Mike Warren Celebrant

View Original

Which music is appropriate?

Web editor

The music and songs played at a funeral service are just as important as the words that are spoken, as the music creates a mood and reflects the personality of your loved one.

There is virtually an unlimited selection of music to choose from and most crematoria have access to a vast searchable library of commercially released music tracks. If you would prefer to have live music, it is also possible to source musicians, including singers, soloists and groups. Sometimes a family member or friend may also be able perform.

Some families opt for classical music and hymns, giving the ceremony a more traditional feel; inspiring calm, grandeur and reflective thinking. Whereas, others prefer more popular music tracks, giving it a contemporary feel; reflecting the musical tastes of the person whose life you are celebrating. The important thing is to make a personal choice; and one that it right for you and your loved one.

Generally, the structure of a funeral service normally includes specific pieces being played during certain parts of the service. Typically, the first piece of music is played as mourners enter the chapel or when the coffin is carried in (referred to as ‘entrance music’). During the service there is often a time set aside for personal reflection, during which time music can be played if you wish. After the committal when the service concludes, a piece of music is often played as the mourners leave (referred to as ‘exit music’).

To give you some ideas of the types of music suitable for a funeral service, here are lists of popular funeral song choices, from hymns and classical music to more contemporary songs – as well as the many different musical styles and genres that your loved one may have enjoyed.

Traditional Hymns

  • Abide with me

  • All things bright and beautiful

  • Amazing Grace

  • Dear Lord and Father of Mankind

  • Eternal Father Strong to Save

  • God be in my head, God be in my head

  • Guide me, O thou great Redeemer

  • In Heavenly Love Abiding

  • Jesu, lover of my soul

  • Lead us heavenly father lead us

  • Lord of all hopefulness, Lord of all joy

  • Love Divine, all loves excelling

  • Love's Redeeming work is done

  • Make Me A Channel Of Your Peace

  • Now thank we all our God

  • O God, our help in ages past

  • O Lord my God! When I in awesome wonder

  • On a hill far away

  • Praise, my soul, the King of Heaven

  • Rock of Ages, cleft for me

  • The Lord's my shepherd, I'll not want

  • There is a green hill far away

  • Thine be the glory, risen, conquering Son

  • What a friend we have in Jesus

Classical Music

  • Nimrod From Enigma Variations (Edward Elgar)

  • Canon in D (Pachebel)

  • The Lark Ascending (Vaughan Williams)

  • Adagio in G minor (Albinoni)

  • Adagio For Strings (Samuel Barber)

  • Air on a G string (Bach)

  • Arioso (Bach)

  • Jesu, joy of man's desiring (Bach)

  • Sheep may safely graze Bach)

  • Ave Maria (Bach/Gounod)

  • Adagio - Sonata Pathetique (Beethoven)

  • Funeral March from Sonata Op 26 (Beethoven)

  • Lullaby (Brahms)

  • Prelude in E minor Op 28 No. 4 (Chopin)

  • Study in E [So deep is the night] (Chopin)

  • Funeral March from Sonata Op 35 (Chopin)

  • Trumpet Voluntary (Jeremiah Clarke)

  • Solemn Melody (Walford Davies)

  • Claire de Lune (Debussy)

  • Largo from the New World Symphony (Dvorak)

  • Nimrod from the Enigma Variations (Elgar)

  • Chanson de Matin (Elgar)

  • Chanson de Nuit (Elgar)

  • Salut d'Amour (Elgar)

  • Pie Jesu (Faure)

  • Panis Angelicus (Franck)

  • Air from Water Music (Handel)

  • Air from Concerto Grosso (Handel)

  • I know that my Redeemer liveth [from Messiah] (Handel)

  • He shall feed his flock [from Messiah] (Handel)

  • Largo (Handel)

  • Easter Hymn [Cavalleria Rusticana] (Mascagni)

  • Intermezzo [Cavalleria Rusticana] (Mascagni)

  • O, rest in the Lord [Elijah] (Mendelssohn)

  • On wings of songs (Mendelssohn)

  • Funeral March - adapted from Op 62 No 3 (Mendelssohn)

  • Romance [Eine Kleine Nachtmusik] (Mozart)

  • Ave Verum (Mozart)

  • When I am laid in earth [Dido and Aeneas] (Purcell)

  • Ave Maria (Schubert)

  • Dreaming [Traumerei] (Schumann)

  • Chorale from Finlandia (Sibelius)

  • Elegy (Thalben-Ball)

  • Andante Cantabile from String Quartet Op11 (Tchaikovsky)

  • Chanson Triste (Tchaikovsky)

Contemporary Music

  • I’ll See You Again (Westlife)

  • Tears In Heaven (Eric Clapton)

  • I Love You Because (Jim Reeves)

  • Softly As I Leave You (Matt Monro)

  • I Will Always Love You (Whitney Houston)

  • Unchained Melody (The Righteous Brothers)

  • Non Je Ne Regrette Rien (Edith Piaf)

  • Imagine (John Lennon)

  • Dancing Queen (ABBA)

  • 100 Years (John Ondrasik)

  • Climb Ev’ry Mountain [from “The Sound of Music”] (Rodgers and Hammerstein)

  • Both Sides Now (Joni Mitchell)

  • Forever Young (Bob Dylan)

  • Have I Told You Lately (Van Morrison)

  • If I Die Young (Kimberly Perry)

