Musicians
Live music can be emotionally powerful. If you do not have any musical friends or relatives who would be comfortable performing, there are plenty of ways to find suitable musicians: try your local church choir, amateur orchestras or singing groups, you may be lucky. Alternatively take a look online:
Last Minute Musicians (Directory)
Funeral Music (providing assorted musicians to your specification)
Brady’s Music (Irish Pipes and singers)
Funeral Singers (Soprano and Mezzo singers)
Music
What sort of music would you like at your funeral or life celebration? The theme tune from a favourite show? Something you sang as a child? Chart songs are fast replacing hymns at funerals. Here’s a list of songs used at funerals, to get you started:
Abide With Me – Traditional
All Things Bright & Beautiful – Traditional
Always Look on the Bright Side of Life – Monty Python
Angels – Robbie Williams
Asleep – The Smiths
Ave Maria – Schubert
Beautiful Day – U2
Blower’s Daughter – Damien Rice
Blowin’ In The Wind – Bob Dylan
Chasing Cars – Snow Patrol
Come Away With Me – Norah Jones
Don’t You Forget About Me – Simple Minds
Enigma Variations – Nimrod
Even My Dad Does Sometimes – Ed Sheeran
Even Though You’re Gone – Angelis
Hallelujah – Alexandra Burke
He Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Brother – Neil Diamond
I Will Always Love You – Celine Dion
Let It Be – The Beatles
Make Me a Channel of Your Peace – Susan Boyle
May It Be – Enya
Memories – Barbra Streisand
My Heart Will Go On – Celine Dion
My Sweet Lord – George Harrison
My Way – Frank Sinatra
Nothing Compares To You – Sinead O’Connor
Over The Rainbow – Eva Cassidy
Pictures of You – The Cure
Ring of Fire – Johnny Cash
Satisfied Mind – Jeff Buckley
Show Me Heaven – Maria McKee
Slipped Away – Avril Lavigne
Stairway to Heaven – Led Zeppelin
Tears In Heaven – Eric Clapton
The Lord is My Shepherd – Traditional
Time To Say Goodbye – Andrea Bocelli
Who Knew – Pink
Who Wants To Live Forever – Queen
Wind Beneath My Wings – Bette Middler
Wonderwall – Oasis
You Raise Me Up – Westlife
You’ll Be in My Heart – Phil Collins
You’ll Never Walk Alone – Gerry & The Pacemakers
You’re My Best Friend – Queen
For more ideas, try:
For some ideas of popular songs at funerals, see
The Telegraph Top Ten Funeral Songs
Guide with links to songs and words
Music is the medicine of the breaking heart. ~Leigh Hunt
Music is love in search of a word. ~Sidney Lanier