .i feel that these songs say it all and i know mum would agree with my choice. we will walk into the crematorium with a song called louisiana way country music song that mum and i loved, she liked it that much that she new all the words at 96 years old. god bless mum x

I'm so sorry for your loss.
Even though the surreal task of making funeral arrangements for my father was a blur, I still find consolation in the song, Stardust. The organist played beautifully all the songs that we requested.

Precious Lord, take my hand
Lead me on, let me stand
I am tired
I am weak
I am warm

Through the storm, through the night
Lead me on to the light
Take my hand, precious lord, lead me home

When my way grows drear'
Precious Lord, linger near
When my life is almost gone
Hear my cry, hear my call
Hold my hand lest I fall
Take my hand, precious lord, lead me home

When the darkness appears, and the night draws near
And the day is past and gone
Let the river, where I stand, guide my feet, hold my hand
Take my hand, precious lord, lead me home
Take my hand, precious lord,

Full Song Lyrics: lyrster.com/lyrics/blessed-jesus-hold-my-hand-lyrics-elvis-presley.html#ixzz5BAIAGpXs

Read more at lyrster.com/lyrics/blessed-jesus-hold-my-hand-lyrics-elvis-presley.html#8x3dPorGwddBjaYJ.99

Hymns (not songs) are what I'd choose for a funeral but my tastes are traditional. For my grandmother's funeral I chose Faith of Our Fathers and "Now the Day is Over - Night is Drawing Nigh" as the recessional hymn. There were others that I forget. I do like How Great Thou Art but I think Amazing Grace is used so often that it's become trite. It's also too evangelical for my taste. All hymns used are found in a traditional hymnal.

I recommend playing any songs that the deceased really enjoyed. Some people had favorite hymns. Others may have a "pop" song they loved. I have performed at many funerals as a harpist, and will play whatever type of songs the family requests. My father was a Barbershopper - so at his graveside service, we sang hymns a cappella in four-part harmony - because he loved part-singing.

I do agree that the music at the actual "funeral" should be more on the dignified side. The wake, by contrast, can be a wild time with dancing and funny songs.

Sorry for your loss. We just lost my MIL 94 yrs old! We played
Sarah McLachlan - In the arms of an angel. not a dry eye in the place.

seems like most folks had some favorite type of music in the past be they religious or non religious.

This is a difficult topic and my heart goes out to you.

Here is a different perspective. I believe funerals are for the people who mourn, not the people who have passed. You play whatever fills your heart with joy. It can be music that reminds you of your loved one, or music your loved one enjoyed. There are no guidelines or boundaries you have to follow. Use the power of music to help you in this emotional time.

Was your parent, or are you, religious? Relatives may be comforted hearing Eagle's Wings (hymn), It Is Well With My Soul (hymn), In Christ Alone (video with lyrics) youtube.com/watch?v=AjR_A2pGPrY , I Will Rise (Chris Tomlin) video with lyrics is beautiful youtube.com/watch?v=WlHUKY3jBv0 , and this astonishing contemporary song if younger people attend funeral- I'm not young, but would request this for my own funeral, So Will I (this video has lyrics) youtube.com/watch?v=7DKuevboKLY

If you are very close to your parents, I would suggest,

Wind Beneath My Wings youtu.be/jorJh8DTMVM
Smile youtu.be/YXuB6md9zPk
Bridge Over Troubled Water youtu.be/Ho92k2CKNh0
True Colors youtu.be/sFZILaGa-TA