  • In My Life (John Lennon & Paul McCartney)

  • Living Years (Mike Rutherford/performed by Mike and the Mechanics)

  • Over The Rainbow (Harold Arlen)

  • The Rose (Bette Midler)

  • Smoke Gets in Your Eyes (Jerome Kern)

  • Stormy Weather (Harold Arlen)

  • Tears in Heaven (Eric Clapton & Will Jennings)

  • Unforgettable (Nat King Cole)

  • We’ll Meet Again (Ross Parker & Hughie Charles)

  • Yesterday (John Lennon & Paul McCartney)

  • You’ve Got a Friend (Carole King)

  • To Where You Are (Josh Groban)

  • My Way (Frank Sinatra)

  • Unforgettable (Nat King Cole)

  • Wind Beneath My Wings (Bette Midler)

  • Somewhere Over The Rainbow (Eva Cassidy)

  • We’ll Meet Again (Vera Lynn)

  • Time To Say Goodbye (Sarah Brightman & Andrea Bocelli)

  • What A Wonderful World (Louis Armstrong)

  • (In The Arms of an) Angel (Sarah McLachlan)

  • You’ll Never Walk Alone (Gerry & The Pacemakers)

  • Smile (Nat King Cole)

  • Bridge over Troubled Water (Simon & Garfunkel)

  • Simply The Best (Tina Turner)

  • Fields Of Gold (Eva Cassidy)

  • Moonlight Serenade (Glenn Miller)

  • Morning Has Broken (Cat Stevens)

  • Stranger On the Shore (Acker Bilk)

  • Bring Me Sunshine (Morecambe & Wise)

  • You Raise Me Up (Westlife)

  • Flying Without Wings (Westlife)

  • How Long Will I Love You (Ellie Goulding)

  • Dance With My Father (Luther Vandross)

  • Sailing (Rod Stewart)

  • Supermarket flowers (Ed Sheeran)

  • Always Look On The Bright Side Of Life (Monty Python)

  • Angels (Robbie Williams)

  • Albatross (Fleetwood Mac)

  • What A Wonderful World (Louis Armstrong)

  • I am what I am (Gloria Gaynor)

Rock Songs

  • Stairway to Heaven (Led Zeppelin)

  • Don't Wanna Miss A Thing (Aerosmith)

  • Who Wants To Live Forever? (Queen)

  • The Show Must Go On (Queen)

  • Knocking on Heaven's Door (Guns and Roses)

  • Wish You Were Here (Pink Floyd)

  • Bohemian Rhapsody (Queen)

  • These Are The Days Of Our Lives (Queen)

Country Music

  • Country Roads (Jon Denver)

  • I Will Always Love You (Dolly Parton)

  • Islands in the Stream (Dolly Parton & Kenny Rogers)

  • 9-5 (Dolly Parton)

  • If Tomorrow Never Comes (Garth Brooks)

  • Annie's Song (Jon Denver)

  • You're Still The One (Shania Twain)

  • Stand by Your Man (Dolly Parton)

R & B Music

  • I’ll Be Missing You (Puff Daddy)

  • I Miss You (Beyonce)

  • One Sweet Day (Boyz II Men)

  • Dance With My Father Again (Luther Vandross)

  • It So Hard To Say Goodbye To Yesterday (Boyz II Men)

  • Because I Got High (Afrojack)

  • Blinded By Your Grace (Stormzy)

  • Call Out My Name (The Weednd)

  • I'll Be Missing You (Chaka Demus)

Indie Music

  • Chasing Cars (Snow Patrol)

  • Wonderwall (Oasis)

  • Don't Look Back in Anger (Oasis)

  • One Day Like This (Elbow)

  • Bittersweet Symphony (The Verve)

  • Fix You (Coldplay)

  • Live Forever (Oasis)

  • Mr Brightside (The Killers)

  • Paradise (Coldplay)

  • Clocks (Coldplay)

Jazz Songs

  • Unforgettable (Nat King Cole)

  • What A Wonderful World (Louis Armstrong)

  • Ain't No Sunshine (Bill Withers)

  • In The Mood (Glenn Miller)

  • Smile (Nat King Cole)

  • When The Saints Go Marching In

  • At Last (Etta James)

  • Take 5 (Dave Brubeck)

  • The Thrill Is Gone (BB King)

  • Begin the Beguine (Artie Shaw)

Sports Themes

  • Match of The Day Theme Tune (Barry Stoller)

  • Soul Limbo (Booker T and MG) - Test Match Special

  • You'll Never Walk Alone (Gerry & The Pacemakers) - Liverpool / Celtic

  • The Chain (Fleetwood Mac) - Formula 1 Theme

  • Black & White Rag (George Botsford) - Pot Black Theme Tune

  • Chariots of Fire (Vangelis) – Athletics

  • Pop Looks Bach (Sam Fonteyn) - Ski Sunday

  • Light & Tuneful (New World Orchestra) – Tennis/Wimbledon

  • Drag Racer (Power Pack Orchestra) - BBC Snooker

  • A Swingin Safari (Bert Kaempfert & His Orchestra) - Stock Cars

TV Themes

  • Only Fools & Horses

  • Last of the Summer Wine

  • Coronation Street

  • Match of the Day

  • Bring Me Sunshine (Morecambe and Wise)

  • Soul Limbo (Test Match Special)

  • Going Home (Hovis)

  • Eastenders

  • Emmerdale

  • Dr Who