There is a scene in “High Fidelity,” both in the novel by Nick Hornby and the movie adaptation of it, where Rob, Barry and Dick discuss the Top 5 Songs they’d want to have played at their funeral. It’s not exactly a topic being discussed around the dinner table, but it’s a good subject to talk about as a lover of music. The songs you choose to have played at your funeral are the final mark you leave on this Earth. There is a more personal reason for this article though.
I come from a very small town in the San Bernardino mountains. To give you an idea of the town’s population, my graduating high school class was under 100. Many of us went to school together from kindergarten through our graduation day. It was the kind of town where even if you had a spat with someone, since you knew them for so long it wasn’t easy to forgive and forget.
Last week someone I literally grew up with, played on Little League teams with, passed away. I’d never say we were best friends either while we lived on the mountain together or after, but in a community that small, every loss is felt, and this man was no wallflower, making his departure all the more difficult to deal with. He was a bright spot in the universe, and his loss was all too soon.
It did get me to thinking on this subject, of what I’d like to have played at my bon voyage party, and here’s what I came up with.
“Let it Be” The Beatles – Undeniably, it’s a bit of a cliche, but I figure that in my life it’s been one of the most comforting songs in times of personal turmoil. I’d like it to be a source of comfort for those I leave behind.
“The Weight” The Band – Specifically, I want the version from “The Last Waltz,” the concert film directed by Martin Scorsese that captured their final live performance together. It features the Staples singers and The Band performing a rendition of this song that would make anyone want to take a load off.
“All Things Must Pass” George Harrison – If there is a more fitting song for a funeral, I don’t know what it is. The lyrics are beautiful and George’s singing performance is a transcendent plea with us all to accept the transient and fleeting side of life, serving as a gentle but necessary reminder that all things good and bad eventually pass away.
“Always Look on the Bright Side of Life” Monty Python – My funeral will have to have an element of humor in it, because it’s just depressing to think of everyone being so somber. I want this to be the song playing as my final Earthly remains are being carted out to be buried or scattered. It’s a wickedly funny song, and my hope is to leave everyone with a smile.