Popular Funeral Songs For Different Intended Emotions

Everybody has a different idea of what they’d like their funerals to be like, and each family has different traditions and mentalities surrounding the passing of a loved one. Should your funeral be a melancholy event focused on the deep loss experienced by those attending, or a lively party celebrating the life of your loved one? There are no right answers here, and nobody can tell you which way you should be approaching a funeral. No matter what atmosphere you want this most significant event to have, one thing that most agree on is the inclusion of music.

Below we’ve curated a short list of popular funeral songs based on which emotion you’d like the listener to experience. So, whether you’re planning an upbeat celebration of life, or a quite reflection of life and love, take a look at our suggestions below for inspiration:

Melancholy and Forlorn 

Feeling sadness at a funeral is perhaps the most natural emotion we experience in our lives. There’s no failure in feeling the pain of the loss of your loved one. In fact, it is often healthiest to feel our grief rather than bottle it up. Because of this, many opt for sad funeral songs to allow for a cathartic flow of these negative emotions. “Let Her Go” by Passenger and “Yesterday” by The Beatles are both popular options, as each reflects on the immediate impacts of loss after the fact.

Serene and Peaceful

For those who have a nature-based philosophy on death, most often they wish to highlight the naturalness of death and to evoke feelings of peacefulness. Songs like Over The Rainbow, written by Harold Arlen and Yip Harburg for the 1939 film, The Wizard of Oz, are perfect for fostering this tranquility. Over The Rainbow was famously performed by Judy Garland in the film, and it became her signature song before being covered by countless other artists, including Frank Sinatra, Cliff Richard, and, of course, the ukulele cover by Israel Kamakawiwoʻole.

Happy and Hopeful

Some people want to plan a funeral in a way that helps alleviate and ease some of the intense pain and sorrow that comes with the loss of a loved one. Songs that reinforce hope, like We’ll Meet Again by Vera Lynn, are perfect for those who wish to highlight that they will be reunited one day. For those looking to provoke a laugh from their funeral attendees, Always Look On The Bright Side Of Life from the 1979 Monty Python comedy, Life of Brian, is a surprisingly popular choice due to its irreverent, tongue-in-cheek take on the joys of life and death.

Deciding which music you’d like to play at your own funeral or the funeral of a loved one can be very difficult. If you’d like to design a bespoke and personalised service for your friends and family to attend, consider opting for a direct cremation. With no in-person service to attend, a direct cremation offers the perfect opportunity for you to plan your ceremony from the ground-up. Trying to compare funeral plans can be stressful, but we are here to help! Get in touch with a member of our team today for advice and support.